How Quickly We Forget

Actually that should be how quickly our legs forget to run up hills. I've had 5 weeks off our hills session and had my first run back yesterday. I had to have those weeks off - tapering for Melbourne then recovery - but ouch, that first week back involves some significant pain.

I was feeling really good after Tuesday's speed session. Coach Chris had us doing a 3200m handicap race. It's a strange idea over an odd distance but he had good reason. Tuesday was Melbourne Cup day when all of Australia stops to watch a horse race. It's got the biggest prize purse and the most prestige of any horse race in Australia and it's over 3200m. I was given a three and a half minute handicap which, while flattering, was a little over-estimating of my actual ability. Last year he totally over-estimated my speed and I finished dead last (if I was a race horse I would have been sold to the glue factory). But this year I was only passed by three runners and DID NOT FINISH LAST! My pace averaged 4:39 per k which I was quite pleased with. Then we finished the session with some 200m and I managed to run faster than any other 200 sessions this year (Yay!)

So off the back of that session I was feeling pretty good about my recovery from Melbourne and then I did hills ... There's still a bit of strength that I have to get back. I know this because there was some walking involved yesterday and there's lots of pain today. (just DOMS - nothing serious)

I wanted to wish anyone running New York this weekend all the best of luck. My friend Karen is doing it.



She's the shorter one - memorise her face and say hi to her if you see her (amongst a crowd of thousands)