There was two aims for this run, the first was to build distance in preparation for the 20 mile trail race next weekend. The other aim was to get in some hill work. Unfortunately there only is one hill in Cambridge, and so I planned to do a four mile loop four times, ending each one at the top of Castle Hill. I'd tried to work out a loop on Google maps in advance, but it hadn't come together so I figured I'd just work it out on the ground.
I started off heading down Victoria road and then onto the roundabout by the Grafton centre. By this stage I realised I'd left the Camelbak in the house while trying to get out quickly. This meant I was without water or gels, not great when doing a 16-miler. From here I took a tiny detour down the wrong road before heading onto King street, and then down to the big crossroads.
Turning right here took me along to fen road, and from here round by Robinson to the bottom of Castle Hill. This was the focus of each lap, and the main reason I wasn't doing an out and back like usual. It was a bit of an anti-climax and didn't really challenge but it was the best option I had so I continued the planned loops. This first loop ended up being just under five miles, completed in 39 minutes 37 seconds. I had been aiming for 8 minute miles, and at the time thought I was a bit ahead so was happy enough.
I set off on the second loop still fairly comfortable, with it still being fairly cool. With a couple of adjustments the loop was cut down to 4.1 miles, by heading straight down the back of Kings rather than up to Grange road. Once again Castle Hill had pretty much no effect, and I was still at around target pace.
It was late in the third mile that things started to get unpleasant. The sun had now fully risen and the exposed parts of the run were heating up. This was particularly bad down by 'Spoons, where it mingled nicely with Saturday night's stale alcohol and vomit. I was starting to feel the lack of fluids, and my calf's were starting to tighten down the back from keeping on my toes.
I needed to focus on staying well onto my forefeet, as recently I've been settling back on my heels too much, which makes the inside of my calf hurt. 'Stand tall' was the mental call that seemed to work, and is one I'm going to keep using going forwards. When I didn't the ache from my left leg acted as a back up reminder.
By the time I started the fourth loop it was really getting hot, and I just wanted to finish. I started to push a bit more through the second half of this section, and headed straight up King's parade. This cut the loop down to 3.4 miles, as well as being the only loop where Castle Hill felt hard. This wasn't in the quads as planned but the lungs, probably as I was travelling uphill at 07:10 min/mile pace.
I felt off the rest of the day particularly on the drive back to Sussex, not just because of the lack of drink during the run, but also the lack of proper recovery, taking too long to take on proper fluids or food afterwards and not taking good quality food when I did so. Definitely not an experience I want to repeat and a mistake I won't make again for a while.
Distance: 16.49 miles
Time: 2 hours 11 minutes
Pace: 07:56 min/mile
Heart Rate: 169 bpm
Map: Here
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