Well its been a while! I seem to keep hoping this blog will write itself as I have been in a state of “I intend to do that” for over 3 months now. Time just keeps going it seems!
Since my last post I completed the Manchester Marathon, the Great Manchester 10k and the Manchester Mile. Thankyou to everyone who donated to Mind I and Mind really appreciate it and everyone who has supported me on this running malarkey!
All three of these races went differently:
The Marathon was very painful and difficult and a case of just not dropping out and somehow keeping running. I’m really happy I completed it after having to take a 5 week rest before the run due to shin splints. In the end I got there in 4:11:11.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1496496005/embed/6bd1ad1463e922a7ba3a9cdf321aa39dc9676fa3
The 10k was surprisingly hard. I had no idea how fit I was as it was quite soon after the marathon and I didn’t do any speedy stuff in that gap just long slow runs to make sure I completely recovered from the shin splints and marathon. I set off way too fast and on top of that is was super warm (was it 28C?). This was my first experience of racing in the heat and I learnt that it slows you down a huge amount. In the end I got around in 47:24. Thats 2 minutes slower than I ran the last 10k of the half marathon, but still an improvement over last year. It’s always a super fun race for me as there are so many crowds so I just enjoyed the race. I met Phil and Laura afterwards too and they had both run the 10k. Huge well done to Silke and Laura who did their first race! 🙂
https://www.strava.com/activities/1584220760/embed/c2cb07072f81e2ac0cb59c469825375e59561198
The Manchester Mile, after the last 2 races being slower than I aimed for, was just what I needed. I recommend everyone sign up for this, its four laps around a running track with all abilities taking part. I was expecting to be able to do a mile in about 6:30, but went out trying to get 6 minutes. In the end I got around in just under 6 minutes which I was very happy with. I was pretty unconfident though and seem to have taken a little break halfway around, I was about to overtake someone and just felt like maybe I was going too fast. Saying that I don’t think I could have knocked more than a few seconds off, if even that. Official time was 5:59.70
https://www.strava.com/activities/1651253534/embed/e942a0c082029500856a00c13cc7dddd525f951c
So Now my next races are the Great North Run, The Manchester Half Marathon and then I’ve signed up for the Manchester Marathon Next year.
Although the next ones are HM I am just training for 5k speed. With the hope of getting a sub 20 minute 5k. At the same time increasing my weekly distance through long easy runs so that I should be able to run the HM just fine.
Sans Shoelaces 