marathondan Wrote:EG, congrats on the successful RHM. And a top-notch report, as always -- although it doesn't do too much to encourage me to enter again any time soon.
Well it isn't on for another year, so it's just as well! I didn't mean to put anyone off. Just the opposite. I really like the race, but just don't want it to get any bigger.
marathondan Wrote:Do you think that the back problem is to do with posture? I think most of us probably tighten up a bit in the shoulder / neck area during long mileage, but that sounds nasty. At least it takes your mind off your legs during the final stages...?
I don't know. I was talking to the sports therapist chap today who said perhaps I let my head drop (physically speaking) too much, which is posture, so you could be right. I'll try to be more aware of it.
marathondan Wrote:Two more races -- sounds like a nice prelude to the main event. I know you'll take it easy and run these at training pace, won't you? Everywhere I look -- FLM magazine, RW emails, the health and fitness columns of papers that always get marathon fever at this time of year -- everyone is banging on about not overtraining in the last few weeks. See my forthcoming book, "Egg-Sucking for Grandmothers."
You're right about overtraining of course, and I'm aware of it. But because of my curtailed training, I'm going for a 2 week taper, so this week would have been a 20 in any case. I plan to just treat it as a training run. Well, I don't actually have any other option. I don't really have race pace and training pace. I just plod away, wherever I am. Weekend after I was going to do a 10 miler, so I may as well do the Maidenhead 10 on Good Friday. I take on board the dangers, but to balance that, a race helps keep the self-discipline up i.e. I'm less likely to stop for a walk break or duck out of finishing the distance.
Have to say, I'm not looking forward to the Worthing 20 much. It's 4 laps of 5 miles again, which gets tedious.
