Run The Date - Day 17
Date: Tuesday 17th September
Distance: 17 miles
Motivational quote: "Every run is a work of art, a drawing on each day's canvas."
Sponsor: Solly Fudge
Song: Every time the sun comes up by Sharon Van Etten
Running partner: Chris Addison, John, Kevin W and Prakash
Weather: Warm and sunny.
Fuel: Shreddies, banana, coffee.
Route: Laps of Radnor Park.
Comments: Yesterday was tough and my legs were feeling it this
morning. Today was definitely going to be a two-parter.
Part One
I was up at 6:30am and met John at my house. We ran together to the Harbour where we met Chris. Chris is a regular parkrunner and had approached me on Saturday to ask if he could join me one day.
Chris is also running for the same charity as me – Folkestone Rainbow Centre – but will be raising funds by running the London marathon in 2020. He also volunteers with the Winter Shelter that the charity runs in local churches from the start of December until the end of February.
The three of us ran through town and up to Radnor Park by the train station. Kevin W met us there and we started looping the park. On the very first lap fellow parkrunner (often the winner), Prakash came sprinting past at sub 6-minute miles. A couple of laps later he joined us for a warm down.
Our red, orange, yellow, purple and white colours made an apt photo for our run in aid of Rainbow Centre.
We ran and chatted and laughed and sweated for ten laps before Prakash and Chris headed home and the three Bald Monkeys went for our traditional post run coffee.
From the sixth time around I’d been feeling a pain in the back of my left thigh. My hamstring was very tight, and it was affecting my running, more mentally than physically. Thankfully I managed do 11 miles leaving just six for the evening session.
I had noticed when doing my yoga stretches that I couldn’t get down as low in pigeon pose as I usually do. I think the ITB band on the outside of my right thigh has tightened which has led to problems on the left side.
When I arrived home I took ibuprofen and iced the area. I’ll need to get a physio to check it out if it persists, but I’ll know more after part two of today’s run.
Part Two
Tonight, I had arranged to run with Dover Road Runners. What I hadn’t realised was that it was their hills session! I arrived at 6:15 and was met by around 30 runners. My hamstring felt very sore after this morning and it was giving me some concern, but I figured it was only six more miles to do for the day.
After a short warm up I was introduced and then we began the hill repeats. The route took us up a short, steep slope in Connaught Park and then back down the way we had come. I managed six in the time although some must have completed at least eight. Thinking that was it I started to warm down when we were led further up the hill to an even steeper grass hill which we then had to run to the top of.
We were rewarded with a beautiful view over Dover as the sun set over the hills. Everyone stood and admired it, taking in the moment. We then returned to the start where I was convinced we would now finish the session.
But no. Everyone had to do another climb to the top of Connaught Hill by Dover Castle. By now my hamstring was screaming and I plodded along, stopping now and then to give it a rub. It really was time for a warm down now which consisted of a range of stretches.
I had completed four miles and still needed to run another two. Normally this would have been no problem, but I was in considerable pain and two miles felt like a half marathon.
Kevin Hart kindly accompanied me for a mile through the park but by now it was dark, so I said goodbye and set off for the last mile solo. The pain was now a sharp stab behind my left thigh, but I was determined to complete the day even if it meant the end of the challenge.
When I feel pain like this, I have a way of dealing with it. In my mind I separathe any feeling below the neck from my head. Sounds weird but it works. I tell myself that the pain is isolated in that spot and distance myself from the sensation. It worked and I managed to run through the pain to complete the last mile.
Tomorrow I have a physio appointment at 8am and will hopefully be able to get it sorted so that I can carry on.
Part One
I was up at 6:30am and met John at my house. We ran together to the Harbour where we met Chris. Chris is a regular parkrunner and had approached me on Saturday to ask if he could join me one day.
Chris is also running for the same charity as me – Folkestone Rainbow Centre – but will be raising funds by running the London marathon in 2020. He also volunteers with the Winter Shelter that the charity runs in local churches from the start of December until the end of February.
The three of us ran through town and up to Radnor Park by the train station. Kevin W met us there and we started looping the park. On the very first lap fellow parkrunner (often the winner), Prakash came sprinting past at sub 6-minute miles. A couple of laps later he joined us for a warm down.
Our red, orange, yellow, purple and white colours made an apt photo for our run in aid of Rainbow Centre.
We ran and chatted and laughed and sweated for ten laps before Prakash and Chris headed home and the three Bald Monkeys went for our traditional post run coffee.
From the sixth time around I’d been feeling a pain in the back of my left thigh. My hamstring was very tight, and it was affecting my running, more mentally than physically. Thankfully I managed do 11 miles leaving just six for the evening session.
I had noticed when doing my yoga stretches that I couldn’t get down as low in pigeon pose as I usually do. I think the ITB band on the outside of my right thigh has tightened which has led to problems on the left side.
When I arrived home I took ibuprofen and iced the area. I’ll need to get a physio to check it out if it persists, but I’ll know more after part two of today’s run.
Part Two
Tonight, I had arranged to run with Dover Road Runners. What I hadn’t realised was that it was their hills session! I arrived at 6:15 and was met by around 30 runners. My hamstring felt very sore after this morning and it was giving me some concern, but I figured it was only six more miles to do for the day.
After a short warm up I was introduced and then we began the hill repeats. The route took us up a short, steep slope in Connaught Park and then back down the way we had come. I managed six in the time although some must have completed at least eight. Thinking that was it I started to warm down when we were led further up the hill to an even steeper grass hill which we then had to run to the top of.
We were rewarded with a beautiful view over Dover as the sun set over the hills. Everyone stood and admired it, taking in the moment. We then returned to the start where I was convinced we would now finish the session.
But no. Everyone had to do another climb to the top of Connaught Hill by Dover Castle. By now my hamstring was screaming and I plodded along, stopping now and then to give it a rub. It really was time for a warm down now which consisted of a range of stretches.
I had completed four miles and still needed to run another two. Normally this would have been no problem, but I was in considerable pain and two miles felt like a half marathon.
Kevin Hart kindly accompanied me for a mile through the park but by now it was dark, so I said goodbye and set off for the last mile solo. The pain was now a sharp stab behind my left thigh, but I was determined to complete the day even if it meant the end of the challenge.
When I feel pain like this, I have a way of dealing with it. In my mind I separathe any feeling below the neck from my head. Sounds weird but it works. I tell myself that the pain is isolated in that spot and distance myself from the sensation. It worked and I managed to run through the pain to complete the last mile.
Tomorrow I have a physio appointment at 8am and will hopefully be able to get it sorted so that I can carry on.
