So I last left you feeling very sorry for
myself with an injury that just wasn’t budging-although in hindsight I was
being far too impatient, it had only been 2 weeks! So a further
week of rest, ice, Pilates-based exercises, stretches and many a foam roller
sesh I thought I’d attend the running club for a 2 x 3000m training session as
the niggles had stopped.
Warm-up went ok, 1st 3000m,
still alright then the standing recovery, fine-then as I started the 2nd
3000m it started with a vengeance, back home with an ice pack I figured that
was it, I’d give my place to someone else as there was a stand-by waiting
list…..but my knee recovered within 24 hours (this was not the case before). So
not wanting to make any rash decisions I thought I’d wait until nearer the time
(much to Matt disapproval!). I swam once and went on a slow 5 mile run the
Friday before the big day and I won’t say it was ‘perfect’ but it would do…I
was running, rain or shine……oh and did it RAIN!!!?
It started off a little ‘spitty’, luckily
the gale force winds had calmed down from the few days before, but the rain
just kept getting heavier and heavier, I felt a little niggle in my knee around
the 4 mile mark following a very steep downhill stretch, but then I think
adrenaline kicked in and rather that it getting gradually worse over the course
of the race, it simply disappeared-RESULT!!
I managed to keep up a pretty good pace
considering I’d only ran 3 times over the last 4 weeks (again I think adrenaline had a major part to
play) and I finished with a very satisfying time of 1:13:25 (1:13:44 gun time),
201st overall and 14th lady! Soaked to the bone but a better result than I could have
hoped for considering the lack of preparation. Great way to end 2011 if I do
say so myself!
