…and demands retribution. I feel like I have ignored the muddy masochist over the summer. Sure, I have been pushing myself, but I frequently took the easy road – when available. However, this behaviour changes now – or, more specifically about 6 weeks ago, 6 weeks ago when I willing took a place in the Royal Parks Half Marathon, 6 weeks ago I realised that I had just agreed to run 2 half marathons a week apart. In itself, a hefty challenge.

But for the MuddyMasochist this is not enough. Rewind to last week:
Friday 21st Sep: 12 hour, 24KM trek in the Komano Kodo, Japan (Chitsakuyu to Hongu) with a 10KG pack, 28 degree C humidity through the roof.
Monday 24th: 1 hour on a treadmill and a 30 min swim
Thursday: Arrive back in the UK (JET LAGGGGGGGGG)
Friday: 2 mile run (still JET LAGGGGGG)
Sunday: Ealing Half Marathon

As you probably already know, I ran a 2:06 at an undulating Ealing. The Royal Parks however is flat and after this Sunday my next major run isn’t until the middle of November so I will be dialing my body up to 11 and going flat out to smash the 2 hour target. To do this, I need to be a loose limbed as possible:

Monday was a 3 mile recovery run (10 min mile average)
Tueday was a 4 mile recovery run (9:45 min mile average and stronger towards the end)
Wednesday was a gym session – lots of core work – still a bit sore
Thursday: 6 miles in the park – 5:40/k – bang on race pace and handled with relative ease.

Originally, today and tomorrow (Saturday) were going to be rest days but a chance to be part of a social run in Hyde Park on Saturday morning with the Brooks Running UK team and Ultramarathoner Scott Jurek is hard to ignore. Is it sensible to run the day before a Half Marathon – especially when I’m running a double header – probably not. But a chance to run with Jurek is too enticing.

Related articles

• Ealing Half Marathon 2013 – Race Report (beardywriterblog.wordpress.com)