The Four Villages Half Marathon (http://bryanriley.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/first-race-of-season.html), taking
place this weekend, will be the first running race I’ve done with the intention
of actually racing since I ran in the Ted Corbitt 15k race in Central Park, New
York in December 2011 (http://bryanriley.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/englishman-in-new-york.html). Shortly after that race, when I was in the
best running form of my life, I got injured.
That 15k race was run at 4min/k, despite the undulating nature of
Central Park and the fact that I was on the gin & tonics on the flight the
day before! I was flying. Injury struck, and I have not returned to December
2011 running form since.
2012 was a case of
managing that calf injury. I only
returned to running ‘properly’ (regularly) in April 2012. With Mallorca half ironman taking place in
May, followed by Challenge Roth in July, my run training focussed on increasing
the volume of my running, and doing all of it at a steady pace. There was no interval training, no sprints,
no hills. I had a fear that the injury
would return if I pushed the running – and then rule me out of my Ironman
events. For the end of season I had entered
Challenge Barcelona, another Iron-distance event, which ensured the whole of
the year was about getting to the start line injury free, rather than reproducing
my best running form.
Two weeks after Barcelona,
where I was disappointed with my 3.59 Ironman marathon, I ran the Liverpool
Marathon with the sole intention of running at 5 minute per k pace (3.30) to
prove to myself that I could run a steady marathon. I was trying to say that I can run a 3.30
without any effort, recovery, training and that I should be able to do this
during an Ironman. It went well for 20
miles, then the lack of long runs and possibly the fatigue of Barcelona caught
up with me. It is also where injury
struck. I persevered with a very tight
and painful calf for another 5 miles until with one mile to go, my calf ‘pinged’. I walked the rest of the race. I finished in 3.36 but this was not the
redemption run I had been seeking.
I picked up my running
again in mid-November, starting slowly and keeping the runs short. Since then, I have been able to increase the
distance and also dial up the intensity.
I have managed 28 runs since returning from injury, with my senses on
high alert of any sort of twinge or discomfort during every single one of these
sessions. Most of these runs have had
the added protection of compression socks for my calves. Much of this running has been on the
treadmill, to ensure that I’m running on soft surfaces but primarily in case I
have to stop immediately. The pace has
been gradually increased too, with at least one interval session per week for
the past 5 or 6 weeks. These interval
sessions are usually 1k intervals, with a 2 minute recovery between each
one. I am now up to 8x1k intervals at
15kph (4 minute per k pace) on the treadmill.
Apart from the ever
present concern that I will get injured again, I’m a little apprehensive about a
few things in this race. Firstly, I don’t
really know how well running on the treadmill translates to running on the
road. Secondly, if treadmill running
does transfer favourably, I’ve not run at a fast (race) pace for more than 1k
at a time. Thirdly, given the first two
concerns, I’m really not sure how to pace the race! I suppose all of that is what makes racing so
much fun!
EDIT
Would you believe it, this race was cancelled! Heavy snow and ice meant that for the first time in it's 32 or 33 year history, the race was called off! Just have to wait a little longer to test out my running legs!!
EDIT
Would you believe it, this race was cancelled! Heavy snow and ice meant that for the first time in it's 32 or 33 year history, the race was called off! Just have to wait a little longer to test out my running legs!!
