Monday 26 March 2012

Riddlesdown parkrun number forty-one

A few days before the parkrun, I visited my doctor because my cold hadn't cleared up and I was concerned that it could be a chest infection. It turns out that it is a viral infection. Apparently there is a lot of it about at the moment, and it is taking about 4-5 weeks to run its course. Based on that prediction, I am now about half-way through. So, even though he said that I can run, I am sticking to my reduced training plan for now.

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Onto Saturday, or as some call it; parkrunday.

8:45am, switching into the TR3s [photo: Mrs7t]

Mrs7t had volunteered as one of the official photographers. In fact, there were actually three photographers today! All capably using digital SLR's to capture us all huffing and puffing!

Mrs7t and Limette [photo: Nicki Clark]

The conditions were superb, and it was actually surprisingly warm. No, wait. It was hot! The temperature gauge on the car said that it was 9 degrees, but once at the start line it felt a lot warmer. The sun was beating down on us, I had opted for my short-shorts with one of my thinner long sleeved tops. I really should have gone for the short-sleeved option as once we got going, I was too warm.

Around the 1.6km point [photo: Mrs7t]

In contrast to recent weeks, this was actually quite a chat-free run. I just put my moderate paced head on and started (from the back) to run the course. My kilometre splits were all fairly even, with the first four being between 4.31 and 4.37. I must have upped the pace a little during the fifth kilometre, that one was a 4.25.

jostling for position as we enter the last 500 metre stretch [photo: Mrs7t]

Kilometre 1 - Mostly filtering through.
Kilometre 2 - A bit more filtering.
Kilometre 3 - Had drawn about level with the 22:xx runners
Kilometre 4 - Stayed with the 22:xx group.
Kilometre 5 - Jostling for position. I am still playing it safe and not sprinting, so I didn't get involved in the mad dash along the final straight.


Paul and Carlos at the end of their epic battle [photo: Nicki Clark]

My finishing time was 22:31. That's in the zone that I'm aiming for at the moment, I actually thought that I was going to be closer to 23 minutes than I was. For the second week on the trot, I developed a stitch during the later stages of the run. I think the detraining/deconditioning is starting to kick in.

The recovery zone [photo: Nicki Clark]

The pub was a quiet affair this week, again lots of the regulars were unable to make it. We made ourselves comfortable, and for the first time ever, I helped to put all of the position tokens back in order on the giant safety-pin-things. I'm looking forward to learning more about all of the jobs that need doing to make the parkrun happen.

Another week of rest looms. Then as we enter April, I might be ready to throw in a short and easy midweek run.

Steve.
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