Still Grinding

19^th January, 2013 - I had planned to go for an endurance run of 30kms in which I had to set out early but the previous evening rain dampened my morale. I woke up late unsure whether that run (or any run) would be feasible. I remember the good saying ‘there is no such thing as bad weather, only soft people’ and just put on my gear without blinking. 

I leave the house at about 6:30am wondering which route to take. With the previous night’s rain, I will have to stick to the tarmac.

I take on Jogoo road/mbagathi road route and maintain a moderate speed so as to avoid sliding and falling (injury). I will wait for a fairer weather and take on the Mombasa road route of 32k soon but first I have to do some 30k before the end of the month.

The run went well, better than I had anticipated. I had planned to contend with 21k and call it a day till next weekend but on reaching town I decided to stretch it a little bit. I met Jack on his way back to Langatta at Nyayo Stadium. Lunga Lunga road is a mess because it lacks drainage coupled with the tankers but I pull through somehow.

Do 27kms in 2:04:52, average pace of 4’34” (12.96km/hr)– My focus now shifts to 30km in the next weekend long run.

Kilometer	Time	Avg Pace
1	4:29	4'29"/km
2	9:00	4'31"/km
3	13:31	4'31"/km
4	18:06	4'35"/km
5	22:26	4'20"/km
6	26:56:00	4'30"/km
7	31:35:00	4'39"/km
8	36:09:00	4'34"/km
9	40:53:00	4'44"/km
10	45:33:00	4'40"/km
11	50:44:00	5'11"/km
12	55:52:00	5'08"/km
13	1:00:40	4'48"/km
*Fastest	1:04:57	4'17"/km
15	1:09:18	4'21"/km
16	1:13:56	4'38"/km
17	1:18:26	4'30"/km
18	1:23:11	4'45"/km
19	1:27:45	4'34"/km
20	1:32:16	4'31"/km
21	1:36:55	4'39"/km
22	1:41:32	4'37"/km
23	1:46:12	4'40"/km
24	1:50:53	4'41"/km
25	1:55:32	4'39"/km
26	2:00:13	4'41"/km
27	2:04:42	4'29"/km

After the honeymoon

12th January, 2014 - The Christmas break proved to be quite lengthy and since I had no clear plan of activity I simply became a potato couch for most of those days. I was also involved in a lot of travel back and forth between Nairobi and upcountry to visit my folks. I had one last good run with Jack on 8^th December, 2013 and boy what a run that was!

My ankle injury has always been lurking in the shadows. It kept coming back in full swing after every ran and retreated back whenever a have a days rest or two. After two whole months with the injury, my frustration forced me to go to a doctor. I went to hospital out of frustration, I was even feeling guilty 'what a bitchass I have become going to the doctor over a small injury' but damn I had to do what I had to do. Despite the injury I couldn't hold back and actually continued with my runs.

I made a few feeble attempts to run during the holidays just to keep my blood rushing. I did 17km (1:18), 21km (1:40), 22km (1:41), 17km (1:19), and 24km (1:57) on 18^th, 23rd, 29th December and on 2^nd & 5^th January, 2014 respectively. And in virtually all the instances, I came up short because of indiscipline on my diet. I grew lazy in the process, I couldn’t even wake up early and in all instances I ran under the blazing sun. The previous Sunday I took on Kangundo road/ Utawala route in which I got my ass handed over to me in the 24^th kilometer despite the slow pace. The rolling hills cleaned me out. I couldn’t proceed and had to walk it out the rest of the remaining distance. 

A clear strategy will be to work on the upper hill route, toughen my leg muscles by doing several lunges and come back to the Kangundo route again and again and again. I made a quick decision to check on just how far Iam from the group run record of 1:54 in 26kms.

I left the house a few minutes past six because I spent a lot of time trying psyke myself up psychologically. My goal was to complete the group run route without taking a walk. I did a lot of self preservation and whenever I go sub 4:30 in a km, I slow down in the next. The Upper hill climb to my surprise wasn’t so bad but it pilled some real pressure on me. Restrict my speed on the Mbagathi downhill descent so as not to clean my lungs out.

My legs are gone after the 24^th kilometer and struggle the rest of the distance. Take a pounding on the 26^th kilometer – what a deplorable ending. Clear 26k in 1:59:50 – 12.99km/hr. That is where my training begins – I want to train with the mindset of going for 42km marathon. If by July I manage to run 36 kms in 2:30 during my trainings then my 42km debut in Stanchart is set – I will manage a sub 3hrs!. My best has been 30km in 2:12 in September last year therefore my goal is not overly ambitious. 

