Tempo running is fun, but it hurts

Last week was a recovery week in my marathon buildup, with no major long run to have to get through, but I ended up putting more stress on my body and my lower legs in particular, than I intended. The weekend was packed with family and friend stuff, the culmination being a Medieval banquet for a friend's birthday. A flagon of mead is a rubbish pre-run drink. :-/

Anyway, early Saturday morning I had a spare 35 minutes so I went out for a run. It was meant to be a steady run, but as I was under pressure to get it done in time, I went out and smacked it pretty hard. Very hard. I was dying by the time I got back to the car, but I had enjoyed it so ticked it off as a run well done.
The next day, after the effects of the mead had worn off I went for a 20km marathon pace run. Again, I went too fast. I started off steady and built into it, but I kept building and with about 5km's to go I found myself pushing on pretty hard. I was really enjoying it. After the long 20 milers I have been doing recently where I have had to constantly keep myself in check and running at a pace that I don't think is doing me any favours biomechanically, I was enjoying the feeling of just letting myself run at a pace that was testing but I felt I was maintaining relatively comfortably. 19km's in 1hr25mins. :-)

The next morning I paid for my ill-discipline. My lower legs were more tight and sore than they had been for a long time. Stupidly, I didn't listen to my body and have a rest, but I decided to try and run instead, as I'm on holiday and have a bit of free time. Sitting on the sofa watching 'Homes under the hammer' isn't going to take me to a sub 11 IM time next year. So I ran, and then regretted it. My run was barely above a walk and at halfway my painful hobble did become a walk. More walking ensued as I gingerly turned for home. Instead of running on elastic and supple muscles and tendons I looked more like I was trying to sprint on stilts. Douglas Bader would have looked more fluid.

It had a positive effect however. That night I iced, stretched, rolled and heated my muscles into submission and finally ordered myself a new pair of trainers that I had been promising myself for the last week or so and by this morning things were much improved, with an easy 43 minute run, restoring my confidence a little in my own body.

Tomorrow will be some long intervals at marathon pace, so nothing too heroic. The lesson has been learnt. And ten on Friday it will be another long, slow, fat burning run in the hills. I might even get on the turbo.