Eating too many scotch eggs! Oh and not taking it easy on the first runs back (which is a really stupid move)...

Ok so being back running was awesome. As my attempts at becoming a comic book artiste using only MS Paint have failed miserably (see below) I was glad to be out doing what I really enjoy.

Attempts at comic book art...

 

 

So the Parkrun on Saturday was much needed. Although to be honest I should have really stopped there. I didn't though. Mostly because I am addicted, also because I am ridiculous. So on Sunday morning I strapped on my trainers and set off for a longer leg stretch with my friend Sharry. The aim was a gentle trot around the banks of the river Medway (the nicer bits) which was supposed to be about 5 miles - so she claimed.

 





Back running!

 

 

We actually covered just over 9 miles, this was ideal for training for the Sidcup 10 miler. Especially as Sharry was worried she wouldn't be able to cover 10 miles - she can easily - and I have been away from running for 10 days (bloody virus).

 

So for someone who wasn't originally going to run this weekend I had now covered 12 miles. All at a decent pace. My knees, calves and balls of my feet were starting to be sore. I still felt good though. Which is always handy. However when I got home I found two horrible blood blisters.

 

 

Bugger!

 

I wasn't too concerned as the blisters don't really hurt and I can't have fallen off form wise in 10 days. As long as I still feel ok running I would be ok and the blisters were probably a result of landing with a slight pronation that I can work on. Pretty much as I dropped Sharry off home I got a text from Geoff wanting to go for a short trail run. Then it rained, again.

Lots of rain!

 

We have had a lot of rain recently in Kent and as a result the trails have become very muddy and very slick. On Saturday I went for a hike up Shorne Woods with my other half and there were sections which were very, very muddy. 

Lots of mud!

 

 

So naturally we went out for a run. 

 

During the route we came across some of the old chalk quarries up Bluebell hill, these were awe inspiring and I wish I had my camera on me, next time I will be sure to snap some photos for the blog! Anyways after 4 miles of very wet very muddy trails later we rocked back to the car to enjoy jelly babies and a beer. So much for having taken things easy on my return to running following my virus. I felt elated and good for having been out. Even though my trail shoes were now soaked through.

 

This all brings me to today, today I was famished and very tired. I am struggling to walk up stairs without looking like a marionette. I have blood blisters, aching Achilles and sore calf muscles. Not to mention my knees feel sore and they haven't felt like this in a long time. I can't help wondering what has gone wrong - mileage wise I have not done anything too different to what I am used to (and have still covered 80k this month). It isn't like I am running in a way my body is not used to now. As I said before my lay up was 10 days, not 10 weeks I shouldn't be suffering this much, should I?

 

I am currently reading Running With Kenyans which has a very interesting note on Kenyan training. Run twice a day (early and evening) and rest and eat the rest of the day. Where rest means do nothing, no walking, no working and no moving.

 

That is what I could have done with today, however my day started with my other half's car not working so I had to push it (with her help) into a bay near our house and then go to work to teach a full day. Mostly spent moving about and being on my feet when all I wanted to do was lie down, preferably in a darkened room or maybe even one of those little relaxation pod things.

  

I also have eaten like a horse today, which culminated with grazing on 3 large scotch eggs when I got in from work. The results of which have left me with a sore stomach and feeling a bit sick - obviously scotch eggs are not amazing recovery food - who knew! 

 

The upshot of all this is that I feel like I have over exerted on my first few runs back, I feel I have made poor dietary choices and that while I lie in bed feeling sore and sorry for myself I feel like I am as far away from an ultra as ever before.

 

I feel very ridiculous today and not in a funny joking sense.

 

And I don't like this feeling.

 

I am having an early night, have drunk plenty of fluids, stretched and had lots of vitamins today (fruit etc).

 

I am hoping that tomorrow is another day, and I will be back moving forward and not like I do now which is a bit like being stuck in reverse. I hope.

 

Chris