Half Marathon Next...

The marathon was two and a half week ago, and I have been concentrating on doing some running but no long distances.  My knee, since the marathon, has clearly been a worry, and I am always, these days, a little worried about my calf.  I have had some knee pain, but I have taken it easy, and slowly built up my running to something decent.  I wasn't doing any long runs, so I have been mainly concentrating on getting a decent 5k and then, when knee ok, upping the distance to 10k and then, of course, hopefully beyond that.  Over the last week or ten days it's all started to feel a bit better, so on Saturday, I did my first parkrun since before the start of marathon training in early December.  I wasn't very quick, 24:05 on the very flat Penrith parkrun course.  But it's my new parkrun PB, so I am very happy!  I finished 91st, so I should clearly be looking to improve!!!  Great fun though!!  Aside from that I have also started doing the Eden Runners speed/endurance session on a Tuesday morning.  I have done that the last two Tuesday's and will do it every week there is decent weather.  I love it!  Not loads of running, but a bit of easy running, maybe some fartlek or intervals, and lots of good stretches and drills to improve fitness.  Very good indeed, and, of course, outside!!  Aside from the Eden Runners speed/endurance sessions and the parkrun, I have only been doing treadmill running.  Weather not always great, shopping needed in town and/or worried about my knee/calf so wanted to be able to stop easily.  But yesterday was 8k on the treadmill, and it felt completely fine.  The 8k took 37:45m so a decent pace!!  Was quite knackered 😁!!  I think the post-marathon recovery stage can now be called complete!!  Today there was no shopping to do and the weather was nice so I decided to run a little slower, try and make 10k and run outside.  I did that, and managed 11k without any problem.  Excellent!  Just under an hour, so not quick at all, but not an awful pace and some small hills.  Certainly a great start to upping the distance and running outside!  The only other thing to mention is that yesterday, because I felt the marathon recovery was finished, I entered the Kirkbride Half-Marathon which is on the 2nd of July.  That's gotta be my new focus and I am definitely better when I have a goal!!  😁 

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