10k PB

Well I am not quite sure how that happened but I smashed my 10k PB. Based off recent form I was expecting to beat my PB of 39:30 but to have set the time I did was amazing and if not for my parkrun last week would have been a complete surprise.

The event was the Newhaven 10k. My taper this week had gone quite well and training so far this year I was feeling great. I had mostly been plodding with some good up tempo runs at parkrun and I have been the most consistent I have ever been with strength training. 

Pre race I had my usual prep of no food, the joys of low carb :-) The event was actually really poorly organise with some painted markings for start and finish lines, no chip timing and a lack of marshals on the route. We started 15 minutes late so despite the very fresh conditions I was in a vest for 20 minutes before we started running. 

I set off at a strong pace, clearly too strong but I quickly settled into a rhythm and other than that first km I ran a very consistent race. I went through halfway in 19:07 despite getting sent slightly the wrong way and came back in 18:52 to finish in 37:59 (still pending official results but I always stop my watch early, finish it late and I got sent the wrong way so I am claiming it whatever). 

Mr suffering towards the finish line straining (though not aware of my time). 

This time last year my PB was 42:30 and I was not even in shape to do much more than run a sub 20 parkrun so safe to say that I have had a great year, really started after getting back into it after my back infection in March last year. 

Yearly Targets: 

Ahead of my stretch targets for miles, on 161 and need around 150. 

parkrun, still doing well but my local was cancelled due to ice this week so missed out on both the run and volunteer but still ended up doing results for juniors so at least got that. 

Sunday long run

Just got back from my Sunday long run, the freedom of not worrying about distance and just running for time is amazing. I ran for the best part of 2 hours, would guess I "only" did around 10 miles or so but I don't care. I was out there and enjoying my run. Given the fasting I am doing at the moment it is not surprise that I am finding the easy runs better than the hard runs. I can go and run for 2 hours, enjoy it and feel great but 5 x 3minute hills reps as part of a shorter run is a real killer. 

I honestly have no clue what to expect next week when I do my first 2020 vs 2015 challenge. In 2015 I ran around the 23 minute mark. In my head this is a time I should easily beat now, just 6 months ago I ran a full 2 minute quicker and wasn't much lighter than I am now. At the same time the faster stuff is a struggle, I am hoping that the sort of taper week I have next week will give me a good shot, the last 2 weeks have probably be the hardest, in terms of speed-work, in a long time. 

I am now looking into some interesting topics that resonated with me from a book I am listening to at the moment. A thing called anatomy in motion / Neurokinetic Therapy was mentioned and I feel this can help me to strengthen the area's that make me weaker than I would like. 

I think that my history of Ledderhose Disease / Plantar Fibromatosis is something my body has never fully recovered from and so in the past it is my right side (above was on the left) that I have had the niggles on and honestly when I am running now I don't feel like I am running the same with both sides. 

I will do some more research and check back in, also work on some home python projects and whatever else takes my fancy whilst on lock-down.