10 Things I Think About Running

1. Return to Running

I think that when you are returning to running after a significant ankle injury it is very important to follow a carefully monitored return to run program. The one I use is run for 15 minutes, then take a day off, run for 20 minutes, take a day off run for 25 minutes, take a day off, run for 30 minutes, take a day off then drive on. Ain’t nobody got no time for that walk run stuff.

2. Running Streak

I think that once you can run every day for about a week you are good to go. There isn’t much to be worried about if it was an injury where something tore or broke. Once it is healed it is healed and it probably won’t go again. Fear is an awful thing, fear should be gotten rid of as quickly as possible. If it doesn’t hurt it’s fine, drive on.

3. Sessions = Races

I think that if you can do a session, you can do a race. There is no point waiting for months to get back in shape, a race is better than any session. I probably would have waited ages to do a race due to my enlarged ego but a half trail half road race in Font Romeu where the only person I would have to suffer a bad beating from would be John Meade provided the perfect opportunity for a race without any significant ego damage.

4. Ageless

I think that I have done the Cursa D’Age more times than most of the locals, I’ve been doing it since 2016. It is a wonderful race, a small gem of a race with no fuss and no stress. Unfortunately, while the race has remained the same I have not and have gotten significantly older and more injured, the only consolation is that I am now eligible for the masters prize so there is a reasonable chance of a podium every time I run.

5. Speed Doesn’t Go Away

I think that it is fascinating that after nearly 11 weeks of almost no running I was able to run close enough to a five-minute mile for the first mile of the race. It kind of shows that the only thing training does is allow the pace to be maintained. The five-minute mile was no good in this case as Age had been invaded by elite athletes from the Asics house in Font Romeu which meant that I was miles off the front even after 500m. Even John Meade found himself trailing the leading lady who I recognized as Julien Melody who led the Women’s Marathon in Paris until halfway.

6. Fitness Does Go Away

I think that while speed doesn’t disappear, fitness does not hang around. After the first mile I soon ran out of oxygen, the five-minute mile reduced to closer to six and John Meade disappeared up the road at a rate that I have thankfully become unfamiliar with. I was left in a small group who I calculated I would have to beat if I wanted to stand on the podium in the masters category. I didn’t fancy my chances.

7. Masters Battle

I think that I should have fought harder when a local runner about the same age and height came past me after about three miles as the route entered the dirt road section before the deadly rock section. Try as I might I just got slower, the sessions on Zwift did nothing. He disappeared up the trail in his Vaporfly 3s taking my podium ambitions with him.

8. Deadly Rocks

I think that you could not pick a better race to test a dodgy ankle than this race, three miles in the route turns into a trail containing a section of deadly rocks for about a mile. As my podium ambitions were over I took it handy and gently and carefully picked my way through the rocks in my battered 6 year old Vaporfly 1s. Soon I became aware of footsteps behind me. I got to the top of the hill still in front but knew there would be a battle to the finish.

9. The Sprint That Cured Me

I think the thing that I missed most while injured was having a race with someone. It was great to have a battle with local hero Alvaro Rance over the last mile. With about 400m of the 8100m left to go he was right on my shoulder. I forgot that I was ever injured and launched the most vicious sprint which miraculously resulted in me going faster and maintaining my 11th position, 4th moderately old man and more importantly uninjured.

10. No Podium but Well Done John Meade

I think that while it was terribly disappointing not to make the podium it was good to be able to shout well done John Meade at John Meade when he was called up to stand on the top of the moderately old man podium. It was also good to find out that 11 weeks of almost no running results in a decrease in performance of two minutes which isn’t too bad. After the race I was happy to find that my ankle was no worse than it was before which is a key metric when returning from injury, once it doesn’t get worse it’s fine, hopefully it stays that way.