It's Monday, so it must be Jog Squad. Tonight's run came within a few milimetres of being one of those glorious, ecstatic runs. Oooh, it was good and yet it hurt at the same time. Even as I was running I knew that this was one run that would pool in my belly and that the warmth would spread out afterwards, overflowing slowly so that by the time I finished dinner and settled on the sofa with the cats my whole body would be experiencing a soft heat of satisfaction. But first I had to push through the hurt.
We ran an interesting route tonight. From the gym we ran over to Tory Street, then up Tasman. From Tory Street we were climbing, sometimes gradually, sometimes reasonably steeply. I've never run up Tasman before, and it's a lovely street. Now I can understand why people are so opposed to the swimming pool there being demolished for a supermarket. It would totally destroy the character of the area.
I thought I was at the top of the hill, then it was over the ridge only to find that the street kept climbing. My leg strength is recovering quickly, and the uphill stretches felt much stronger than they have lately. I made the most of the brief downhill, then it was another long, slow climb up Adelaide Rd. I paced easily upwards, then it was time to lengthen my stride downhill. Left at the BP station, a brief climb up Riddiford, then downhill, sweet downhill all the way back to the gym.
Duck told us to continue around the Bays if we got back to Courtney too quickly. I decided to run around the block instead, making it back to the gym in 45 minutes and circling for a total of 50. I ended up running on my own for most of the evening, catching the speedies briefly when we all congregated at the lights in Newtown, but then losing them again in a series of light changes around the Basin.
I'm happy with tonight's run though. I accomplished what I wanted to do. I didn't feel compelled to stop, I maintained a fairly fast pace, and I could feel my leg strength and cardiovascular fitness climbing back to where they should be. My archilles is feeling ok, my knees feel fine. I might be in a good place by the time Pelorus comes around after all.
Home to a dinner of chickpeas and potatoes in a butter-chicken style sauce (substituting light evaporated milk for the cream, and without any butter) over basmati rice, and sparkling water mixed with some 42 Below honey vodka and lime and chilli syrup. There's nothing like good food after a good run.
So tomorrow I'll do a Balance class, and then another leg circuit combined with either an RPM class or run. Right now it's time to finish watching Flight of the Concords, a shower and bed.
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4 comments:
I love the post-run feijoa vodka! YUM!
Sounds like that mojo's sneaking back already- awesome! Which event are you doing at Pelorus? I'm hoping for a nice, fast half myself! (is there even a 10k there?)
Yep, there is a 10km but I'm targeting another half marathon. I think the Wairarapa Country half in October will be my real 'speed' event though. I'll be happy if I can cut a few minutes off my time in Petone though.
Though I'm prefacing my intention to enter both events with the standard "provided I'm not injured" qualifying statement! The archilles seems to be sorting itself out now that the quad strength is coming back up, so I'm hopeful!
What time are you aiming for? Sarah will have to point you out. The only photo I've seen of you is in a wetsuit and cap!
Nothing like a bloggy conversation! Had forgotten my only current pic is the wetsuit one- I had a much more "me" looking one up for yonks (well, "me" but looking far more gorgeous and Anne Hathaway like than usual)
I'm hoping for sub-1:50 in the half, and hopefully a 47ish 10k in Manuwatu. That might be pushing it!
Did the Loaded Hog 5k race this evening- thoroughly recommend it. There's nothing like a frequent, no stress race to get racing practice, speedwork and an occasional ego boost (the bad runs don't really count. we just call them "training runs"!)
I've been meaning to do the Hog runs, but they never really fit in with my training. Ironically I ran a hard and fast half-hour last night (you should have seen me sprinting up Bowen), so the Hog run would have been perfect. I'll have to keep it in mind in the future.
Good luck with your times for Manawatu and Pelorus. Given that my return leg of Harbour Capital was 7 minutes slower than the outward (darn headwind) I figure I should be able to get fairly close to 2 hours for Pelorus - provided I don't do a head job on myself or get injured. Oh to be faster, but I had to remind myself the other night that I should be amazed I can run at all!
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