Creatine

I have recently changed my training. I have reduced my impact training to either football or a 10k once a week. Furthermore, I have begun my creatine. Hopefully it will make a difference to my recovery periods.

Tomorrow I intend to head to the gym. Also, I intend to head in the morning, rather than after school. Also, in 9-10 days time I intend to aim to run less than 48 minutes for a 10k. I fact, I want to run 47.57. That sounds like a good time to me. It will also signify the end of my year 11 exams.

48:34

On a rainy evening in May 2010, this teacher ran at 9:00pm. He knew that he shouldn't run at such a late time, but pressures of work and others made it an impulse decision.

He ran for what felt like a constant, fast speed. It was difficult. Difficult, but, he did it.

After three miles, he was ready to stop. He felt like he would have to walk back. But he carried on. And when he carried on, another minute past. He spat, and cried and pounded the road. And, somehow, he continued. For most of it he was a great 300ft ahead of his target. But from 3-5 miles, he struggled. The distanced closed, until he was behind. He continued, running what he thought was fast enough. For a fair time, he thought he would lose his target, but he continued anyway. And, somehow,he managed to get to within a mile with only 50ft behind. Metallica came on, and he was 150ft ahead in a few minutes. And he held on.

An assembly and exam classes this week. It is late, and I am not entirely prepared, but I will sleep and pray and hope and drive and continue, and laugh, for tomorrow! :-)

Sub 50 10k

I am writing this on the Sunday evening after a great run. I am writing it despite having various things not settled, and despite not being in bed at the time I want to be.

So? After a bath, chai and reading some philosophy and watching Police Squad, I feel rested and relaxed and ready for sleep. Frankly, a man can try to sleep without winding down, but not much will happen.

Although the focus of this blog is running, and teaching, all of this is underpinned by the fundamental fact that I have prepared myself this evening for a busy, important week. OFSTED and Year 11 exams loom, and I have filled my time recently more that usual. I have have had to make decisions on which corners to cut, and what to focus upon - time and health are finite.

However, both were in strong form on Sunday. I aimed to run a 52 minute 10k. Bear in mind my last 10k was 54:30 odd. In training, on the flat, I had managed a 53 minute 10k. And this was hilly. In addition, I had played football and rugby, and had practically collapsed on the Friday before through lack of food.

Yet 52 I aimed for.

And, in doing so, I managed to somehow keep ahead. My initial run was slow, but my watch pushed me on. And, with great perseverance, I managed to run faster than my required time. I saw my space growing ahead of my time, and still managed to push on.

Perhaps most pertinent in this race is this: I was running a faster 10k than I ever have so far. Despite this, more people overtook me; more people around me seemed unfit. Yet my watch and my time said otherwise. I pushed on. I pushed on and found myself benefiting from water to aid my diaphragm breathing. I benefited from jelly babies a mile and a bit from the end.

And I was proud. Yes, I was proud of myself. I had aimed high, and had surpassed. It was a great feeling to challenge and achieve. Well done me!

I think more working out, and more 10ks, and my next 10k is after the year 11 exams. I imagine that I'll attempt a 10k before, and will try to go for the next 10k up the chart that's faster than 49.17.

And I'll keep on my focus in how to improve my teaching for next year, and onto where all this goes.