As Long as it Doesn't Hurt

The last ParkRun on one of the coldest and wettest Saturdays I've experienced, set a fairly encouraging note being my third in a row within the 26 minute slot at 26:33. I'd set out for an even paced run as near as possible to 8:15 miles pace while bearing in mind that the final mile hills were going to add about a minute. It worked out to be:-  1) 8:13.   2) 8:30.   3) 8:57. It might have been helped by a short intervals session around Bushy the day before, galloping 6x1min fast after a mile warm up.

The following midweek I took another longer jog around Richmond's perimeter which was again a slow, slow, slow hour and nine minutes, despite taking on the last mile hills with a determined increase in pace which would have brought breakfast back up if I'd had any. I followed that up on Friday with another interval session. In this one I gave over a little of the pace to concentrating on 'high knees' and striding on each of the seven reps. I have to increase the number of reps to about ten but at the moment six or seven is about as much as I can manage.

It is now becoming harder each time to gird the loins and get my sorry carcass out for a jog. It's not a pleasant experience knowing that I'm now into the laws of diminishing returns where despite the increased efforts I'm conducting the outings with, it really doesn't feel as if I'm getting very much return for my investment. In the forlorn hope of providing a bit of incentive I've signed up for a half marathon at the end of April, which is organised by my old running club. This is in the hope that jogging those sort of distances in training will make a 5k seem like a breeze. Six weeks should be time enough away to get up to the distance and already, the mind is conjuring up completely unrealistic thoughts of the time I might complete it in. Anyhow, on previous form I probably won't even make it to the start line.

Back to the Physio again on Tuesday for attention to the wrist which is still weak and painful on occasion. Neither will it take my weight when pushing down, which isn't very much use when you're trying to lever yourself out of the boat onto a waist high bank and usually ends up as a floundering scrabble in the dirt at the water's edge. It took some time going through the history and diagnosis but it all seemed quite thorough. I've ended up with another to-do list of strengthening exercises for the next month at three times a day, with the admonishment that I'm not to let it hurt and a non-commital okay to carry on with the kayaking as long as that doesn't hurt either.

Last Saturday was the canoe club Hare & Hounds which I had thought I might try out again. Realistically though, the four mile time-trial would be risking damage to the wrist which I can't afford at this juncture, so I gave that one best for the moment and settled for a walk/jog behind Ellie who made her first outing this year in a reasonable 30:33 for the two mile length. Jim did the four mile trial, (the course is actually closer to 4.3 miles) in 50:35. Pretty good considering he hasn't been out in a boat for months. Perhaps I'll be able to squeeze myself into next month's test in between jogging intervals... as long as it doesn't hurt of course.