This was about returning back to racing and enjoy a bit of speedwork in preparation for a planned year of build for GB selection.
Parkrun Feb 1st 2020 – Another identical 5k for Parkrun a month later post lots of training weeks and lots of strength and conditioning. Just to be able to get in the sub 6.30’s felt good and on a cluttered course with lots of overtaking on loops. 19:52.
Surrey League 8.3k XC 2020 –Then onto a week later the looking ne and only of the season a fantastic Xc course in Richmond for the club. Whilst not fast I felt like I was back enjoying racing and a great up and down course that was relatively try and not like Parliament hill back in January. Although no my fastest it was great to be back as part of the team and a big turnout from the Belles.
Parkrun Feb 22nd March – Back to parkrun again, this time in High Wycombe where I had set up the parkrun, the first time in 6 years I had ever run the course so I sneaked over as it was one of very few open due to what had been weeks of raining. Great to see my old team mates and crew from when we started parkrun in 2012 along with how big the event had become. Anyway off I went to warm up (very short one) with Jacqui from Revvies (sponsor) who came with me so we could flyer after the event. Well it was like a massive stampede with over 500 + running in the event and I climbed up places as I ran around the out and back course weaving between people and clambering the steps on the way back to the finish. Really pleased despite footing to get upto 3 position and first overall in a time of 19:19 which was an improvement from a few weeks earlier. Great write up: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/wycomberye/news/2020/02/25/wycombe-rye-parkrun-run-report-22nd-february-2020-389/
Once swiftly finishing, both Jacqui and I then headed back to Oxford and onto the Barn Gym to give out flyers and free Revvies samples and also into Wallingford sport shop. It was a whistle stop tour and then the rest were kept for Wokingham Half the following day.
Wokingham Half Marathon- 24th February 2020
Very apprehensive in running the event as I hadn’t run for a few years and had felt very tired over the weekend and pressured. When the gun went off and it had been raining so a limited warm up but nether less went for it. I enjoyed some of the miles but remembered how hard, so parts were with the up and down sections of motorways. At one point wanted to quit but knew it wasn’t a reason for distance but more frustration. So I carried on despite slowing from what felt a good start with 6.05-6.15 pace for a good first 5 miles. Then towards the end really struggled with Morale hitting into headwind from about halfway and lack of general racing and conditioning started to show. I managed to push through in 1:24.52 for 10th place which was for me a disappointment for me in the time. I spent the next 40 mins or so after giving out flyers at the end for Revvies with Jacqui who was already there to see me come through the finish. It certainly was a busy week of racing and looking forward to a week of just training post a solid few weeks of .
European Selection February 28th 2020 -Then on the weekend of my final Life coaching course. On the Saturday I received a call from the Team Manager who typically hosts the 24hr team. Back in January on my running return put my name forward for both the European 24hr and the Anglo Celtic plate 100k. Really with the view that the 100k would help towards the training. Such a weird feeling as I felt elated but equally flat because with the current Covid – 19. ,