Kingston bridge + Hampton Court bridge loop

 

Untuned with myself. Not a feeling I’m used to. Not a feeling I’m comfortable with.

The plan for today’s run was to dress as I’m planning to dress for the Seville marathon. Same shoes, shorts, shirt. Same amount of gels (an amount I wouldn’t dare to confess). 

Run to Kingston bridge as a warmup. Free pace. Based on feeling. Not allowed to look at the watch.

Then, from Kingston bridge to Hampton Court bridge (around 5k) run at what I thought would be my marathon pace. Again, only based on feeling. Not listening to podcasts or music. Not allowed to look at the watch.

If I were successful I should be able to run back from Hampton Court to Kingston at the same pace.

As you can see looking at the run I wasn’t successful. By the time I got to Hampton Court I knew I had gone too hard. Worst of it I knew I had started too hard but I didn’t feel that fast.

To make things even worse my left leg was feeling a bit funny. Something that started after last Saturday’s marathon in the trails (https://www.strava.com/activities/17165873979) and it hasn’t gone away. Who would have thought that a marathon on the trails was probably not the best training for a road marathon three weeks later…

I could have run back to Kingston and tried to adjust my pace but the niggle in my left leg made me think it was safer to call it a day, jog home and try again tomorrow.

The jog back home was 30 minutes of feeling sorry for myself. I was feeling slow, I knew I hadn’t been able to pace myself, and I felt fragile. Not sure which one was worse. Not the best news two weeks before Seville.

And now, I look at the numbers in Strava and I am hugely surprised. I wasn’t expecting it. 

Don’t get me wrong. I know a pace of 4:36m/km is nothing to write home about, but, for me, it is huge. It is a 5k and a 10k PR, which, even if I never really targeted those distances, is significant. 

So, yes, I wasn’t that slow (for my level) but I still had the feeling of not being able to pace myself and being fragile. And that makes me feel untuned with myself. Not a feeling I’m used to. Not a feeling I’m comfortable with.

Exactly two weeks for the Seville marathon now. The fear of starting too hard and legs falling off too soon is now planted in my brain. Not sure if that is good or bad. Doubts start to creep in.

I’ll give it another go tomorrow. Hopefully it’ll get better.

(Apologies for the self-pity report)

The run in Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/17236438503/

Take care of yourself

Javier Arias González

To Hampton Court bridge and back

Last week I had a slight discomfort in my left leg. That week Saturday’s run (https://www.strava.com/activities/16532167404) exacerbated it a little so I decided to take this week off running. It helped that it was a busy week at work. 

My cyclists friends decided today’s weather was not suitable for riding bicycles so I decided to go for an easy run to test my leg.

Run slowly to Kingston bridge (5km) and I felt fine so I decided to keep running towards Hampton Court. 

Got to Hampton Court (10km), I crossed the bridge heading home and I was feeling fine so I decided to turn around and head back to Kingston.

That is a much nicer way of going back home but it adds 5 more kilometres to the route.

Back again to Kingston bridge (15km) and I started to think that, maybe, I was a bit too optimistic. I was still running slow but my legs, especially the left one, were feeling the effort.

Finally got home (20km) and I now have the slight discomfort back in my left leg.

Follow me if you want great advice on how to deal with running niggles. I know what not to do.

The run in Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/16599061825

Take care of yourself

Javier Arias González