The week after....

Marathon T

So, a week on from the half Marathon glory for team MoFo – we are all being sensible and spending our time recovering...Well, sort of.

The last week has been interesting; I didn’t suffer with any leg problems after the run – so decided I’d try a session on Monday. I managed a gentle 4 miles over lunch, and the same on Tuesday, to ease myself back into the week. Wednesday was a rest day (but not for the nerves as the mighty reds won the champions league). Thursday I ran to touch rugby training, spent an hour egg chasing, then ran home, and the week finished with a hill session on the treadmill over lunch on Friday.

Which all-in-all was a pretty hard week considering the effort of the race…

And so to the weekend….

I had decided to go for a long run on Sunday – so Saturday was spent purchasing a new bottle harness, resting up and watching Hull City confirm their place in the Premier League next season (I only mention this as one member of team MoFo was at the game – and I assume is now not a happy runner).

Sunday morning I got up early and had the obligatory porridge and honey (not Manuka – as I am not in the financial bracket with Marathon’s B & J)….I prepared the carb gel, isotonic drinks and running kit and stepped out. My original plan was to run a 12 miler – on the route I have used before, but just before leaving I checked the pedestrian route up to Corbiere – just in case I was feeling good when I got to my turning point (I knew then that it had the potential to be a long run)….

I started off steady and focused on getting the first few miles under my belt, these were fine and as I ambled along the seafront approaching the 6 mile turn I decided I’d have a quick look up the Corbiere walk to see how steep it was. Pleasantly surprised at the very gentle gradient I pressed on to see a bit more of it….long story short I got to Corbiere some time later with my Garmin showing almost exactly 9.5 miles and 85 mins….Only one thing to do now – turn around and run home.

The way back was painful – it is the longest run I have ever attempted and I could feel the energy draining out of me as I ran (even with liberal application of carb gel). I stood and watched some tortured faces at the 19 mile mark of the London Marathon this year and now have some idea what they were going through. I finished my 19 mile stint in 2:52 – with feet like blocks of lead and knees burning.

Sunday evening was spent with my feet up - wincing every time I had to shift position.

As Monday was a Bank Holiday I decided to use it and go for a walk – I packed up a day sac and waited for the rain to ease – then had a wander around the Island (a quarter of the way round to be precise) to get a pint of Brothers cider…I packed a pair of my running shoes in my bag – just in case a moment of madness took me…The day went something like this – walk to Corbiere = 9.5 miles, Jog to the Watersplash pub = 3 miles…Have a pint - awesome….Walk back to Corbiere = 3 miles, jog to St Aubin = 3.5 miles, walk along the seafront = 3 miles, jog home = 3 miles.

Total walking = 15.5 miles
Total running = 9.5 miles
Total Time = 7.5 hours

To be honest – it wasn’t the best way to rest my legs after the Sunday effort…but a great day out…

I now only have three more weeks of this sort of relaxation before I start the Marathon training…I can’t wait – it’s killing me!

Marathon T