Kilometer	Time	Avg Pace
1	4:20	4'20"/km
2	8:46	4'26"/km
3	13:12	4'26"/km
4	17:40	4'28"/km
5	22:05	4'25"/km
6	26:31:00	4'26"/km
7	31:05:00	4'34"/km
8	35:31:00	4'26"/km
9	40:09:00	4'38"/km
10	44:39:00	4'30"/km
11	49:47:00	5'08"/km
12	54:56:00	5'09"/km
13	59:35:00	4'39"/km
*Fastest	1:03:37	4'02"/km
15	1:07:56	4'19"/km
16	1:12:31	4'35"/km
17	1:17:02	4'31"/km
18	1:21:39	4'37"/km
19	1:26:11	4'32"/km
20	1:30:47	4'36"/km
21	1:35:24	4'37"/km
22	1:40:03	4'39"/km
23	1:44:43	4'40"/km
24	1:49:27	4'44"/km
25	1:54:18	4'51"/km
26	1:59:45	5'27"/km

Eat-Sleep-Conquer-Repeat.

Group Run Route (The re-run)

After having a poor turnout in the last group run of 1^st December, 2013 together with a foul weather (it had rained the previous night) I felt my target had not been achieved. I reiterated that I will do a repeat of the same route next Sunday (8^th Dec) in case the weather will be better.  Jack loves a good challenge and he didn’t hesitate to take on this opportunity.

I did an evening run during the week to check my physical form since I was still on antibiotics because of the bacterial infection. I pulled some good statistics which encouraged me despite the strong wind blowing against me – 5kms in 21:08, 7kms in 29:57, 10kms in 43:50, 13kms in 57:51 and stopped at 16kms in 1:12 – average speed of 4’32” per kilometer.

I returned to hospital to check the results of my blood test on Thursday 5^th and they were not good. My Free T4 was at 0.7 and yet the recommended levels are between 0.8 to 2.0, my Free T3 was at 1.3 instead of the required margin of 1.4 to 4.2, my TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) which should stimulate the two (T3 and T4) back to the recommended levels wasn’t up to the task either – it was at 1.5 yet it could go up to 6.2 in order to regulate the two. The doctor suggested a repeat of the test – the data was rather ambiguous therefore the doctor could not  make any concrete decision on this result coupled with the fact that I was immediately diagnosed with bacterial infection right after my blood was taken for the test. So let’s wait for the new results. I finished my antibacterial drugs on Friday 6^th in readiness for the “final” run of the year.

Sunday 8^th: Up early hoping that Jack will come as promised and he actually doesn’t disappoint. We set off at about 5 mins past 6am after a good warm-up. Start with a hard 4:06 in the 1^st kilometer (can’t wait for the days we will be starting with sub 4mins). I lead the way and Jack takes over even before we join Jogoo road. I take over immediately after the Jogoo road hill (after the bridge) and quicken the pace. Clear 5kms in 21:04, right on target for the 90mins in 21kms run, City Stadium in 29:40 (7 kms – better than most), Muthurwa climb gives me hell but avoid the long, wide strides coz they are definite energy wasters when climbing hills. Take short quick steps – they really burn my thighs!

Railways roundabout in 38mins (9kms) and 10k in 42:47 – this is a good speed, slow down to get some air in readiness of the Upper hill climb. Glance back and I don’t see Jack. I realize that we had a very ambitious start – the thought of crashing after Upper Hill dampens my spirit. The only comfort I have is that I have had much worse days and it can’t get any worse on this day so I recollect my thoughts and embrace the pain.

Short brisk steps are key to the Upper Hill climb – it cleans me out but pull through and work on immediate recovery so that I can properly take on the Mbagathi descent. Hit 13kms in 57:01 and decide to attempt a 14k in an hour – go full flight on the 14^th kilometer (3:47) and manage a 1:00:48 – almost there but not quite.

The rest of the distance is a struggle. I realize that whenever I glance behind to check on Jack I tend to mess my momentum so I decide to just focus on having a new course record. 

The Lunga lunga (bridge) climb heading to Donhlom nearly grind me to a halt – at the 24^th kilometer pull a shocking 5’13”! Almost similar to upper hill but quickly recover and clear 26km in 1:54:56 – average pace 13.57kms/hr (4’25” per km). My ankle injury really throbbing and new sweat gushing out – a little drizzle is welcome, cools me up fast. Jack finishes soon after.

Kilometer	Time	Avg Pace
1	4:06	4'06"/km
2	8:20	4'14"/km
3	12:37	4'17"/km
4	16:53	4'16"/km
5	21:04	4'11"/km
6	25:20:00	4'16"/km
7	29:40:00	4'20"/km
8	33:56:00	4'16"/km
9	38:28:00	4'32"/km
10	42:47:00	4'19"/km
11	48:02:00	5'15"/km
12	52:45:00	4'43"/km
13	57:01:00	4'16"/km
*Fastest	1:00:48	3'47"/km
15	1:05:00	4'12"/km
16	1:09:26	4'26"/km
17	1:13:54	4'28"/km
18	1:18:24	4'30"/km
19	1:22:43	4'19"/km
20	1:27:13	4'30"/km
21	1:31:38	4'25"/km
22	1:36:01	4'23"/km
23	1:40:31	4'30"/km
24	1:45:44	5'13"/km
25	1:50:24	4'40"/km
26	1:54:56	4'32"/km

 I am not ready to take a break just yet but with the festivities, travelling and all, why not. Let’s see how the holidays go coz 2014 is almost here!