24th February-2nd March Run notes
Monday
The plan for this week has been blown out the window by the issues I've had with my knee so Monday is just another test run. This time a bit longer, heading around Middleton Circus and eventually out to Robin Hood and back. The knee feels better than the day before and the run is very comfortable. I struggle to judge my easy pace and continuously have to slow down. I find this happens when I've taken a few days off and my head needs a little reset.
Wednesday
Everything feels pretty good for my first run in a while in York. Everything except the weather, it is pissing it down when the train pulls in and the forecast suggests this is going to be a pretty soggy session. It's so wet I run past a builder sheltering inside a telephone box, a scene that makes me chuckle. I head past the racecourse and scuttle, shimmy and jump my way around the craterous puddles in the car park. Running alongside the river back into town the rain starts to ease and by the time I finish it's all rained out. Perfect timing I think and squelch inside in my soggy shoes.
Friday
Running back from town after a chat with the physio about my knee. He's happy its nothing serious and I should manage my speed work to avoid it happening again. A foggy morning is burning off as I reach Hunslet and the sun and clear blue sky beckons. I try some strides just before Middleton Park and afterward feel a slight tightness in the knee and curse myself for being foolish. I take it super easy from here on out. In Middleton Park the sun is melting off the morning frost and I'm treated to the shimmering spring sounds of the woods waking up. I climb up into Middleton proper and the knee doesn't feel particularly bad, so I'm hoping I haven't re-aggravated it too much, only time will tell.
Sunday
The sun is shining and a long-ish run beckons. Its again another test of how the knee feels when going over an hour and I um-and-ah about whether do something on a trail or just stick to the road. I pick road, I'm in theory running a road half marathon next weekend and worry that a slightly slippery trail could lead to accidents. So I hit the tarmac and run an old faithful route up to Tingley and over to Ardsley reservoir. The sun might be up, but it's cold in the wind and I take a couple of kilometres before everything's warm and comfortable. The reservoir is lovely in the sunshine and I meet all manner of dog walkers, runners, pram-pushing fathers and others as I loop the water twice. I retrace my steps back to Tingley and down the hill back to Middleton without much drama. The knee felt largely good, I try to dial out my attention on it during the run as from previous experience find you can get a bit oversensitive to an injury region which doesn't help. The real proof in the pudding will be tomorrow so onward to another week, hopefully with a bit more training and a bit less recovery.