Catching that running bug...

Fresh from setting another personal best at the Silverstone Half Marathon this past weekend, my running has come to grinding halt this week. I briefly mentioned in my Silverstone review that I felt very run down after the race, I had been battling with a cold for a few days, and failed to eat enough before and after the run. On Monday this cold had all but gone and was replaced by a bad chesty cough, which I've still be unable to shake off. 

The typical rule for running when you're sick, is that the if the symptoms of the cold are below the neck it is wise to sit the run out, to avoid the condition worsening to pneumonia. If I wasn't dedicated to running 1000km this year I probably would have stubbornly gone out for a run at some point this week and inevitably made the condition worse. So instead I made the wise decision tostop running all together this week and try and get myself ready for the Newton Fraction's Half Marathon on Sunday. Although it has only been four days since my last run it has seemed more like four weeks and I have spent most of my week looking on enviously at other people out running.

In better news, yesterday I received my race pack for the Rother Valley 10k on the 24th March, the race has the honour of being my 10th race of the 1000km challenge. I have already ran round Rother Valley once this year in the Resolution Run in January and am likely to run round it at least once more later on in the year.

10th race of the year and a
return to Rother Valley

The run also falls in the middle of a stretch of six 10k races between this weekend and the London Marathon. Whilst this can be seen as a welcome break from the more physically enduring trail half marathons I've been competing in so far this year, it means I will have to fit in a longer run during the middle of the week somewhere

I am also toying with the idea of running the Caythorpe Canter on the Saturday (6th April) before the Lincoln 10k. I am already running a two 10ks in two days with the Tulip 10k on the 31st March followed by the Notts Easter 10k on the 1st April, so will potentially be running 4 races in a week. Whether or not I enter the Caythorpe Canter very much comes down to how I'm feeling the week before, just two weeks before the London Marathon I'm eager to avoid injury so any sign of a slight niggle will see me sit the Caythorpe Canter out.

My favourite type of complex carbs

Finally, I would like to thank Bunty's Team Room in Lincoln for their generous sponsorship this week. Matt and Jenny have been very supportive of my challenge so far this year and not only are they great guys, but they also make delicious cake. So if you are in the area and willing to tackle Steep Hill be sure to pop in and try a slice of one of their cakes, you won't regret it.

*Edit*

Since writing my review of the Silverstone Half Marathon on Sunday I stumbled across the fact that I finished 30 seconds ahead of Olympic Silver Medalist, reigning British 400m record holder Ewan Thomas, a fact I'm still coming to terms with. I had no idea he was taking part in the race, even though as the photo below clearly shows I overtook him at some stage in the race. I have since found out that he is also running the London Marathon in April and is hoping to finish in under 4 hours, so I'm hoping to make it 2 for 2.

Olympic athlete and me