February fever

Not the best of running months what with gastric flu and last week's training being interrupted with a dose of flu.  I don't think I've ever had a month where I've been ill so much, but at least this illness explains why I felt so rubbish at the Valentine's 30K as it was probably already in my system waiting to strike.

So after the 30K I had a short recovery run on the Monday and Tuesday, but felt pretty rubbish.  I just thought I'd worked a bit harder than expected.  Wednesday I didn't run as just felt awful and the weather was dismal.  There was a time bad weather would not have deterred me from a run, but these days I'm just not as committed so if I feel rubbish and the weather matches how I feel then the best place is in the warmth snuggled up on the sofa.  However, Thursday I was determined to put a solid run in and although I'd been sneezing and had a bit of a headache I enjoyed a social 10 miles.  Although this was to be what then brought out the full virus...

Friday morning I woke with a tight throat that was sore on one side and head like I had a hangover, but it was the last day of work before half term so I dragged myself in and it was such a struggle to get through.  I felt tetchy, ill and feverish all day.  Stupid going in really... Sometimes you think you can fight illness off, but realistically once you have a virus it has to run its course!  I was feeling annoyed too as I'd planned to have a really good running week in half term with a marathon for a training run at the end of it!  Now it all looked in jeopardy... Having shivered my way through Friday evening, I again got up early to go to parkrun, but having done a gentle run before it I knew there was no way I was going to do it. In fact I was stupid to even do the 3 miles easy before as I had a temperature and was feeling awful.  When I got home I was shivering uncontrollably with a pounding headache and a throat like broken glass.  I so hate being ill.

Sunday morning I felt slightly better, but no way able to run as I now developed a hacking cough, which made me want to cry with the pain in the back of my throat.  To get out of the sick bed John and I took a drive over to watch the Wombwell 5 and I took some photos, but that's about all the energy I had for the day.

Then this last week, which was my half term saw any plans of big miles disappear, in fact it saw plans of any miles disappear.  I'm stubborn old mule and so did try and run a mile on Tuesday, but oh boy that was such a bad idea as my throat and lungs were in such pain I could've cried with it!  So back to bed, which was now being shared by a sick John too.  For the rest of the week we both shivered and coughed and moped around.  Thankfully the fever broke and we started to see signs of improvement by the end of the week.  Both of us were determined to try and have a normal weekend before the return to work, which meant choosing a parkrun.

Saturday saw us head over to Hull for the Humber Bridge parkrun, which is all off road on a nice trail surface and being snuggled in trees provides a bit of protection from any harsh winds.  We ran together at a steady pace coughing our way through 25 minutes, but felt good to be doing something normal!

Having got through the parkrun with just  a bit of coughing Sunday's long run was on!  I'd already sold my marathon place for the Slaithwaite Slog as just knew I'd not be up for that, but nothing stopping a steady out and back on the TPT.  So this morning we set off meeting long time training partner and friend Simon at Oxspring with 15 miles in mind.  I would just be happy to finish the run so wasn't bothered about pace.  However, the pace was not that bad considering how ill I'd been and I'd only eaten a yogurt and banana for breakfast.  So goal complete 15 miles at 8:48 average and a low 125 bpm HR.  Again coughed through quite a bit of it and afterwards, but it was worth it to be back doing what we love on a Sunday! 

Bring of the next few weeks with so many plans of races and weekends away and hopefully some decent training in the bank!   Oh and just a few days left before I get an extra boost in age grading...  

• 15.05mi
  Distance (?)
• 2:12:32
  Moving Time
• 8:48/mi
  Pace

Elevation

569ft

Calories

0

Elapsed Time

2:15:27

Garmin Forerunner 235

Shoes: —

Stamford Valentine's 30K

Having had a bit of a miserable long run last Sunday over 20 miles.  We decided to try and get numbers for the Valentine's 30K as it's sometimes easier to do a paced training run in a group.  We've entered the next stage of our training, which is to build leg strength and the 30K is very undulating so perfect for working those muscles.  When John looked the race was full, so he contacted the organiser who said there was a waiting list, but he was pretty sure we'd get a place. This was on the Monday and we had a confirmed place by the Thursday.  I was looking forward to it as I remember enjoying it back in 2007 when John and I ran the fastest combined times to be the Valentine's couple.  Him in 1:55:09 and me in 2:08:53.  Okay we were both much fitter back then, but it still felt nice to go back and run it again and as I had no intention of racing it I thought it would be a nice comfortable way to get the miles in...

