Running report: Days 6, 7, 8
Getting tired now. I've been ill over Christmas due to too much over-indulging on rich food! So after day 8: both ankles hurt, and my whole right leg is swollen. I've had to drop my pace significantly just to get the kms done- If I want to finish this at all, it might end up being the 12 limps of Christmas or even the 12 crawls!
Anyway, here's what happened on the last 3 runs...
Christmas day run (6) was a tough one. The route was easy enough, but getting up at the crack of dawn wasn't! 7.10am start was a bit of a shock for the body clock after being off work for a week. I did run in the elf hat though, and had my fair share of strange looks and "Merry Christmases" alike! There were 2 other runners out, looked like a couple- big up them running on Christmas day in the dark! And a couple of dog-walkers. I listened to the radio on this one rather than my usual playlist in the hopes of hearing some festive tunes to motivate me, but soon became irritated with Scott Mills' voice. By km4, I was ready to punch him in a scrooge-like fashion. I was, truth be told, in a terrible mood for the duration. I see a correlation here of no breakfast= grumpy runner! This was, of course immediately dissipated by presents upon my return :)
Christmas dinner for me this year was cranberry and chestnut falafels, and my god they did not sit well (though they were delicious). I'm sorry to say I was up half the night for toilet visits (both ends) and by morning was utterly worn out, feverish and shaking, leaving me wondering if I'd be able to get out to run on boxing day at all.
I managed to keep my porridge down on day 7 and set off a little later, slightly delirious in the winter sunshine. I decided to do nice flat canal run to Sowerby Bridge again, and was fairly impressed at my time given how bad I felt. It was packed along the path with boxing day walkers, and I felt altogether cheery although the last couple of km did lag a bit.
Today's run (day 8) was like nothing i've ever experienced. The winds are insane up here, and I'd picked today for the "long, slow hill" climb. You won't believe how high up I went- I swear the air was getting thinner at one point! The route was unrelenting and the weather was absolutely not on my side. I cried in frustration twice- it was like swimming against a tide, I wasn't going anywhere!. My knee, which has been quietly complaining around doses of ibuprofen since day 3 or so, has reached screaming level and is in desperate need of rest. I'm trying to run as carefully as I can so as not to sprain it, hence the shocking time today of 1.25. I've passed the 50 mile mark though, so really don't want to give up now if I can help it.
4 more days to go, not sure if my legs are going to hold up at all. I'm going to slow my runs right down and stick to the flat routes. Watch this space!
