I had a lot of questions going into this run: I did a 15k in 1:07 on the tracks. Where is the harm in doing 15K in 1:10 during my long run? How bad can it be? Do I have a habit of leaving my best performances on the track? How weak is my core? Do I go out hard and hang on and evaluate at what point I fall apart? Do I start slowly and start pushing from 18k thereabouts? Will I manage a sub 2hrs 25k? Is my weight such a big factor? How strong am I? Can I still tap from the hill training I did four weeks back? Is my route challenging enough? Am I running this 32K too soon after the previous 32k? Have I sorted my cramps problem? Will my groin injury allow me to run without becoming a factor?
At any rate, I decided to start conservatively. I also decided to run without water coz I expected a cold weather - my house-girl got rid of my 300ml water bottle and I told her to never ever...but I was not too worried about hydration because I had started hydrating on Saturday.
I think I ran well and learnt several things because I was concentrating. I learnt that whereas my route is like a basin with a flat bottom, it is a rolling route (up an down) and it has several rough sections that make it cross-countryish, especially Mombasa road.
I was pretty decent until the 11th Km. Then I was semi-decent until the 21st Km. Then I fell apart. Fucking fell apart. My wheels fell off.
I don't know why or how but it happened. And it even got worse past 23Km when now it was just total, irredeemable disaster. Between 29 and 31st Km, lets just say I had nothing. Fat walkers would have looked at me and asked each other: Is he really running? Yes I kept moving but my legs just didn't have it. I didn't have it. But I tried my best. What is interesting is that, compared to the person I was in March, I was Superman yesterday. Can you believe that?
In the end, I crossed 15K in 1:11, 21K in 1:41, 25K in 2:03 and 32K in 1:45:13.
I have improved from last Sundays time and now my average pace has moved from 5:12min/Km to 5:09min/Km. In the interest of all that is decent and right before God and man, please lets not talk about the 26th Km to the 30th Km. Thank you.
Yes my questions were answered alright. Start conservative. Core is not that weak but can be made stronger. Groin strain was not a big factor. Sub 2 hrs 25K? Not today. No, I don't leave my best on the track. Yes, I do need to lose some weight. Yes, maybe I should give it a fortnight. I think.
An improvement is an improvement and I have to be humble and accept that this is where I am now fitnesswise. No excuses. Progress is what I need and that's what I got. I need faster progress but I am alright with this. I will take it. Thank you very much.
My body has aches and I know I pushed myself so I am glad. I know I will be stronger next time I give it another stab. My strategy will be simple: maintain same conservative start and try to maintain the decent pace up to 25K and dont fall apart on the hills.
I am also now focusing much more sharply on my weight and I will do some hill training and give myself two weeks so that I attack that distance with hunger and a fresh brain and well-recovered legs. I need to protect that 32K from excitement and impatience since its my main workout now.
It also means my vaunted 15k in 1:07 is actually nothing. I need to work harder.
My groin injury persists but it has improved and now I will be working on my core.
What fires me up is that I am within reach of my targets and so many areas for improvement that I know I can sort without a problem. So I should just get on and do it already. Au sio?
Without further ado, ladies and gentlemen and children of all ages, here are the splits. Quietly notice how disaster unfolds:
Split
|
Time
|
1
|
5:05.3
|
2
|
4:51.5
|
3
|
4:37.9
|
4
|
4:28.6
|
5
|
4:46.3
|
6
|
4:44.8
|
7
|
4:40.6
|
8
|
4:47.4
|
9
|
4:44.1
|
10
|
4:46.9
|
11
|
4:44.1
|
12
|
4:53.5
|
13
|
4:48.0
|
14
|
4:51.1
|
15
|
4:58.7
|
16
|
4:58.5
|
17
|
4:58.5
|
18
|
5:01.9
|
19
|
4:53.3
|
20
|
4:57.7
|
21
|
5:03.7
|
22
|
5:18.0
|
23
|
5:26.2
|
24
|
5:23.3
|
25
|
5:24.8
|
26
|
5:44.5
|
27
|
5:37.8
|
28
|
5:31.1
|
29
|
6:34.5
|
30
|
6:25.8
|
31
|
6:10.2
|
32
|
5:55.1
|
4 comments:
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Damn man, I can feel your pain - the road demolished you bit by bit but u still stood your ground in the face of adversity - u have a heart! The moment I go past 5 mins per kilometer my morale dips so drastically and I immediately take a walk but u took the distance. If u can withstand this situation then u can do anything - keep running!
Come to think of it, this isn't an issue of weight or dehydration but an issue of your mindset - your track statistics are just awesome. I think you need to evaluate on how you program yourself psychologically before the run. Psychological preparation is key for you - from what you have accomplished on the track you should actually be doing sub 2:30 for 32k comfortably. Look within yourself, you have the solution coz you know yourself better.
Thanks Maq & Ford Ranger. I recently came to learn of people who are 5 10"-5 11" like myself who weigh 80Kgs and have done sub 1:30 halfs so maybe as you say, weight may not be the main issue. It may be mindset. All true. I have taken three days off to recharge then I assault it again. We will definitely get there. That Sub 2:30 is a target I must achieve by July. Come fire come high water.
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