Gunge

I didn't run on Monday... to be honest, I've been so busy at work, I haven't had time to turn around. Tuesday was interval day, and come what may, I was going to make sure I did them, because a physio appointment on the Wednesday would put payed to all training unless I could force myself out of bed at 5am.

So, because handling intervals at 8.30mm pace last week so well, I decided to try for 8.20mm this week. I couldn't believe that 10 seconds a mile was so much more strenuous, but I got on with it for the first interval and was just starting to flag when it came to the 5 minute walk break. The gym was 22 degrees and very muggy, so I congratulated myself for doing so well and considered putting the treadmill back down to an 8.30mm. By the end of the walk break I felt fired up again so stuck with the 8.20. I was listening to happy hardcore music which was a right boost and I just put up with the tiredness and carried on, convinced I would have to lower the speed for the last interval. Again, a walk break later and I was ready to go and feeling refreshed. Five minutes in and I was struggling and disassociation only worked to a certain extent. I somehow managed the rest of the interval without collapsing, and was a bit of a heaving mess when it was all over. Surprisingly though, after my last walk break the 10 minute cool down just seemed very easy and comfortable (something that has never happened before... I normally drag myself through the cool down run).

I was very pleased with my efforts and went downstairs to have my recovery drink. It wasn't until I took my shoe off that I realised my blister had not taken to the intervals too well at all. The whole inside of my foot and second toe was covered in blood and the blister looked an absolute mess.

Since then it has filled up and had to be lanced and yesterday it was the most horribly itchy awfulness I have ever experienced. Running since, has unfortunately been a no go... I'm praying it's OK by Saturday or I will have to bandage it up like a mummy to get through my long run (18ish miles this weekend, which I'm looking forward to).
Today, it looks much better and it's stopped itching, so it's hopefully on the mend.

And I'm thinking of going back to doing stationary cycling on a Friday. These intervals tired me out much more than anything else I've done, and although the deep water running is great, a lot of factors make this exercise unavailable to me on certain weeks (school holidays being the main issue at the moment!).