A day of Running, Riding & Squash playing - my kind of day!

In the past, if you'd asked me to describe my idea of a fun weekend day, I'd probably have suggested it would include watching sport on TV, playing on the Xbox with the kids, eating lots of unhealthy food, and doing very little, if any exercise. 


Now though, the idea of sitting in front of the TV when the weather is good doesn't really appeal at all - I want to be exercising and I want to be outside, and that's what I've managed to spend a lot of today doing, it's been my kind of day...


The day started as most Saturdays do these days now (in fact, all the past 9 Saturdays) - at Parkrun, the weekly 5K race/fun run that I'm always raving about to anyone who will listen. 


Today, as well as the boys and I, there were several other friends running too - Gary and Rachel from work, Martin, and most impressively of all, Steve (who I met running the Market Rasen 10K), who had driven all the way up from Kettering (meaning he had a 100+ mile round trip!). My parents were at the run too, but not walking or running - today they were volunteers and helped out with the marshalling (the first time anyone I know has done that, very proud of them for doing it!). 


The run was fun as always - there was a good turnout, well over 100 people, but not the record-breaking number I was expecting. Steve, Gary, Martin, the boys and I ran the first mile or so together,  but as we headed towards the only slight hill on the course, the boys started to drop back. As they were with Martin, and Kieran had his new Garmin 205 (see yesterday's post), I decided not to wait for them, and Steve, Gary and I started to speed up. 


We gradually picked up the pace throughout the second half of the run, and moved past lots of other runners who'd gone out more quickly. Steve and I both found the pace pretty comfortable, and Gary did brilliantly to stay with us until very near the end - Steve and I finished together with a time of 23:30, and Gary was only a few seconds behind - beating his previous best by over a minute! The boys ran very well too and finished at around 25:30, Kieran just beating a lady he'd been pacing with a great sprint to the line and dip at the finish! :)


After the run, the boys headed home with their grandparents, and Steve and I drove to Rushcliffe Leisure Centre, for a squash match. While we were chatting during the Market Rasen 10K, we'd realised that we were both keen squash players and had arranged to meet up for a game, and today was the first time we'd played. 


I knew Steve was a regular club player, and expected him to be a bit more experienced than me, but I didn't realise he averages 4 or 5 matches a week! I usually manage to get 1 game, or maybe 2 in, so I was fully expecting to be taught a lesson! In the first couple of games my fears seemed to be coming true, as Steve won them both and made very few mistakes (unlike me) and it wasn't long before he was 8 points to 7 up in the 3rd game, match point! (For anyone unfamiliar with squash scoring in the UK - 9 points wins the game, and the first to win 3 games wins the match). 


I somehow managed to save the match point, and win the game, but still fully expected him to win the next and the match 3-1 (which would have probably been a fair reflection of our relative skill). Amazingly, I won the 4th game quite easily, as my high, looping serves started to become more effective - Steve is used to playing on courts with lower ceilings where my serves wouldn't work (definite home court advantage for me!). The 5th and deciding game was very close, but much to my surprise, I managed to win it and the match, maintaining my 100% record for the year, despite definitely not being as good a player as my opponent, and playing with a bent racquet. Steve was definitely shocked too - his first comment was "I've no idea how you won that" and that pretty well summed up how I felt about the match too! Fortunately he didn't mind losing too much, and seemed keen to arrange another game for a few weeks time. 


After lunch, the boys and I got ready for our first bike ride in 7 weeks, I think they were both quite excited to be getting back in the saddle, but not as excited as I was - I felt like a kid at Christmas! :)


After a pretty quick start (largely downhill), both boys found the first big hill we rode up (Green lane), pretty tough and although they were enjoying the ride, they were keen to head home as quickly as possible. So after another long, tough hill (Bank Hill), we were back home again after riding for just about 40 minutes and having only done just over 8 miles. 


That wasn't enough time, or miles for me, within a couple of minutes of getting back on my beloved Verenti Millook bike (see below), I was really enjoying riding again, and wanted to go a lot further and longer. 

My trusty steed - I think it needs a name, any ideas?

I left the boys playing Xbox with their friends and headed out on my own. I started down the same route I'd been with the boys - down the hill into Lambley, where I managed to get the "your speed" sign to briefly flash a warning at me, as I was doing 31mph in a 30 zone :).


From there, I headed along the flat road to Lowdham, with a nice tailwind blowing me along at a good pace. I was feeling pretty good (probably because of the friendly wind), so I decided that rather than coming home the shortest way, I'd head to Calverton and up George's Lane, which is renowned as being the toughest hill around here, with its combination of steep gradient, 1 mile + length and hairpin bends! As I approached Calverton, instead of being blown along, I found myself battling what felt like a gale force headwind, and I briefly considered taking an easier route back. I wasn't going to abandon my mission though (despite the fact that nobody would have known if I had), and I battled my way very slowly up "Georgie Porgie" as Andy Next Door calls it, feeling pleased with myself and totally shattered by the top!


From there I knew it was about 3 miles and slightly downhill home, so I decided to push on and see if I could get some fast miles in. I was feeling really good and checked my MotoActv (which was brilliant to use for the first time while riding) and it showed I was storming along at at about 25mph. With about a mile left to go I was feeling pretty chuffed with myself when suddenly, out of nowhere, and for the first time I can ever remember while bike riding, I got the sharp and unmistakable pain of cramp in my right thigh! Fortunately I had a bit of energy food (one of our favourite Clif Bar flapjacks) and drink with me, so I slowed right down (pedalling mainly with my left leg and scoffed while riding. I took it steadily the rest of the way and was feeling just about OK cramp-wise by the time I rolled back home with a total of 22 miles on the bike in the bank. 


There was no time for rest after that either, as Kieran was very keen to play football in the back garden, so we did for about 45 minutes (though I spent most of the time in goal) before we called it a day when it was almost too dark to see the ball! 


By that time (around 5pm) I was feeling more tired than I have in a very, very long time - but after a much quieter evening - which has involved some watching TV and quite a lot of eating, I've just about summoned up the energy to type this post. 


Looking back over the day as I've written this, it definitely has been pretty much perfect (even with the unexpected cramp) and I'm hoping to have another fun day tomorrow, with plenty more bike riding planned (with my other half Sarah and Andy next door), plus of course another run of at least 5K at some point! 


Here's how the year looks now: 




Running: 38.7 miles (62.3K)
Walking: 1.2 miles
Cycling: 22.2 miles
Swimming: 0 miles
Total: 62.1 miles (99.92K!)
Running streak: 46 days


I hope everyone is having an equally good weekend, 


Mike
PS, I almost forgot, I also did Plankaday (3m16s) and Pressupathon (7!) first thing this morning.