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20 miles before the taper
The 18 mile weekend run the week after Liverpool was uncomfortable as the weather was lousy, but still do-able. Then followed the disastrous midweek 10 miler, felt so tired and dejected afterwards, but after a couple of good nights sleep and an extra stolen rest day I felt a lot better before Sunday’s scheduled 20 miler.
This was to be a sort of dress rehearsal and I refused to be chivvied by Mr SW in going out before I was good and ready. I greased up the bits that needed it, massaged in the Neals Yard Arnica rub into my quaking legs and put on my Roy Castle vest – hhm, first problem vest feels just a bit too tight, never mind, it might stretch out a bit - donned my light weight jacket, hat and gloves, gathered up the Garmin which much to my astonishment managed to locate a passing satellite fairly swiftly, so not wanting to upset it, I left it on top of the bird table in the back garden before pulling on my shoes. I stuffed my jacket pockets with five squids worth of SIS Go gels, a stash of jelly babies and a lucozade sport pouch. Mr SW was huffing a bit by this time, glancing pointedly at his watch and muttering things like “we won’t make it back before dark at this rate…” Strapped on the Garmin and away we went.
Set off at last into a lightweight drizzle, because we couldn’t agree on a 20-mile route that didn’t involve massive hills, we decided to go twice around the reasonably flat 10 miler that nearly proved to be my waterloo midweek.
This time I felt more rested, the first time round I kept to a steady rate, ignoring MrSW who seemed bent on charging along. Returned home for a bathroom stop and to pick up more water and lucozade at the halfway point. I can honestly say that I felt better going round for the second time than I felt at any time midweek. OK, my legs were complaining a bit, but the pains kept moving round, first my left calf muscle was feeling a bit cramped, then my right ankle had a bit of a niggle, then my thighs were stiff and a bit sore, mind you I think a lot of that was down to the temperature, the weather took a turn for the worst – well it was bound to happen, can’t remember the last time I had a dry run! Rain was lashing down, stair rods fit to crack the flags, wind was both strong and fluky, how come it always seems to be in your face? It was freezing. But we completed it and smugly, I was in better shape than Mr SW at the finish ;-) Mind you he had given chase to a car that had tried to mow him down about a mile from home, if the lights hadn’t changed I think he would have caught him too! I’m sure the gels helped, and will def. be using them for London.
Tuesday, five miles on the tready, finished listening to a play I had down loaded to my MP3 player. Wednesday, only 8 miles after work. I had one speed, slow, I was hungry and wet/cold. Mr SW had yet another incident with a car - I must admit, he does have rather a cavalier attitude at junctions, and will dispute his rights as a pedestrian, I’m much more cowardly and always cross roads by going round the back of waiting cars – last night he stepped off a curb just before an elderly BMW came screaming round in front of him, so he shouted at the driver and banged his hand on the back of the car – BMW driver stops car and gets out, Mr SW retraces his footsteps and squares up to Mr BMW – you know the sort, late 20’s, lots of tattoos and chav uniform – a little verbal altercation ensues, I step forward to add my Twopenny worth and Mr BMW backs off and hastens to video shop, we decide to retreat and leg it home before getting followed! Certainly had a marked effect on my speed, positively sprinted;-) He didn’t catch us.
BTW, I have asked for a larger running vest:o
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20 miles before the taper
