Racing Again!

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!!