Pre 2009 Bupa London 10000

Last Updated on Monday, 31 May 2010 05:43 Written by The Virtual Runner Sunday, 24 May 2009 02:12

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!

Woodley 10k and Injury

Last Updated on Sunday, 17 May 2009 07:30 Written by The Virtual Runner Sunday, 17 May 2009 07:30

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.