Tuesday goes great, I am flying in training and very happy with myself. Wednesday goes badly. At work we are given the worst instructions in history, to build a glass balustrade. It’s like they have been concocted in the depths of hell. They lull you into a false sense of security, then randomly mention something essential that should have been done 4 steps before. None of the screws match the ones provided, it makes you want to tear your hair out. The dentist tries to tear my tooth out instead. I have to get my crown ground down. It shouldn’t be painful the dentist assures me. Oh but it is. I take the pain quietly like the hero I am, for about 5 seconds, then my hand flies up of its own accord and whacks the nurse and dentist away. I apologise profusely, they try again, it happens again. They are disappointed in me. I leave very embarrassed.
Saturday morning is Abersoch 10k. Training has been going really well recently. But the last time I was here, I was doing the Abersoch Half, and had to pull out (read post here). So I am abit nervous on the start line.
The crowds are incredible running through town. I try to hold myself back for the first mile, but I am already feeling good. I give my little girl a high 5 and run a 5.17 mile. There is one person on my shoulder. I run the next mile in 5.04, I am on my own.
It becomes a race against myself. It is hard to stay honest when you are all on your own. I try and keep my foot on the gas. At halfway there is the Tocyn Brutal, a brilliant race inside a race. Runners are timed running up a very steep 600m hill. I really want to get sub 3min, I turn myself inside out to do it, and get 2.43, that is pretty good, I have to keep on going. There is a hose pipe set up for us to under, mmmmm, it is getting hot.
The course loops round and I am lapping other runners. All of a sudden I am gaining on a woman cycling along in the same direction as me. I am going to overtake her very soon. She is in the middle of the narrow single track, I have to decide quickly if I should say something or not. Sometimes it can scare a cyclist and cause them to swerve straight into me. I try and squeeze past her on the right, just as she decides to point at something and smacks me in the face. I resist the urge to do the very British thing and apologise, I run on.
As I reach the beach I am feeling really good, with half a mile to go I have 3 minutes to break 33min, a fast time that very few have managed. The tide is high though, forcing me onto the soft sand, and to jump over the groynes. I am usually quite good at jumping over stuff. But when you take off and land in the soft sand it forces a complete stop. I am wobbling all over the place, I can see the finish line but I just can’t get there. I see the clock and and I know I can’t make sub 33, so I enjoy high fiving the crowd, and cross the line in 33.28.
Beautiful, unique race with a fantastic atmosphere. This is the 10th anniversary of the event, and the management organise for Live music and sunshine. I come 2nd in the Tocyn Brutal, and win a crate of cider for the effort. Impeccably well organised race, highly recommend.
I arrive home and am greeted by a leaking pipe. An overfull kettle placed under a massive puddle of water. It is straight from hero to zero as I spend the next few hours fixing it.
Non-running related highlight of the week
Out on the dam, teaching Jim to ride a bike, it turns into a scrambling session. Jim and El find a little rocky crag to climb up and down, so that is what we do in the Sunday afternoon sun.
Best thing on the internet this week:
Me finishing the Abersoch 10k!
link here
Thing I’m digging this week:
“Unpursued dreams have a tendency to stay in the background, gnawing at you only quietly, until suddenly it’s too late”
What’s The Best Way To Avoid Regrets. Guardian article (link here)
| 28/4/2018 | AM | PM |
| Monday | 3 | 2 @ 6min miling |
| Tuesday | REST | 8 x 1km in 3min (3min rest). 7 miles total |
| Wednesday | REST | REST |
| bad day, feeling awful after dentist | ||
| Thursday | REST | 10 miles, including 11min flatout |
| Friday | REST | 1km in 3min then 1mile in 6min. 3 miles total |
| Saturday | Abersoch 10k. 1st – 33.28. 8 miles total | REST |
| Sunday | REST | REST |
| should run, don’t get it done early enough, lounge on sofa with family | ||
| TOTAL: | 33 miles | tm = treadmill |