Far From Flabby February

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Up an hour before dawn to get today's scheduled long, slow run out the way before the worst of the heat kicks in. Today I'm using the Camelbak and consuming gels as part of my distance training. The gels aren't really needed for a 16km run, but I want to start training my stomach to digest food whilst on the move, just in case I do run another marathon this year. It's fair to say that the most debilitating aspect of my marathons to date has been the inability to take in food and therefore running out of fuel somewhere beyond 30km. This needs to be addressed, and it begins today...

This time I'm following the manufacturer's advice and consuming a gel before I start the run, to get the gut interested, as I read somewhere in Sweder's blog once. So, properly hydrated and with an out-of-date but still foul-tasting (and therefore presumably okay) Gu Jet Blackberry gel in my stomach I head out for the brute that is my 16km hilly street run. The hills begin straight away, and come at frequent intervals, the very worst one at bang on 10km, and which is the steepest hill I ever run anywhere. It's always a "why do I do this?" killer, and yet for some reason I've never once been slowed to a walk on this one. I can only think because it's such a brute, my determination not to cave in somehow gets the job done, whereas lesser hills have defeated me many times. Huh, go figure, although I should add that while it hasn't brought me to a walk, my actual running pace would make a lazy three-toed sloth blush, so is nothing extraordinary by any stretch of the imagination. But still, running of a sort, it is. I take my second Jet Blackberry gel and try to recover as the road flattens out.

As the sun comes up, the heat increases and I'm glad for starting early. It's Sunday morning, so the streets are also pretty quiet and I can concentrate on my actual running instead of dodging dog walkers and motorists. I therefore keep my pace in check and get the job done, tested but not over-taxed, and able to smile and exchange clear greetings with the many other runners out there this morning, instead of the more usual croaky, wheezing, guttural squawking which too often gives away my complete lack of fitness and/or having gone out too fast.

I'm happy with this effort. My longest, and hilliest run in ages, and completed with considerable effort, but not too much difficulty, if you get my meaning.

Back home I quickly don the recovery compression skins and take two precautionary, preventative ibuprofen tablets to help dissuade any muscle soreness. I'll let you know how well that works, but in the past it has always amazed me how good those darned skins are at preventing the dreaded DOMS.

So that's my last run for February, and my first 100+ kilometre month for ... well, way too long. It feels great to be back. I really do feel a few races this year will definitely be attempted.