Racing the rowers!

We arrived at the gym with kids in tow to all do our individual exercises, Kerys went off swimming to do a 'quick' 2.5km in the pool (nutter), Cai and Nia went off to the kids area to run amok with the paint and I decided that a long run was in order.

I am reasonably worried about the half marathon next weekend, I've been having second thoughts, I don't want to run as much as I did and frankly I just cannot wait until I can go back to less running and more cycling. My knees are complaining from the constant pounding, and I think I've just run myself out. I know now that I am not a runner in essence - it is purely there at the end of the race that I have fallen for - not the major element but a part. It is an essential part certainly, but it is juxtaposed by two non impact elements in the ride and swim which allow the training for a triathlon to be much less injury prone and slightly easier on the knees etc. I have also noticed that I am not loosing any weight since I started concentrating on the running. This is a little odd - but I am pretty sure its the diet that I cannot be bothered to follow which is another indication that I am not enjoying my mainly running training.

Well - I still have the half marathon to get over - so I decided to run 10km today, so I set off on the route that I did last time I was at the gym but staying on the tarmac this time and not heading cross country. It was a pretty nice run down by the river and on the way out the rowers were out in their sculls, pulling along the river at a fair old rate of knots. I carried on past the man made kayak centre with its white water course carrying goodness knows how much rampantly flowing liquid per minute to the mass enjoyment of the rubber suited people in their plastic capsules. I carried on past the turnings I have made in the past and headed straight up the road towards Little Houghton. The road shortly began to wind up the hill and my heart rate began to raise while my pace decreased, but I felt fairly good. It was a fairly nice day and I was pretty cool, I wasn't overheating at all and my legs felt OK. This was a slow pace - but one I could maintain for quite some time.

Eventually I headed down a small lane that took me to the stables and then onto a public footpath that headed down a dirt track and back towards the white water centre. I knew at this point that 10km wasn't going to be the end of it - and by the time I hit the start of the river I was at nearly 11km, the furthest I had ever run. Starting along the river the boats were out again and in full flow. An eight squad glided past me - there was no way to keep up with that - but a pair came up alongside and I thought I might stand more of a chance. I increased my pace and they actually started to drop behind me a little, I expect they were taking it easy!

Getting back to the gym I had managed just under 15km in an hour and a half and my knees were pretty sore. Well - I still wanted a swim - so I also managed 750m in the pool in just under 20 mins and that felt pretty good - but I was absolutely starving afterwards. Early to bed tonight I expect for me now - and I expect to run very little this week to save my legs for the race at the weekend....