The Virtual Runner Running Blog

It’s a lovely warm sunny sunday and there isn’t a cloud in the sky.  My fiance has driven to the airport to pick up her mum who is flying back from Belgium today and my son is having a nap, so I thought I’d write some more rubbish for you to read (or not, as the case may be).

I think I’m ready for the Bupa 10,000 tomorrow and I even went for a run this morning to test out my ankle and to see if any shin splints would flare up.  It was okay.  I haven’t done much running at all this week, but I thought that was prudent since I was injured after the Woodley 10k last Sunday.

I ran 5.33km (3.31 miles) on Friday morning (on the treadmill) at a 05:38 min/km (09:06 min/mile) and I felt okay.  I wore an ankle support (just to be sure) and I only had a short painful twinge in my ankle after about 15 mins that went away quickly.  I also had no shin splints at all.

This morning I got up at 06:30 and it was a great clear morning with a nice blue sky.  I thought of going to Dinton Pastures to run around the lakes but I opted to run the roads and go to the local supermarket (not to get anything, just as a destination) and back but using some roundabout route.  I forgot that it is mostly uphill the entire way to the supermarket… nice.  Overall it was a great run and I covered 5.14km (3.19 miles) at a 05:48 min/km (09:20 min/mile) pace.  I just took it easy and it felt great.

My fiance was bugging me to sort out what we are doing tomorrow because we have to travel in to London for the Bupa 10,000.  I’ve already got my race number and timing chip and tomorrow morning we are going to go to Reading town centre and catch the train there straight in to Paddington Station.  We can then get the Underground to the Assembly Area in Green Park which is near the Queen’s house (Buckingham Palace).

The race starts a short walk away (walking past the palace) over to Birdcage Walk.  From there the race takes us along Victoria Embankment out and back and past a lot of historic places.  It should go past the Houses of Parliment, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Horseguards Parade, Nelsons Column, Cleopatra’s Needle, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Millenium Bridge and the Tate Modern.  I’m actually debating whether or not to run with my phone in my hand so I can take some pics for you all while I’m running around.  What do you think?

For those of you in the UK that read this (all both of you), the Bupa London 10,000 will be televised on Channel 5 live from 09:50 in the morning.  Keep an eye out for me.  I’ll be the slightly overweight, sweaty, bald guy shuffling along.  Number 5641!

However, I am wondering what predicted time I gave when I registered.  The start is phased based on predicted finish time and I’m in the blue section at the front (section A).  If you’re interested you can look at the map and instructions from Bupa by clicking here. 

As for non-running related matters, my (best) friend Robby returned from his trek across the artic a few weeks ago and I haven’t heard anything from him at all.  I hope he’s okay and gets in contact soon!

Bupa London 10000, hills, race or event, robby kilborn, training, weather

I almost didn’t run the Woodley 10k today because when we left the house at 10am it was raining quite heavily.  I like running but I was not going to run in the pouring cold rain (I guess I’m a fair weather runner).  I weigh up things like how much I want the medal and how much I paid for the run.  If it was only a cheapy run (like this one was) then I’m not too bothered about missing it.  If it was expensive (like the one in London on the 25th) then I’d be running it no matter what!

Anyway, we drove to the event in the pouring rain and I made the decision to come back home (it was 10 mins away).  We got home and then the sun came out!  My other half (who doesn’t run) made the executive decision that we were going to go back and I was going to run.  I’m glad she does that because I’m so indecisive a lot of the time.

We got to the event about 15 mins before the start and I stretched a bit but had no time to warm up properly (something I regret now). 

I kissed my lovely wife and son and then the next thing you know I’m off.  The first two kms were quite painful and I had terrible shin splints.  I mean, really bad.  I haven’t had shin splints like that since I started running and I couldn’t understand it at all.  I had to stop many times and walk/stretch during the first 5km and I was thinking “there is no way I’m going to do this in under an hour”. 

I knew that because of the shin splints my gait was being effected and I should’ve slowed down or walked more.  I could feel some niggling pain in my left ankle and in my right foot on the outside edge.  I’m such an idiot.

I managed to plow on and even felt a bit better during the last 3km.  My pace increased and I passed a lot of the people that passed me when I was walking.  This meant that I finished the race in 00:57:52 which is about a minute faster than last years time.  Not bad considering the pain and the amount of stopping and walking that went on.

When we got home my shins were still tight and burning for about 45mins and my left ankle still hurts now when I walk.  It feels like some bones or something grinding on each other and I don’t know if I’ve sprained it somehow or what.  Who knows.

This means I now have to see how it is tomorrow (I don’t run on Mondays anyway) and judge what running (if any) I’ll be doing this week.  I want to ensure that I do the 10k in London in a week because that race/event was quite expensive and I want to do it no matter what (I’ll walk the damn thing if I have to).

I’m glad I did the race but not happy about being stupid about the injury.  I should not have pushed myself so hard when I felt the pain.

Duh.

foot pain, my wife, pains and niggles, race or event, race report, weather

I’m happy to report that I ran yesterday morning (Friday) and did 10.57km (6.56 miles) in a 05:41 min/km (09:08 min/mile).

The run felt okay, even though I was really congested before I started.  The running helped clear my head and I went to work as well.  Generally I was feeling okay and also in much better spirits because I knew that I had maintained a head cold and it wasn’t going to progress to my chest (relief).

Today I’m feeling good again and still blowing my nose every few minutes.  No running today.  Today it is just me and my son (mummy is at work all day).

My son is currently covered in chocolate and playing with his wooden train set.  Bath tonight I think…

Tomorrow I’ve got my long run and I’m glad that I feel I can do it.  I want to keep up the weekly mileage.

The only thing I’m debating is where to do the run.  The weather currently shows that there will be heavy rain tomorrow (remember, I’m a fair-weather runner) but it looks like it doesn’t arrive until about midday.   What I might do is get up nice and early (I get up at 5:20am weekdays anyway) and see what the weather is like then.  If it looks like it is going to remain clear then I might head up to Dinton Pastures again and run around the two lakes.  Besides, the miles in the great outdoors will certainly be better for my training then miles on a treadmill.

On another note, I was talking to a guy at work (I don’t know his name because he works at the other end of the building and we met in the kitchen) and he was asking about my running (everyone at work knows I run because of previous charity drives).  It turns out he is a runner too and we have even been in a couple of the same events.  Small world.

I’ve also been on Runners World (.co.uk) a lot more lately to see what people are chatting about in the forums and there was one post that caught my eye:-

Is there anyone out there who has the same problem as me and can offer advice/help.

I am overweight and am too embarrassed to wear a vest or t shirt as my man boobs are all over the place when I run. I always wear a lightweight jacket or if the weather is too hot it stops me going running.

I have done a bit of researching and have come across compression vests and am thinking of buying one to wear under my t shirt. Anyone else tried these or know something about them, do the t shirt cling to them etc.

Any advice gratefully receive.

This is how I still feel a lot of the time now.  Even though I have lost quite a lot of weight since I also still suffer with the self-conscious crap from time to time.

Needless to say, he had many responses in the forum and the general consensus was the same from everyone: At least you’re running!  Keep it up!

long run, training, weather, weight

I lied. I didn’t go to running club this evening.

They lied. The BBC weather site (this afternoon) said clear skies.

I admit that I’m a fair-weather runner and I don’t want to go out running in the cold rain!

So I’m a wimp. I’m okay with it.

non running, weather