13/12/15 – A Pain that I’m Used to

Last Sunday’s run was replaced by a bracing, but slow 10K walk around gorgeous Llanberis Lake during a break in the weather, with only some minor trespass involved! (Only due to the recognised footpaths being washed away, honest Mr Policeman.)

Monday saw another date with the treadmill and another sub-30 minute 5K (29.32), however, the Hammies are really beginning to hurt now when running. Not enough to make me stop, but definitely not a good sign. Maybe I’m simply pushing too hard, since that good run.

I didn’t get out again until Thursday and a chance to finally slip on the new trainers and road test around the ‘classic’ 5K course. More lamp-post work and more protests from the back of the legs, but eventual disappointment as I just failed to break the 30 minute mark by 11 seconds. Damn! Was so hoping to christen the new shoes with a really good time.

And so to parkrun on Saturday and back onto the trail shoes. The previous night we had our ‘office’ Christmas party and Sue didn’t make it out of bed. After my fifth slowest parkrun at Lloyd, I think she had the right idea. I’d like to blame the pain in my legs or the thick, sticky mud, but in truth, it was just one of those runs when there was just nothing in the tank.

I’ve started hard-massage on the back of my thighs after each run and it does seem to be helping recovery, certainly more than the stretches. A good job too, as I was on my feet DJ’ing until 2am in Brixton, and didn’t hit the sack until 3am.

Come Sunday afternoon, I decided not to push myself on the 10K run, given my long Saturday and delicate condition of my legs. That doesn’t mean I can’t push Sue a bit though, so I ran with her, introducing her to the ‘lamp-post tactic’ plus generally pacing and encouraging her to her second best 10K time ever = 1:14:25. Strangely, my legs felt fine, even on the 400m sprint we ended with. Maybe I have been unconsciously pushing a little bit too hard recently.