My Second Race In The Challenge - Monthly Mile South Shields - Tuesday 7 April 2015

One race into my 65 race challenge and a new injury scare/problem!



The Junction Pool, River Tweed, Kelso




Yes, after feeling so good after my first race in both body and mind, I went to Harriers on Tuesday night last week to face the usual question - which group should I train with?


The 1st Group were doing a pyramid session on the track, second group going out onto the roads. I'll go onto the track said I.
Hugh Bingham announced the session :
1 x 1200 metres
2 x 800 metres
3 x 400 metres
4 x 200 metres


I think it was 1 x 1600 metres after that, but I didn't get that far, for after the 1,200 metres at just over 6  minute pace (for me, anyway) I had a painful hamstring. I pushed on through the 800s and knew that I would easily manage the 400's - I can manage 400s all night at a good pace.
Well, yes I managed them, moving up from the back of the field to finish each of them with Neil Cassidy - note please that I did not push ahead of him, simply pacing Neil to the line each time.


200 metres next, with a hamstring niggle I knew that I would turn that niggle into an injury at 200 metres pace, so that was my session done for the night.


So here I am a week down the line with a suspect hamstring. On Saturday I was away for the weekend at Kelso Antiques Fair. The showgound in Kelso, where the fair was taking place, actually looks onto the world famous Junction Pool on the Tweed (famous to Salmon Anglers, that is), which meant I could kill two birds with one stone, have a look at the Tweed and test my hamstring.


Well, there was an angler being rowed by his ghillie over the actual junction stream itself. Was he really spinning? Oh dear, another sign of my age, for I never used to be snobbish about spinning, maybe its because my own syndicate on the River Tyne is fly only. One or two anglers were also fishing from the bank, but in the short time  was there whilst I saw a few salmon show, I didn't see any caught.


Back into my jog, I kept the pace down at 9.30 minute pace and jogged as much as possible on the softer grass surface. After about three miles I was back to my caravan with only a little discomfort from said hamstring. Since getting home I have done a bit stretching and last night I had the roller on my legs. Yes, there is an area of tenderness still there but surely I can manage a single mile without doing too much damage, can't I?