Slow thursday, still recovering?

So, I've been out for 13km in the new shoes. It was hard work. I don't think I'm recovered from the marathon yet as various joints and ligaments felt tied as I set off! Added to this are new shoes with a different heel strike and probably delicate feet after visiting the chiropodist. Everything combined to make it less than great. Can't complain about a 5:34 pace then, can I?

In these shoes?

I'd mentioned previously that my Roclite 315 shoes are 18 months old and were showing wear on the left heel. Today I decided to splash out on a new pair and tried on both size 9 and 9.5 as I wondered if the 9s were too small. Well I have worn the 9s out and the 9.5s were too loose, so another pair of 9s were chosen. I suspect that an element of pressure on toes is to be expected on descents and is preferable to shoes so loose that they can be pulled off in mud.

 

Even acknowledging that the new pair are of a slightly modified design I think it's pretty obvious that the EVA midsole of the old pair is crushed and the whole shoe tilted. This shoes a moderate degree of pronation on the left which I don't do when I walk. On walking the most obvious wear is laterally on the right! The crushing of the midsole could also be found in the centre of both shoes by pinching across it with the foot bed removed.

I think the old orange/brown design is a bit more practical, and perhaps more timeless, than pale and light grey with blue highlights. A minor point though if they work for another year or so. I'll have to get them dirty once my legs are recovered from Monday's exertions (and yesterday's swimming too).

...and something to add a musical interlude:

Hathersage marathon

I'd set myself a target for this week; 40km at a fair pace. I'd decided to be committed to a 10 minute run:1 minute walk cycle. Of course, any serious up hill sections to be walked too. Initially I was at a good pace including walks but by the end I was struggling to maintain a 7:30min/km pace. I'd hoped to complete a marathon distance in under 5 hours which I did in 'moving time'; excluding my brief stop in Hathersage. I did achieve 40km within 5 hours so not too bad.

Today was also a first test of my new rucsac. It was surprisingly full with water and jacket.  There was still space for overtrousers although I didn't take them today. Generally it worked well but the front straps are a bit fiddly to unfasten with cold hands. I think I prefer traditional plastic clips but they can rub, and even crack in the cold. How well will the soft loops survive?

Considering that the included bladder and pipe are free-of-everything the water was tainted with a plastic taste. Hopefully that will reduce with use. I almost ran out of water and I know that some argue that bottles are easier to monitor and refill. UltrAspire are very much focused on bladder drinking systems. I did fit a small Tropicana bottle on the right strap for a sugar hit.

At each 10 minute walk interval I took a photo to illustrate the route:



Note added 6 days later: My sunday entry says all isn't great though...

Not so fast

Today we had planned a fast attempt at the normal 'Saturday Loop' but in itself that made it doomed to failure. Start off too fast and be too tired to keep up the pace, start too slow and time has been lost. We set off at a fair, but in hindsight too slow, pace but the little team fell back leaving me alone. For some reason my usual pace-setter hadn't turned up! I reached the top of the clough in 30:31 minutes, good, but not good enough. Strava subsequently showed that I'd got a best on the last section of the ascent.

The reminder went alright, arriving back in around 66 minutes. I'd call that pretty good, and amongst my best performances but the group all recalled how ten years ago they could do it in 56 minutes; but the passage of time etc etc. I'm lucky, I wasn't running seriously a decade ago so I'm still improving and don't have the performances of a pre-40 year old self to compare to.

On my way home I called in at the post office and picked up my new, overpriced, running backpack.

UltrAspire Omega

After scanning a load of online and magazine reviews this looked to be a good option; you'll be able to find plenty of these with a quick search. Not a conventional design but the 'vest' style does seem to be gaining popularity in running even though it does look a bit 'ultra'. Who says that running is a cheap pastime? More spending is needed as it looks as though my 18 month old shoes are at the end of their life too!

Probably once the midsole part is showing signs of breakdown it's time to get fresh ones?

Today's run enabled me to pass the fourth milestone in Strava's May Massive so that's not bad.

Another 'gold star'

More stuff to read

Found this e-zine, worth a quick look:

http://ultratales.wordpress.com

Medium long run

In the general rhythm of the Saturday group today was to be an extended loop, but not too much. We tend not to decide too much in advance but I'd got a half-marathon plan...

We set off from the park far too fast to maintain it and that meant it took just under 31 minutes to the top. Not too bad I suppose since the time included being too hot and having to pack away my jacket. Then on to Burbage bridge and back along Houndkirk Road before rejoining the 'normal' route. The hills on this return leg, although short, are quite steep and progress was slow.Nonetheless the average pace was 5:50min/km which isn't too bad for 23km with much of it on undulating trails.

Additionally the longer run added to my May total nicely so the ultimate May Massive goal of 160km is well within reach.

Does the 'Thursday run' really happen?

The informal running group meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays to run a loop across Houndkirk Road. I've run with them on Tuesdays quite a few times but this week had the opportunity to go along on Thursday. Oddly I was alone. It did mean that I went somewhat quicker than when with the group; 1 hour 3 minutes rather than the habitual 1 hour 20. That's good,

More importantly I also felt more 'in the zone'.  Yesterday I'd not really been in the mood, although I did get my 80km badge. Halfway in half the month. That's good too.

There's a bit of an error in the May Massive algorithm though...

... that's only 1,706 km per day, non-stop. C'mon Chris, try harder!