Getting back on the horse

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It has now been two weeks since my Run The Date Challenge ended. At first it was an enormous relief not to get up every morning and have hours of running ahead of me. The mental and physical rest was welcome.

After five days rest I ran again for the first time at parkrun. It was a slow and easy three miles on sore, tired legs. My knees continued to feel weak and painful. The following week I went out a couple of times, just four miles at a time and at a very leisurely pace.

On Saturday the 12th I turned up at parkrun again feeling lethargic and not particularly inspired. We set off and I felt comfortable. I had started about five or six rows back which placed around 50 people ahead of me. Soon I began overtaking other runners. After half a mile we reached the top of the hill, turned around a traffic cone and began to descend.

By now I was about 20th and still felt relaxed. My breathing was calm and my legs felt surprisingly strong. After a mile I had moved into the top ten without pushing myself too hard. I must point out that many of the faster runners were absent on this particular day due to cross country on the Sunday.

At half way I approached the bottom of the hill and noted that I was fifth as the leaders began to pass me heading back up the hill. First place was well ahead but fourth, third and second were catchable. I accelerated and my legs responded. Now in second I was determined to hold the place and was now pushing hard.

For the second time I turned at the top of the hill and had a healthy gap behind me. Despite this I continued to dig in and sprinted to the finish. I was now gasping and my legs were screaming but I had secured my joint highest ever position and a time of 19.16.

Although I have run faster before I was very pleased with this given the lethargic feelings I have been experiencing in recent days both mentally and physically.

Suddenly I was thinking about targeting my 5k, half marathon and marathon PBs again. My mojo was back.

Three marathons still remain to be completed in October, November and December to complete the 12 in 12 challenge, but I want to begin focussing on speed. John and I are going to target our Tuesday and Thursday morning sessions on hills and fartleks. I'm back to stretching and want to develop my core strength again through planking, press ups and bridges. I've neglected these since the spring.

I wonder if extending my stride length could also bring some benefits. Higher knee lift and/or bringing the heel closer to the bum while maintaining cadence should reap benefits. Having already achieved a 10K PB this year it would be nice to get the set in my 43rd year. The 5K will be tough but my half and full marathon times should be quicker than they currently are.

There is still some residual lethargy hanging around but I feel I'm through the worst of the post challenge come down now.

In the last week Run The Date has appeared in two local papers and I was also a guest on local radio.

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