Malcolm's running diary by malcolms

Last post on the blog might well have been the last one, after what happened last Saturday, but here I am again to tell tales of going further into the unknown.

After last weekends rather surprising run, I was quite buoyant all week and keen to move onto the next longer run, but if there are two things I have learnt from years of reading other people’s blogs, is that in order to get to the finish line you have at least to get to the start line and learn from your mistakes – fast.

So last Monday it was back to the intervals, just 4 miles this time as the legs felt a bit heavy, then 6 miles on Wednesday with Kate, that included four hills. It was a route that we have done before and we were a few minutes quicker this time that last November. Kate was helped by her dog who pulls her up the hills, I just had to set the pace. Thursday was another tempo run (4 miles) and the stage was set for Saturday’s voyage into the unknown. 16 miles.

Learning from the last long run (a mere 15 miles) I set the alarm really early and snuck downstairs to get some Weetabix down (not porridge as you need to be awake for that), then it was back to bed for an hour and then up and out at about 7:45. I varied the first part of the previous 15 mile loop to extend it by a mile by the 5 mile mark when I should have been in Monxton, then 8 miles at Middle Wallop, 10 miles to Danebury then a long loop hope to make 16 miles.

For once the pace felt good. Apart from a stupid 9:25 first mile, miles 2 -11 varied by only 20 seconds or so. Very steady  and I was pleased with that, what’s more it was probably slightly faster than I think I ought to be running the marathon in.

The extra fuelling made a difference, compared to the run on New Years Eve I was 10 minutes faster by the 11 mile mark. However, the energy levels sapped a bit at that stage and more worryingly I started to develop a pain down the front of my right shin. As a general rule I never diagnose myself of anything as clearly every headache is a brain tumour, every stomach upset is an ulcer, every cold is pneumonia etc etc, but I could get away from the fact that I seemed to be developing a pain over my anterior tibia and it had come on when I stretched my mileage and by the end of the run my marathon dreams were in tatters. Shin splints here I come I thought.

For the record I did 16 miles faster than I had done 15 miles 2 weeks previously, but then spent an hour or so icing the front of my shin and stretching everything that would stretch.

Never run further in my life, but know that in weeks to come I have to face the demons of 17, 18  and 20 mile jogs with perhaps a 22 in there as well before the final assault on a 26.2.

Sunday morning still felt a bit of a pain, more than a niggle so spent the day with my leg in tubigrip and industrial quantities of ibugel on the leg, even took an ibuprofen tablet. Must have been seriouis!!

Monday was fine.

Marathon dream intact, but lesson learnt.

5 miles intervals tonight which was probably stupid but legs felt good and it was the fastest 5 miles block of intervals I’d done on this regime. Will gel up tonight and rest up tomorrow.

So there we are, 65 miles this year, will have a lighter week this week and keep the legs fresh.