All systems are GO

Wow. So much has happened since my last post. It's been a big week - a couple of late (and big) nights including a dinner with my folks to celebrate my dad's retirement and then on Friday an overhang, a fractured tooth while eating my lunch on Friday & an argument with a doctor who wanted to give me one of my vaccinations for my trip to Nepal next Friday (ie the day before Six Foot). When I told him that I couldn't have one the day before the race, he said to me (with a straight face) "what does it matter if you have a bad reaction to it & have to pull out at the last minute - it's not like you are going to win, is it?". I kid you not.

So far as running - and Six Foot - is concerned, it's actually been a great week. Although I haven't said much about it, there has been considerable doubt in mind over the last few weeks about whether I'd even start Six Foot thanks to my piriformis & ITB problems. Not being able to run 8k without pain does that to ya. But it's made a HUGE improvement this week so I will now certainly being lining up at the start of Six Foot in 6 sleeps time :-) I don't know how the day will unfold but regardless, I know that I have done everything I could have done (under the circumstances) to be ready & however it unfolds, I know it will be a big achievement :-)

Monday & Tuesday were rest days. Wednesday morning I was up at 4.30am to run before work. It was a bit of a struggle to get out of bed after getting very little sleep. Took a slightly more rolling course (ever so slightly) than Sunday. Although my ITB was still gumbling, it certainly had improved since Sunday's long run. And my glute/piriformis was fine - no niggles from it at all for the first time in what feels like a very long time. Happy days :-) Finished with 7.84k in 49:45mins (ave 6:20k/min).

Total for February then is 85.52k. Significantly down on January but ya get that ;-)

I went out for a long run on Saturday morning so as to give me maximum recovery time before Six Foot. I need some sleep after a big week so I decided to sleep in & then head out for a run whenever I woke up. Didn't seem much point in going out early to avoid the hot weather given next Saturday is unlikely to be anything than other bloody hot! So it was 9.30am before I finally rolled out the door - only to be stopped in my tracks by Garmin Elektra who wouldn't wake from her slumber. Ai ai ai. So I headed back into the house & grabbed an old sports watch - it was actually nice to run without knowing the pace. I just listened to my body & ran how I felt.

The plan was 12k - in the end according to gMaps I finished with just under 15k in 1:36 (including walking through drinks 'stops' & road crossings) and, most importantly, with absolutely no niggles or complaints from either my ITB or piriformis/glute. I could be happier right now.

Today after a lazy morning (great to see you E!) I decided it was far too hot for a spin outside so I set up the trainer in front of the TV & did 50mins at 75-80% MHR. Great way to end a fantastic weekend :-)

Not long now !