You Can't Moan, Can You?

You Can't Moan, Can You?

Hi everyone!

A week is, famously, a long time in politics. Well, I found this week that it is also a very long time in running.

Last Sunday, I crawled out of bed to the sound of rain battering on the windows and the wind howling through wherever it gets into. This is not normally a problem, as I have plenty of bad-weather gear, and in fact I actually quite like donning it all and getting out early when it's really cold.

But last Sunday I got out of the door and saw it absolutely lashing it down, and for the first time in months I thought to myself how little, if at all, I wanted to be out there. This had nothing to do with pleasure whatsoever. Rather, it was simply a case of gritting my teeth, getting the job done and getting home again.

Which is what happened. I cursed my way round 10.6 miles (17.1 kms), not even taking comfort in the perverse pleasure of braving what was at times biblical weather, and people staring at me in wonder as I breezed past them.

I just focused on the idea of getting home to the reward of a hot bath and a decent lunch, and sure enough, before two hours were up I was soaking happily in the tub.

 
This week's running was all about preparing for today's (Sunday 29/11) race, the Cross Popular Villa de Gijón. In fact, this meant taking it a bit easy but throwing in one session of speedier stuff, if only to remind myself what going a bit faster feels like, and whether it's at all possible still. 

So on Thursday I went up to the University and did 16 laps of a 450m circuit there - one fast, one slow. The faster ones came out at about 6:00/mile (3:45/km), so it was nothing spectacular, but it was good enough to put me in a positive frame of mind.

Yesterday morning I finished off an easy 6-miler with 6 x 100m strides, bursts of practically flat-out running where you concentrate on good running form.

So I woke up today looking forward to the race. It's actually back to being 11.5kms, after a few years of flirting with the 12km distance. I've done it a number of times and have always really enjoyed it. I like the route, which basically goes through a park by the football stadium, along the seafront, through the Town Hall Square, past the other town beach, up a hill at mile 3 and then round, over a dual carriageway and back over undulating wide avenues, past the Bull Ring and into the velodrome and the finish. 

It also comes at a time of year when I'm just easing back into a better level of training and fitness, so I don't have to stress about goal times, I just go and do what I can on the day.  

It's always well-attended and crowd support is great, too. Logistically, it's simple for me, which is a bonus: it's a 25-minute drive from my house, and I park effortlessly right where you pick up the race numbers and chip: this is a mere 300m from the finish, so afterwards the getaway is swift, even if the race hasn't been! Oh, and it's only 8€...

It was a beautiful, sunny morning today, if a bit chilly - only 6ºC - when I set off. With very little traffic about I got to Gijón in no time and put the car in the still half-empty car park next to the athletics stadium.

 

You can't tell from the photo, but it's salmon pink!

I collected my race number, chip and commemorative t-shirt in the space of two minutes, and then realised it was only 9:20, and that, with the race at 11:00, maybe I'd been a bit over-cautious in getting here so early.

But in fact it's better that way, as then I can do what I did today: relax and take my time over the pre-race rituals. I sat in the car and listened to some music for 20 minutes before getting out and going in search of a café. I found a very nice one only five mnutes' walk away, and sat reading the papers for a good while before, erm, taking advantage of the establishment's facilities.

This is a vital part of any race preparation. I make sure I "go" before leaving the house, but this second pit stop is key. Without it there's always the chance, however slim, that, well - maybe it's best not to dwell on that.

Back at the car, I attached the race number to my running vest and tied the chip into my laces, before going for a 2-km warm-up. This I finished with a few changes of pace and found that I was feeling fairly good - and that I had indeed warmed up. No need for the gloves in the race after all. Then it was time to strip down to vest and shorts, and apply vaseline liberally to various bodily bits. This is another essential, unless you want bleeding nipples and your family jewels rubbed red-raw. I understand some people do...

I locked the car and jogged down past El Molinón, the football stadium, to the start area, which was a hive of activity as usual, with around 1,600 people who were due to toe the line today. I spoke to a couple of people I know, which is always great for dispelling any nerves, and took up a place midway in the pack (or so I thought) to await the gun.  

And then we were off! I didn't actually hear the gun, and was surprised to find just how far back I was. In fact it was 30 seconds before I crossed the start line and then it was all I could do for the first couple of minutes to get myself into a decent pace without trampling or being trampled...

Soon we were out of the park and after a short uphill ramp we emerged onto the seafront. Gijón is not the most beautiful city in Spain by any means, but I have to admit this area, with the wide sweep of the bay, is spectacular, especially on a clear day like today. With the waves rolling in and crashing on the shore it makes for an impressive sight.

Going along the seafront

San Lorenzo beach, Gijón

 

The Promenade, Gijón

 I had thought beforehand that a pace of about 7 mins/mile (4:20/km) should be manageable, and after three kilometres I was actually a little faster than that, but still feeling very comfortable. However, I knew from experience that a sizeable hill was coming up and although it wasn't as bad as I remembered, my pace inevitably slowed. Just past the five kilometre mark we swung round and began to head inland as we traced a wide arc back to more or less where we started from. 

Going up the flyover, and starting to feel it...

At this point I noticed for the first time that there was a fairly stiff breeze blowing and that I was just beginning to have to work hard to hold onto the pace. We were now going over Gijón's version of the Croydon Flyover, and this one is not much prettier, it has to be said. It's easy to lose focus at this point so I made sure I stuck with the group of five or six I was with (mostly teenagers, curiously) and concentrated on keeping a good running style, carrying myself upright with hip extension, swinging arms and pushing off with each stride.
 

I almost look like I'm enjoying myself. Almost.

The kilometres began to pass and I doggedly maintained the pace. Soon I could see the Bull Ring in the distance, and I knew from that point  there was a right turn, and then the final 1.5-2 kilometeres to the finish. The crowds were now out in good numbers and their shouts of encouragement helped to spur me on. I still had something left in the tank and my pace quickened as I steeled myself for a final effort.


I honestly have no idea what's going on here...

...but in future I will try to enjoy myself less, and run more...

To my surprise, as I went up and over the bridge leading to the velodrome, I saw that this year we didn't have to do a lap of the track and instead there only remained the finishing straight. I won't say that I sprinted it, but I did at least give it my all, and crossed the line in 49:39.

This, for a race distance of 11.5 kilometres (7:14 miles), works out at an average pace of 4:20/km, just a shade under 7-minute miling. So as it turns out I was bang on my predicted pace, and as I picked up drinks and fruit in the finish area and headed back to the car, I felt pretty pleased with myself.

This is the slowest I've ever run this race. Over this distance I ran 49:16 in 2007 and (somehow) 45:34 in 2008. Even so, given the shocking state of fitness I'd come into this race from, I think that this is a step in the right direction. I had no injury concerns, and I'm pretty happy with the level of effort I put in, whilst admitting that I didn't have to push myself too hard.

Since I started this blog in October, I've lost 3 kgs, and so with today's race, I think there are causes for what is usually called "quiet optimism". I know it's going to be a long winter and there will undoubtedly be setbacks and struggles of many different kinds, but right now I think I can go to bed tonight feeling pretty satisfied with how it's all going. So, when I think back to last week and how my mojo was way down low, I can say that a week in running really has felt like a long time!

Now, where and when to race next?

Thanks for reading, everyone, wherever you are. It's great to know that there are people quite literally all over the world following my progress, something I never for a minute expected!! 

Until next time, friends, keep safe and be happy.

Bye for now!


You Can't Moan, Can You?