River Prance

I snuck in a daylight amble along the riverside tonight. After some late night working yesterday (work is very mad right now) I thought I deserved an early trip home to catch the last hour of daylight.

A fine clear sky inspired the rush for home this afternoon and lit my slow but steady amble along the river Wharfe. I've some residual problems with the injury site (or more aptly named 'twingettes') but

And with less discomfort than last week. No racing for a bit longer but the pain is slowly dimishing. Hoorah.

Grate Stuff

Oops, nearly forgot to write some stuff after the bath tap emergency this afternoon... [lots of driving to all the local DIY stores this aft' (bumped into local running talent Matt Cox in B&Q btw) trying to find the right tap valve (we didn't) and now we're left with plyers instead of a tap...]

Our early bimble around Ilkley to watch a vets road relay  this morning was followed by my easy 5 miler; I was again inspired to stay focused and keep pluggin' away... but the comeback isn't quite as straight forward as I'd have hoped. The injury site is still behaving but I seem to be left with a strange feeling since the first set of physio treatment; one of running on stiff and quite sore wooden legs. The stiffness and discomfort in both legs from my 're-alignment' to address the 'neural gliding' is making running a bit of a chore, I've yet to feel easy and pain free which I'm left questioning. Is this normal? 

M tells me this is what everyone feels like after a long break from training. I'm hoping he's right and just hope it wears off soon. I'm 3 weeks back on very low mileage and I'm not rid of it yet. But I'm running again so I mustn't moan. Selby tomorrow, for M's 10 miler.

The Force

My first week back into what might reasonably called 'training' has felt like a string of tiring, achy and frustrating plods. But, I'm running and I'm loving every minute. The legs still feel borrowed from someone else (a person made of wood) and I can't believe how slow I am but I'm back where I belong; peeling away the grubby work skin and getting out, breathing the cool and clean outdoors air into my lungs. It feels wonderful.

I'm feeling inspired and as hungry as ever to get back my race legs and so looked on longingly as the lean racing machine (M) led the way on our morning run. I've got some way to go yet before I'm snapping at his heels again but I'm feeling the force is near; the hard work ahead and a bit of patience will surely pay off..."Do or do not. There is no try" (Yoda).

Melt Down

Today was the first race in the Complete Runner West Yorkshire XC League at Nunroyd. It was a gorgeous sunny day and Runningbear was on the sidelines, not feeling quite so sorry for herself I hasten to add. It was great to see mates out racing, snaking around the grassy undulations of Nunroyd Park whilst I cheered them along complete with camera and sunnies under what turned out to be gorgeous blue skies. 

I felt particularly cheery having run 12 miles today. Woohoo! I'm so chuffed. My legs felt sorry, achy and grumbly but they were no worse by mile 12. I felt that satisfying long run tiredness that's been missing from my life for weeks. It's so good to feel the post run glow after all this time. Anyway, I'm clearly very unfit, my heart rate was sky high and god knows how I ever ran 20+ every Sunday in the spring but I've gotta start somewhere. Thankfully the post run buzz didn't dull even as my camera suffered a meltdown mid race; just a few snaps survived. I may have to consider an upgrade...shame.

Grey Day

I was hoping to at least to have a XC race to blog about this weekend; M was due to run the Northern relays today in Sheffield. Being office bound all day and staring at walls at night offers little exciting content in this Runningbear's life to blog about. Anyway, the men's V40 team fell apart leaving us both at a loose end for the day. So a bit of Commonwealth Games on the telly it is.

The running is progressing a bit. I've managed some jogging this week and so far all is okay, tight and sore but no worse for it. I'm encouraged enough to keep trying and perhaps try a longer one tomorrow. So far 7 has been the max. Either that or fiddle with some new photoshop functions. Fresh air is good.

Old Man

It's been another rather long and depressing week of non-running. It's now over two months since the leggy went all silly on me but the end of my running ban may be in sight. The pain had reduced gradually to a constant niggle and is now feeling more like a bit of tightness. Though I'm £200 poorer and very bored by the sound of my own voice every time anyone asks how it's going, I think I might be over the worst.

A welcome distraction this weekend was the Lakeland Trails Race at Coniston. M had it in his race diary as a bit of change from the roads; a nicely challenging but enjoyable 15k tour part way up Coniston before a loop to the left to contour the rugged shoulder and a nice fast return descent through muddy trail and open fields. The event boasted some great names on the entry list, including fellow club mate Vic Wilkinson who looked awesome and placed 4th overall with an impressive lead over second lady, Lizzie Adams. Vic has been enjoying a blistering season after a major foot injury and surgery in the summer of 2009; she's a running inspiration if ever there was one... 

M had a fine run though was cussin' his choice of shoes by the end; the road racers failing him on every turn of the muddy tracks after the heavy rains all week long. Thankfully for me the event was held under blue skies and glorious sunshine; a forgiving interlude to the downpours. M finished 8th overall and I reckon he was up for the V40 prize had he been willing to hang around for the rather late prizegiving. The old road racer ran impressively well, holding his own against some expert trail racers and all in soggy road shoes! M's running just goes from strength to strength; I've got some serious catching up to do if I'm ever gonna show who's the real running boss in this house. [I just know I'm gonna live to regret typing that]. 

Well done too to local running star Marc Springer of Horsforth Harriers. Marc's the type who looks good in mud and there was plenty of that about. An awesome race from the Horsforth Vet despite having raced 25 miles last weekend! Full race results here.