Just keep running....just keep running..... by legs_of_lamb

It’s been a funny old week.  Kicked off with an amazing 20 miler which left me on a big high.  But..... woke up on Monday morning covered in a really sore prickly heat rash & with quite severe facial oedema!  The rest of the week was spent in an anti-histamine haze in an effort not to claw my skin off and wondering if I’d ever see my cheek bones again!  Got slightly concerned on Tuesday, Wednesday when my face resembled a water filled chipmunk but things started to settle by Thursday.    Unfortunately, my running suffered and I didnt run again until the Balmoral 10k on Saturday.

Every year we head up to Balmoral Castle for the annual road races.  It’s a great atmosphere & they open up the castle grounds to hundreds of runners.   The 10k course is notorious for “The Hill”.  This “Hill” is a mile of steep, leg-jellifying forest trail.  Runners are rewarded at the top by a water station & a piper!  Due to this inconvenience, I have never managed to get my time for this course under 60:00.  I had decided that this was my year!! 

Had something to eat & went to the porta-loo another couple of times (!) before pinning on my number and joining the melee at the start.  Lined up in the 55 min+ area but on after thought really should be lining up further up the field these days as we spent the first 3k overtaking people.  The hill was it’s usual upwardly steep self, which I managd to run a lot more of, a lot faster than ever before today.  I still walked the really steep bits when my legs started solidifying.  The rest of the race was just one mad dash to make up the 2 minutes lost on the hill to get it under the hour.  Turns out it was one hell of a negative split, with Km 7 a ripping 4:55! Even managed to have enough in the bag to maintain pace up the second “sneaky” hill at 7.75km.   Thought I was done for when the runners ahead of us came to a complete stop over the wee bridge, however this was shortlived due to a few choice phrases of “encouragement”  from behind! 

Smashed  through our sub 60:00 target to cross the line in 58:05.  A tad jealous that Hubby Lamb hasn't run a step since Christmas & he knocks out a sub 60 10k on the most challenging course around, while it's taken me 4 years (and lots of training) to crack it.  In reality though he has always been there sacrificing his own target time to keep me company & push me on, so I guess he's ok!

This 10k is one of Scotland’s most beautiful, if you’re ever up this way, it is a must.  Plus you get to run right past the Queen’s front door (she wasn’t in – she must be getting her nails done for the big day on Friday).  A great day, and a fab pace.  Won’t be going out for my LSR today, did a couple of miles recovery & stretching instead. 

The plan - really work hard this week as my training reaches its peak on Sunday with 22m!