MRS DAN : "DID YOU ENJOY THAT THEN?" / ME : "NO!"

[danzargo]

Ohhhh Godddddd! That was sooooo hard. I am pooped after it, especially in this heat. Was I stupid? Did I go out too late?

Oh sorry! You don't have a clue what I'm talking about do you? Soz. This mornings run was a 10K Special all the way around Richmond Park. After Saturdays Park run PB I thought it was time for a long one. After all, I've got my first official 10K Run on June 8th so getting some miles in was needed. I toyed with the idea of wearing shorts today and actually put some on (over my compression shorts) but after my hip 'N glute exercises I changed into my usual lycra running tights instead. Dunno why? I just couldn't seem to leave my lycra lovelies in the drawer this morning. We've been through so much together and I do feel kind of "streamlined" in them. But would they be too hot? It was 20 degrees outside already and the time was 10.30am. Mrs Dan was giving it some, to her keep fit DVD (Davina's one this morning) when I waved a cheery bye. "I'll be about an hour and a half" I shouted. "Good luck!" she replied.

I was taking some watered down cranberry juice with me today cos I knew I would need something to quench the inevitable thirst. I drove into the park and parked up at Pembroke Lodge, zipped my car keys into my troosers and I was off on my warm up walk.

The first 5K was no problem. Everything felt fine and although the sun was beating down on me I wasn't too hot. I'd slathered some sunblock on my boat race (tip from Mrs Dan) so I wouldn't burn and stopped very briefly to take the above picture of the majestic deer grazing in the park. Don't they look gorgeous? It wasn't until about 28 minutes in that I had to stop for a recovery walk. I wasn't to annoyed about this as I was not out to try and break any records today. It was waaaay too hot for that sort of malarkey. I pressed on. After only about 5 minutes I had to stop again and took a swig of my cranberry juice. It was quite sweet to taste and felt good as it slid down my gizzard, refreshing the parts that needed refreshing. I started to question why I'd been stupid enough to try and run 10K on the hottest day of the year so far. "Too late now though boy, you'd better get on with it. Now off you go!"

I managed another good chunk of mileage until I reached Mount Everest the 2nd - this really tough hill which I'd tried to jog up last time I was here. I attempted to do the slowest snail speed jog up the hill but got halfway and had to stop! I looked at this park bench underneath this lovely tree and it looked so inviting, almost taunting me to sit on it in the cool shade and get my breath back properly. But I knew if I stopped and sat down, it'd be all over, so I walked slowly to the peak of this mountain and marvelled in awe at a cyclist, decked out in multi coloured lycra bikewear who was CYCLING UP THE HILL!!!!! His calves were as thick as my waist, so he must've been some sort of professional biker dude. WOW!

I had to stop another four times before I completed the circuit, jogging only short stretches whenever I had the energy to move. I noticed two girls who were sitting under the shade of a tree having a rest from their run and they got up (well, they helped each other up they were so knackered!) and started jogging. I was lolloping along and passed them thinking that there wasn't far to go before the car park....oh...there it is now! Thank the LORD!!

Reached the car and stretched my muscles and swallowed the final slurp of my juice and thought "I did not enjoy that run. BUT......I did it!" Checked my stats on Endomondo - 1'03'19. I honestly thought it would have been way longer than that, so I was pleased to discover that news.

Once home I was greeted by Mrs Dan who was in her bikini and dark glasses and she laughed as I hobbled through the door into the house. "Hahaha! Did you enjoy that then?" - "No! I did not!" - "At least you did it though. Right, I'm sunbathing in the garden. Bye!" Well, it IS her birthday on Wednesday and I've told her she should have a "Birthday Week" of fun and frolics! - Oooh that reminds me. I've got to go out and buy pink champagne.....

I think the reason why my energy levels were so sapped today is because of the massive effort put into Sat's Parkrun AND the monumental hangover recovery all day yesterday. Perhaps I should have waited until tomorrow to do the 10K but what the heck? I've done it now and despite the lack of feeling fantastic I'm happy with having the ability to go out and keep in touch with nature. Some folks aren't as lucky as me and I must NEVER forget that.

Farewell for now and whatever you do - DO NOT give up!

D

[AncientMum Graduate]

10k in this heat?? Are you wearing your pants on the outside of your tights? Do you have a big S on the front of your running vest? Well done Mr Dan, a sterling effort, now stop overachieving, you're making the rest of us lesser mortals look bad!

[Miles_Yonder Graduate]

Very well done indeed, Mr Dan, that was some bloody achievement in this weather. I ran at 0430 this morning and that was about warm enough; half an hour later and I was boiling. You did great and I think the combination of the heat and your Parkrun - and the lycra - conspired against you a bit. Quite how you managed that is beyond me; I couldn't run in anything more significant than shorts in this weather.

Great post, as ever; really liked the photo too. And very wise words indeed regarding not giving up; I had those in my mind on Friday when things got a bit tough. Happy resting, my dear fellow.

[Hidden]

Enjoy a couple of days good rest and relaxation if you can. The heat is a real killer at the moment. I've got a chesty cold so I'm resting from running for a few days but once I've got my R4L out of the way next month I shall seriously consider hanging up my running shoes until the cooler weather in autumn. Nonetheless, well done on that run, it was an incredible achievement all things considered. Good luck and best wishes.

[TurboTortoise Graduate]

Oh my days, I don't know how you did that! I had to take an extra day off yesterday after the effort of that parkrun, only just got out this lunchtime to do a gentle little 6k. (Gentle little 6k! A year ago I wouldn't have believed I could ever describe it as such!)

What sort of foam roller have you got? I think I might have to invest. My poor pins were still feeling shredded yesterday, not in an injured way, just knackered.

[danzargo Graduate in reply to TurboTortoise]

Ooooh TT, sorry to hear you're aching. I've got a "physioworld" 45CM roller like this

amazon.co.uk/PhysioWorld-Fo...

I ordered blue (manly) and received a pink one (not manly) but it does the job great! Get one cos they do work. It hurts like HELL when you put your entire weight on the damned thing and you can howl like a wolf cos it hurts so much, but think of those muscle fibres being squished and squashed back into place. Yeeeahhh baby!!! Once your legs get used it it, it doesn't hurt anymore.

The 10K was hard and I think I should have had an extra days rest really, but I have 100% free time at the moment and am using it to run as often as possible. I know when I DO get a job, I'm gonna find it hard to get out and do 10K's. I LOVE the way you said "gentle little 6K...little runny poo....little itsy teensy weensy 6K"! HAHAHA!! I'm the same as you. This time last year, there was NO WAY I could have done what I'm doing now.

May see you Saturday again? Let's try and do it in 16 minutes, carrying a heavy knapsack with lead weights and wearing deep sea divers boots! What say you?!!!

[TurboTortoise Graduate in reply to danzargo]

Thanks for that – how divinely metrosexual that they sent you a pink one! I tried a foam roller after my recent 10k (they had a post-race physio tent) and GOD IT REALLY HURT - it was one with big tyre-tread ridges for extra pain though. Saw a similar one in TK Maxx for about £15, but yours looks a bit less hardcore.

I reckon I'm up for another parkrun this Sat - definitely 16 mins, with all that kit, and running BACKWARDS.