Ready, Steady, Cook

Life including my running has slowly returned to "normal" after the extraordinary experiences of the London Marathon in April. Learning from last year's mistakes, I didn't launch straight back into training and racing and devoted more time to resting and recovering. I made another batch of cards, which were sold at the Ribble Valley Jazz Festival - a weekend in Clitheore with funky music, fun times with my family and lots of washing up at the Atrium Cafe.

But the running and racing buzz doesn't go away for long. I've got a new goal - the London Enduro challenge in June. It's a 12 hour through the night team challenge - 10k laps round Wimbledon Common. I'm part of a team selected by Write this Run and I'm looking forward to it. It's a new location; some new running companions; a team event rather than a solo run; and a totally different endurance challenge, as I'll need to run 3 or 4 10k laps in a 12hr period on trails and in the dark. Did I mention that I'm really looking forward to it? I know it will be tough but I'm hoping it will be lots of fun too.

So after those two weeks of post-marathon rest, I've been upping my training and trying a few different approaches to prepare myself for the Enduro challenge. The main difference has been in the length of my runs... I'm keeping them a bit shorter (no 20 mile long runs at the moment) but running more frequently and at least once a week, I'm aiming to complete two or more runs in one day. On these days, I've been running about half marathon distance in total and that will increase in the next few weeks. It means a lot more washing, never mind the impact on my legs! I've been running on more varied terrain, off road and along trails, and switching between running shoes too, just in case the Enduro involves wet and muddy conditions. 

Here's my training over the last week or so:

On Sunday 11th May, I raced over 10k in Market Drayton. The popularity of the race seems entirely based around the goody bag... yoghurts, sausage rolls, pork pies, gingerbread man, sweets, mars bar, beer and curry vouchers, t-shirt and medal were all included amongst the post-run treats. The weather was relatively kind, although it did get a bit warm in between the showers, and the route was not too challenging. The start and finish over a soggy field was the main challenge and not brilliantly conducive to a fast finish. There was one tricky hill at around 5 miles, which had me struggling for breath and feeling slightly queasy. The rest of the route was mainly through residential areas and not particularly inspiring scenery. I think I prefer a run with a bit of a view and some wide open spaces.

In the end, I was very happy with my run. I achieved a new 10k PB by almost 40 seconds (I was one of the lucky ones to get a chip time - 49:13) and think I could have gone a little bit faster with a paved start / finish. Sub 49 is my next goal. However, I was most happy with my pacing. All of my kilometres were completed within a few seconds of each other and I kept my pace going throughout the run, not slowing down in the second half at all. I enjoyed the event too. Before the run, there were bands playing and we warmed up dancing along to the sounds of some indie rock. After the run, there was a real buzz on the field, at least until the rain came, and lots of familiar faces from the local running community. There were Potters Trotters out in force too, and it was great to cheer home several pink ladies doing their first ever 10k.

The Potters Trotters with their Market Drayton medals... taken on Tuesday's club run

But that wasn't the end of my running for the day. After the journey home and a refuelling from my goody bag, I went back out again in the rain to run another 10k. There was a gap of about 4 hours between finishing the race and going out again. For the second run, I started very slowly and gingerly. After a couple of miles, I felt stronger and eventually really enjoyed my second run, completing 10k in 60 minutes this time and signing along to my iPod as I ran. Having been surrounded by other runners in Market Drayton, this was a much more solitary effort and actually the quiet was relaxing in a strange sort of way. Back home it was time to warm up and refuel for the second time that day. My challenge over the next couple of weeks will be see if I can get back out for a third or even fourth run in one day.

Monday was a rest day and on Tuesday I was back out with the Potters Trotters, running 5 steady miles with the training group for the Potters 'Arf. I was out racing again on Wednesday at the more local Clayton 10k, a more hilly route I'd already run before at last year's event and also part of the NSRRA calender of events. There were far more runners this year and the congestion at the start was even worse... a stop/start first 100 metres which I always find challenging. The race was even more of a challenge after an injury picked up whilst out running with the Potters Trotters on Tuesday night... due to a lack of care and attention on my part, I managed to smack my right hand on a roadside railing. By Wednesday night, by whole hand was swollen, a bit painful and a very strange colour. A trip to the local hospital has since proved that there are no fractures but general consensus on Wednesday night was that it looked a bit odd. Obviously, it didn't really affect my running too much - I managed a course PB of 51:03 - but I was conscious of it all the way round. The bruising has now spread across my hand and it basically just looks dirty.

Thursday was another rest day but was also the day of the Potters Trotters AGM and presentation night. I enjoyed presenting an award to our Potters Trotters supporter of the year, Justine, who cheers us on at most local races and also popped up unexpectedly in Market Drayton too. I was also surprised and incredibly proud to be named Trotter of the Year, as voted for by my club mates. What an honour - reducing me to a state of speechlessness that caused much hilarity. I'm not often lost for words. 

Potters Trotters Awards Night - photo by Shaz

On Friday, I was back out for a double run... 6 solitary miles along the canal at lunchtime and then a hilly 5 miles in the evening with Bobbie for company. The heat was challenging on both runs and my pace was much slower but the double run was again manageable. 

Saturday was another rest day for my running but it was still a day filled with running, as I was run director for the day at Hanley parkrun. The sun was shining, we had a record turnout of 168 runners and a great group of volunteers too. 

Then on Sunday, it was a Potters Trotters road trip to the Burton 10 mile race, an undulating two lap event, with Liz and Gaynor for company. The plan for this run was to ease off from my usual race pace and instead I ran with Gaynor for the whole run, her longest ever race and preparation for the Potters 'Arf in three weeks. I really enjoyed the run, despite the very hot conditions and a challenging but not impossible hill. It was great to stick with Gaynor and be there for the smiles at the finish, with a few tears of joy too. We were cheered on by Kate and Paul and spotted a few familiar faces from parkrun, as well as other runners from further afield including the Ivanhoe Runners who host the Ashby 20. Liz had a great run too and for a little while on Sunday evening, we were listed in the results as the Potters Triangles! I just about avoided another sunburn disaster - factor 50 worked well in Burton - and really enjoyed my Chinese takeaway for tea.

Running with Gaynor - and we're both smiling!

And so the end of another running week - from Sunday 11th to Sunday 18th, I ran 46 miles, competed in three races, ran twice in the day twice and smiled through most of it. Hopefully, it's all been good preparation for the Enduro 12.

Happy Running

Liz T