What a crazy week.
Monday, I was surprised how quickly I recovered from Sunday's long run. So I went out for an easy 10k and it was amazing how effortless it felt even with the heavy snow falling!
Tuesday i wanted to do my last long tempo runs of 10 mile plus. But it was absolutley freezing, very windy and wet. I wrapped up warm but after a couple of miles I knew I had gone out too hard and decided to cut it short to 5 and 1/2 miles.
Wednesday it was back to being perfect weather but typically my trains were screwed so just had to accept I wasn't getting out that night.
Then on to Thursday's club night and it was the Merries! After my rest on Wednesday I was feeling great. I found myself at the front of my group for the whole session. Its weird because on the website the session is down as 'A steady run up and down the hills'. Which implies to me that everybody just goes at their own pace and its a case of see you at the warm down and maybe 2 or 3 from each group would pair off and run together during. But after one of the women said I should have waited for the group to catch up at the top of each hill. I found this a bit strange and would understand if it was hill reps but surely your not pushing yourself if your waiting for people no matter which group your in. I did think about this afterwards though and next time I think I'll just run back so I don't stop. Anyway was a good session and the first time I have finished a session with gas in the tank.
Which was good being Easter Friday the next day so day off. I was lying in my bed on Friday morning thinking I probably won't go out today as feeling tired. But then when I got up and ate, I was feeling good and my legs felt totally fine after the previous night. So I looked outside to see the amazing weather and in a moment of madness I headed north to Rowerdenan. That's right I was going to christen my new hill running shoes. I thought as this was my first hill run of the year, I would take it easy on the way up which meant only running the downs and flatish bits and walk the gradual and steep ascents. On the way up Ben Lomond, there are a few bits early on which are flat and down so I jogged those bits. Then it got steep so I was walking quickly up those bits. Then the snow! At the steepest sections of the climb the snow was knee deep and unless you had been on the mountain before you wouldn't know where the path was. But since this is the 4th time I have climbed Ben Lomond it was fine. The deep snow only lasted for 20 metres twice and the rest of the path was well trampled snow so my shoes gave good grip.
I managed to get to the summit in 1 hour 21 minutes with breaks briefly only to take pictures and talk to a few folk. It was windy on top so I only hung about for a few minutes, had a banana, Then I started jogging down.
I was surprised with how much grip I got with my shoes and was really enjoying it. The deep snow slowed me down, along with a few awkward steep bits but it was great fun and there is a lot of gradual decents where you can let go but I still made sure I wasn't sprinting. I made it down in 56 minutes. So 2 hours 17 minutes altogther which I was delighted with.
The next day I was sore in the top of my thighs and they are still sore today. I have decided that hill running is the alcohol of running during a marathon schedule, especially when you are not use to it. It's just so tempting on a sunny day and you know the hangover is going to be bad but you're just enjoying the moment too much to think about tomorrow. I am still glad I did it though and look forward to more adventures up north. Hopefully like drinking, I'll get use to it and the hangovers won't be so bad!
So Saturday I helped out at the Park run and I was number checker which was good fun. Basically I made sure the timer was in sync with the number given out. Also it was good to see one my friend's wife, Jie doing her first Park run and finishing with a smile on her face as she is using it as training for the women's 10k in March.
Sunday as I say I am still sore so just leaving the running today. It is only 2 weeks now till Lochaber and I am pleased to have got in 5 good long runs already, so missing one isn't going to be a big deal. Day off tomorrow too so I'll probably just go out for an easy run or somewhere else depending on the weather but I'll control myself and not do anymore hill running till after the marathon!
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