Looking at the forecast on Saturday evening I was a bit concerned that it was saying 41 mph winds, but having paid £50 for both of us only a few days previous there was no way we weren't going to not run!  So kit was chosen on Saturday night and John decided he would run with me for the first half and see how he felt.  He was just after a solid training run too, so brilliant the Valentine's couple of 2007 were going to at least run part of the course together. 

It was to be an early start as Stamford is about 80 miles from Penistone.  Breakfast was the customary porridge, which I dislike by the way!  It's just I know it's good for giving energy for long runs, so I forced it down thinking give me my Yogurt or Weetabix any day!  John did all the driving and we arrived with plenty of time to collect numbers, go to the loo several times, sit in the car and relax, talk to Martin Hall and Gail Hall before a short warm up on the school field.  Running around the field the wind was a little fierce, but the sun was out and we both thought it's not that bad it could be so much worse and certainly didn't seem as bad as the forecast.

Warm ups are great for helping you to decide what to wear when the weather isn't great.  I certainly didn't want to wear just my vest as much too cold and the initial 2 long tops, a buff, head band and gloves felt a bit too warm, so just before we headed to the start the second long sleeved top came off and I settled for a long sleeve compression top under my vest.  After the first few miles the gloves came off as my hands always get too warm, so I spent the next 15 miles carrying them.

I was hoping to run around 8.30 m/m for the first half and then pick up to run around 8 m/m for the second half, which I felt was doable.  What I'd forgotten from the last time I did it was how hilly it was!  I set off and probably, no not probably, I did run too quick, which is not like me as I'm pretty good at running evenly.  I didn't realise at the time though until hill after hill started to sap my legs.  I couldn't believe how many ups and downs were coming at us.  Surely this isn't the course I ran 2:08 on was my thoughts, but it sure was and my mind had not remembered any of it!  Anyway John was comfortable beside me and I didn't say anything to him, but my legs were starting to feel weak.  I took a gel hoping for a boost, but when we hit a pretty hefty climb at 7 miles and into a nasty headwind I said I'm struggling here.  He encourage me to ease back on the hill, but even with easing back I could feel my heart rate rising and a look at my watch confirmed it was too high at 152 for the pace.  I ploughed on and felt awful with stomach ache and a mild stitch.  At around 9 miles I had an overwhelming urge to stop and walk.  I went to double over with lack of energy and my Valentine partner said "come on we don't walk in races".  It did the trick as I carried on but at a slightly slower pace.  To be fair John was great, he even gave me his gels and refused to run on as was the plan at the start.
Together we kept going on the roller coaster of a course and although I didn't set out to race it, I was feeling a little irritated by the number of women that were passing me.  I took both John's gels at 10 miles and 14 miles and these seemed to give me a second wind.  I wasn't by any means feeling great and the legs were aching far more than they should, but I did pick the pace back up again for the final 10k and went past some of the women that had floated past me when I was struggling.   The final few miles couldn't come fast enough and although the marshals were fantastic in their enthusiasm I was not feeling the love on this Valentine's run to offer too much of a smile.  The finish was nasty with a lap of the school playing field into a cold headwind, don't you just hate these kinds of finish!  I wasn't bothered by what time I finished in, which was 2:35 for the record, just relieved it was all over!  Oh the joys of running!

So what went wrong?

1.  Not enough training on undulated tarmac routes.
2. Set off a bit too fast!
3. Probably still not 100% after the virus.
4. Resting heartrate a bit high.

The race itself is fantastically organised and a substantial goody bag and long sleeved t-shirt.  However, it's a tough course on constant rolling hills and next time, if I do it again, I'll be ready for it!

This 'race' came at the end of another solid week where I've covered 2 x 10 miles and lots of shorter runs to make 60 miles.  Onwards and upwards!