One thing I always seem to forget is to document how I have recovered from big races. So this is what I aim to do now being a week and a day after Clyde Stride.
On the Sunday I not surprisingly had stiff legs and Monday it was worse. I expected this though and its like having a good hangover. Limping about the office knowing that you have achieved something amazing. Tuesday most of the stiffness had gone and it was just like I had rusty legs. It felt like they were just about ready to go again but I thought it would be better to have a full recovery so I just left it.
Wednesday I went for an easy gym session and I felt great. My legs felt completely recovered.
Thursday was club night. The usual proceedure for a club night is that we turn up at 7.20, have a chat then about 7.30, everyone gathers around and they do the roll of honor for the week which is basically what people have achieved in the club in the last week. Being July there weren't many races on. So my fellow clubmate Jim did a speech about my run, really building it up and then there was a big round of applause. I was slightly embarrassed about it the same time it was a very special moment getting the respect of my peers like that. It kind of put things into perspective and how people view ultras. I really just saw it as a fun day out. Other people see it as a massive challenge and some can't really comprehend going for that long or covering such a distance in one day. I suppose that is why it is a minority sport. After that we started the session and it was down to Pollock Park for a tempo run. A 2 mile warm up down to the park, turned into a faster and faster pace after the first mile. By the time we got down to the park, Stephen and I were a bit behind and thought they were going to stop, but they kept going so we had to work hard to catch up. Once we did though I felt I was running really well and felt no niggles at all. Overall we did 7 miles in 54 minutes and that was including doing the 2 mile warm down at a slower pace.
Friday, I ran the cross country loop in gogarburn at lunch time with Alex H, which was about 2 miles.
Saturday, I went down to Pollock Park to marshal at the Park run. I was at the 1 lap, 2 lap split again, directing runners and also chatting away to Rodger from my club who was also help marshal. The leader came past and he was way out ahead. One of the Bella Harriers who was standing with us noticed that he took a wrong turning. When you turn left down the hill at the split you are meant to turn right down the bottom and there is a sign saying so which I could see from where I was standing. But he went left up to the pond. We tried shouting but to no avail. We decided to leave it to the funnel who would be able to tell by his time. Funny thing is I am sure he has done the course before.
Anyway a big congratulations to Ian Goudie who completed his 50th Park run, a great achievement! Ian is the one that gave me the idea that you really don't need to treat every park run as a race. Use it as part of a longer run, recovery run or be the tail runner. He has done them all and now will have the t-shirt which you get in recognition of this.
After that I had a dentist appointment and headed up to Milingavie to meet Alex. We dumped stuff in my car and headed up to Drymen in his. We headed off down the WHW across the field. We followed this cyclist who turned left and ended up back at the road. Should have really learnt from the Clyde Striders not to follow people! So turned back and went along some very undulating roads before turning onto a path. We decided just to go for the 12/3 strategy. We were doing good up to the Beech tree inn. I started to have a niggling pain just under where the lace is on my shoe. I had a salt tablet which I was experimenting with today. Then we headed off up the hills towards Mugdock Park. When we got into Mugdock we were both feeling really good, so upped the pace alongside the lake. Then we got into the foresty bit and down the really fun slope. At the station we refueled and I ate a muller rice and another salt tablet. The muller rice went to fine which was good. We walked for a bit to make sure everything digested then got running again. We took it a bit easier up to Beach Tree Inn as my foot was starting to get sorer and Alex had a hot spot on is calf which was bugging him. I tried to re-tie my shoelaces thinking they were not tied tight enough but that made them even sorer so re-tied them again more loosely.
At the Beech Tree in we stopped in and ate brownies, lucazade and re-filled our bottles. When we got to the roads section we decided to do things a bit different and run the flats/uphills and walk the downhills. So overall about 5 1/2 hours including stops for just over 24 miles.
Today my foot was still sore so just a short gym session. I did try to go running but was sore instantly so will just be sticking to the gym at the moment. I have been reading up on the issue and it sounds like it occurs when you tie your shoelace too tight for a long run and you just need to ice it. So hopefully I'll be ok for Helensburgh Half next Sunday. Overall though apart from the foot niggle, I couldn't have really asked for a better recovery. There were people in my club who weren't expecting me back for weeks!
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