Cranleigh 21 ..and a weeks worth of running

I'm alive - it's a miracle
This has been one of Those weeks. Five 12½ hour shifts at work, and it's been a hard work week!!. A couple of runs back from work that had to be cut short for reasons of human frailty.. a Club run of some note on Wednesday.. meeeting a Good friend for a meal...
..and a little race today

Tell me - where did I find time to eat.... or sleep.... or anything else!!!

Pretty tiring week!

So the brief synopsis of the week went like this...

Monday: Running rest day - long hard day at work

Tuesday: Another difficult work day - Planned to run home from work - slowly!
we pulled out at 8 miles because of a very Hurty Knee
[not mine :o( ]
So 8 quality miles in the bag!!

Wednesday: Club run - 10.6 Miles - 1:30 - AvHR 154

Thursday: Hard day at work - met Good friend for a meal - Fantastic.
Was so tired, fell asleep on the train and missed my stop!!!!
Tee Hee

Friday: Fell asleep on the train on the way to work! Busy day at work, which took a huge turn for the better when a patient I cared for a few weeks ago came unexpectedly to visit the Unit. I had truly thought that he wasn't going to pull through- He was SOOOOOO sick, and to see him looking so well really made the week!!!!
Love being wrong about patients sometimes!
Run home - cut short at 10 miles due to feeling unwell
[not me either]
another 10 quality miles in the bag!

Saturday: Another busy day - but one in which I realised I'm actually quite good at what I do. And a running rest day

So to today......
Clocks changed.... so an early start to get to Cranleigh... and REALLY not in the mood for a long race. You know how it is sometimes..
but the mental thing is as important as the physical thing - so Fuelled up (body and Tractor Car) and of we went.

The plan was.... 8 min/mile and under (so planned Marathon Pace for FLM). I had originally intended to do this as another Long Slow, but PT lady insisted that it was a Time Trial for the Marathon, and I'm not brave enough to defy her
;o)
So, I wondered if I'd be able to maintain a 7:45ish pace for the duration of the event - programmed Mr Garmin TP and off we went.
Actually decided that I'd run it to a Heart Rate - and chose 165 as the 'ceiling' for it. Not worry about the pace too much, and see how it went
Calf got tight at about 4 miles - it never got any worse - but I still need to work out what I need to do about it.

My biggest problem (if you can call it a problem) is that I'm getting really painful feet. I'm going to get advice about less shaped shoes - the arch supports are too high, and trying to create an arch where I don't have one!!!
The perfect shoe is out there - I just have to find it
:o)
Anyway, back to the race. The fist 9 miles (which is a loop) went fine, and the second (shorter) 6 mile loop was reasonable... although I did seriously consider pulling out at that point (it was a 15/21 race).
Anyway - didn't - and a much needed wee stop (being a boy is a bonus occasionally!) saw me on my way!
Little leggies were getting tired by about 18, and I knew that the Killer Hill (already defeated on the fist loop) was upcoming.

And it was HARD!

Got to the top with nothing left in the tank.. it was just as well that the run in to the finish - another ½mile or so, was a kind and gentle decline!!!!!!!!!!!!
5 or 6 Club Members were waiting at the finish cheering us on - that was brill!
Clock time was 2:44:11
Rather pleased with that!!!!

So the stats

Distance: 21.14 miles (that's the measured distance)
Time: 2:44:11 (unofficial)]
Pace: 7:45min/mile
AvHR: 163 (yes - really!!)

I went through ½Marathon at 1:41:00 - the organisers had thoughfully provided a board for us stat geeks!!!!

Mile	Pace	Time	AvHR
1	7:43	7:43	144
2	7:33	15:17	161
3	7:44	23:01	163
4	7:33	30:35	163
5	7:47	38:23	164
6	7:45	46:08	162
7	7:41	53:50	161
8	8:00	1:01:50	161
9	7:37	1:09:28	160
10	7:47	1:17:15	162
11	7:35	1:24:50	166
12	7:39	1:32:29	165
13	7:36	1:40:06	166
14	7:39	1:47:45	165
15	7:50	1:55:36	166
16	8:27	2:04:03	163
17	7:46	2:11:50	169
18	7:35	2:19:25	168
19	7:49	2:27:14	168
20	7:47	2:35:02	168
21	7:43	2:42:46	170
0.14	7:00	2:44:11	170
Run	7:45	2:44:11	163