With less than a month to go until the River Ayr Way, a race that I've done my best to plug, I realised that I'd done perhaps half a dozen runs, all no more than 6 miles since the WHW race.
A good rest was always part of my plan but I swear it's not done me any good. After my first 4 week layoff, I developed problems with one of my Achilles and hamstrings and they've never completely gone away. I suspect that some folk, if they don't run regularly, tighten up and then become more injury prone. Perhaps if I was more obsessive about stretching it might not have happened but it seems more than coincidental that I've had more problems this time after the WHW race than in previous years when I haven't tried a deliberated rest period.
Anyway, stuff resting, I've got a race to train for so in best "running fool" tradition, I went out and ran 21 miles yesterday from home to the Failford Inn on the River Ayr Way just to see if I could do it. I can't pretend it was easy but then I didn't make it easy for myself by not carrying enough fluid for the windy & muggy conditions. I also set off just before lunch which didn't help. Still, I feel considerably more confident about managing the RAW race *and* I spotted a Kingfisher flitting up the river which always gives me a buzz (hence the piccy up above).
My legs are a bit stiff today but not too bad. I'll try and get another good run on the RAW in before the race and maybe do some cycling as I don't think I've time to put in as many running miles as I'd like without risking injury.
3 comments:
Hey Tim....You're my saviour!!! I've done a similar number of runs and feel equally un-prepared...so you've got at least one person in a similar position to yourself. Notwithstanding injury I intend to be on the start line anyway.
See ya there mate.
Hi Tim, it's a fine line between having a decent rest to let your body recover and not doing enough so you start picking up silly wee injuries. I found the same as you - the year I had a longer break after the WHW was the most difficult to get back into my running. I seemed to struggle for about 3 months. Having said that, I felt really good again at the beginning of the next season and then ran a WHW PB, so maybe it did me more good in the longer term. Ian
Hi Dave, glad my lack of running has cheered someone up. ;-)
Ian, I think in the short term all this rest hasn't been helpful but like you, I'm hopeful that things will pick up over the longer term.
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