100km week and No Legs!!!

This week I have managed to pile the most kilometers within 7days – 100kms to be exact. This was accomplished as follows:-

22^nd March, 2014: 23kms on Kangundo road in 1:44.28 – 13.21km/hr

20^th March, 2014: 22kms from Kindaruma road (office) to the house in 1:37:50 – 13.46km/hr

18^th March, 2014: 22kms from Kindaruma road (office) to the house in 1:40:22 – 13.14km/hr

16^th March, 2014: 33kms – Innercore to City Mortuary route in 2:24:29 – 13.68km/hr

The Kangundo rolling hills really game my legs a resounding beating, I did struggle in the last two kilometers. After the run I even wondered whether I would be able to do a simple jog the following day. Walking was such an activity, running was unthinkable...it would be an event!

I tried to rest my legs most of the day on Saturday 22nd but failed to go to bed as early as I had anticipated. 

23rd March, 2014: I woke up at 5:30am deprived of sleep. Simply putting my feet on the floor is a struggle. My feet don’t feel alive as they always feel. Walk on my toes; do some simple warm-up but nothing changes. I decide to hit the road and hope that to complete my much anticipated 26kms.

The speed is slower than ever and Upper Hill doesn’t hold back on me (5’44”!) – It gives my legs quite a stretch. I can’t properly pace up and after Nyayo Stadium into Industrial Area; I begin losing control of my legs. After the 15^th km, I am losing my rhythm and I can’t maintain the same tempo even on an even surface. My feet keep knocking each other on the inner ankle and I try to toughen up to no avail and I know if I keep up with this I might fall.

My stomach is burning, I am so thirsty yet the weather is perfect for a PR…a little cold with a welcoming breeze. On the 18^th kilometer, I found myself immobile and bereft of energy. I am staggering in my walk coz I can’t properly co-ordinate my legs. I stop at about a kilometer to Likoni road - a total of about 7kms to my house….damn, that’s a long way home. I cover the distance between Likoni road to Mareba (Lunga Lunga) in about half an hour (2kms) and all the while my eyes kept squinting into any stall hoping to see a soft drinks, water or any consumable vendor, I was desperate!. I check my watch and it 8:34am with 5kms to go and just right ahead I see a kiosk opposite the NHIF building. I gather all the energy left and make a mad rush towards it.

I buy a sold which I gulp so quickly and I only pause after chocking and coughing. I get some energy back and I try to run walk but my legs can’t have it any longer. I flag down an oncoming matatu without second thoughts because I knew there was no point hanging on the road if I can barely walk. While in the car I get some time off to clear my head and reflect on what the elite runners must have gone through to get to where they are…boy, I really took a hard road this time round and hard is what makes it interesting. What is life without a good challenge anyway?!

Some inner voice told me that "at any moment, you have the POWER to say - This is NOT how my story is going to END"

I alight at Donholm and drain the last drops of my drink…I seemed to have even forgotten I had it coz I was lost in thoughts while I was in the matatu. The remaining two kilometers to the house equally seemed longer than I had anticipated. I know I am on the right road because it’s tough, the easy routes always lead to nowhere so I will stick to this hard road while it still lasts and make it my entertainment spot.

I ran a measly 18.8km and yet this is a 90km week – this is gonna be a hard, tough and long week. Welcome to the grind!