Endomondo Running Workout: was out running 26.83 km
pffff...I think English needs a formalised list of exclamations; right now I need one that suggests exhaustion and stiffness. It was a tough run. Honestly, that fact that I managed two marathons last year seems completely implausible based on today. Funny business.
To put things in perspective though, I'm two weeks into a new coach and therefore a new coaching routine. Plus, I worked out last year that I needed to spend more time in the gym, and I've just started that as well. Since the new routine features significantly more speed work than I used to set myself (one of my goals is to break 40 minutes for 10k), and most of the gym work is on the legs, they - in particular the right one - were protesting. On the return leg I thought they might cramp, but to their credit they didn't.
I wonder if another factor might be the change in shoes; I've been training in cross country shoes, which are thinner, lighter and have a more flexible sole than my road shoes. Last year I trained in the road shoes all the time, but I had a lot of sore knees (that doesn't look quite right now it's written down) but the mixed shoe type seems to be avoiding the knee issue so far. I'm starting to get some idea of why runners go mad about shoes, and in a way, how easy it is to rip them off. $200 is ridiculous for a pair of runners, but it's not so ridiculous for a pain-free couple of months of training. Mind you I can import a lot of the shoes for $100; there's a small risk on sizing but so far it hasn't been an issue. I'd try the Dunlop Volleys - but they aren't strong enough to last a month these days as street shoes, so I can't see them being much use on a run. They'd tear themselves to bits on a tennis court!
