Type - Steady run
Distance - 6 miles
Time - 45 minutes
It was a chilly Friday evening when I got back to the road, a few unfortunate weeks after my 9.2 mile run. I wanted to ease back into it with a six mile run, following the usual route from Fetter Lane down to the Embankment and along to the Tate at Millbank.
I have slightly finessed the route, ironing out some of the more annoying or busy sections. Right at the start we had ironed out the bottleneck round Parliament. Now I have taken out the annoying gravel section through Horse Guards Parade, and instead go down the length of Whitehall to take a right down Great George Street. Similarly I turn off the Horseferry Road before Embankment and go down John Islip Street, behind the Burberry HQ and behind Thames House. This then comes out at Millbank and avoids the Lambeth Bridge roundabout and roadworks (map).
It was a difficult run. It is amazing how quickly you can get out of the swing of training, how soon your legs will protest at the unaccustomed activity and your muscles ache at the exertions you are demanding. The only positive from it is the knowledge that it won't take too long to get back into the groove. I started getting a pain in my upper leg and groin at about mile 2. The time wasn't blistering, just a little over 7.5 minute miles. I was breathing more heavily, and feeling the pressure from each step.
By the half-way point I was starting to relax into the run a little more, but it still felt difficult and my legs felt heavy and unresponsive. I picked up the pace a little for the final three miles, finishing the whole run in 45 minutes. It was far from a great run, far from my best. But it wasn't a bad one to get back to training with.
I have slightly finessed the route, ironing out some of the more annoying or busy sections. Right at the start we had ironed out the bottleneck round Parliament. Now I have taken out the annoying gravel section through Horse Guards Parade, and instead go down the length of Whitehall to take a right down Great George Street. Similarly I turn off the Horseferry Road before Embankment and go down John Islip Street, behind the Burberry HQ and behind Thames House. This then comes out at Millbank and avoids the Lambeth Bridge roundabout and roadworks (map).
It was a difficult run. It is amazing how quickly you can get out of the swing of training, how soon your legs will protest at the unaccustomed activity and your muscles ache at the exertions you are demanding. The only positive from it is the knowledge that it won't take too long to get back into the groove. I started getting a pain in my upper leg and groin at about mile 2. The time wasn't blistering, just a little over 7.5 minute miles. I was breathing more heavily, and feeling the pressure from each step.
By the half-way point I was starting to relax into the run a little more, but it still felt difficult and my legs felt heavy and unresponsive. I picked up the pace a little for the final three miles, finishing the whole run in 45 minutes. It was far from a great run, far from my best. But it wasn't a bad one to get back to training with.
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