Day 100 - Monday 20th September: Recovery day

Run: 3.54 miles
Time: 30 minutes 18 seconds

Swim: 1000 metres
Time: 30 minutes




The plan today was a gentle 20 minute jog as a recovery run. But a 20 minute lunchtime jog sounds very boring. I know, I'll do a bit more than 20 minutes, and run to Steventon & back. Along the railway line, up the hill, down again and back to work. If I go direct, it'll only be abut 2½ miles, won't it? Maybe a bit more? Perhaps I should have planed it out first. Along the railway line, and I've done a mile. I reach Steventon and I'm 12 minutes in. Am I half way? Probably not...! Oh well, up the hill I go, speeding up from the gentle 9-minute pace I've done so far.

I reach the top of the hill, and head back down towards Milton Park. I get lucky at the lights, and don't wait too long to cross the A34 roundabout. Back to the Park, and I'm over 22 minutes in, with about 7 to go. Hmmm. This recovery run's going to be a bit harder and longer than planned. But then my legs don't feel at all stiff from yesterday's half marathon. I pass a couple of RMers on the other side of the road out for a lunchtime run, and we wave at each other. Back at work, and I'm a little over half an hour. Warm-down, stretch & shower, and it barely feels like I've been out for a run at all.

Then this evening I head to the pool for my regular Monday swim. Since I'm in the taper zone, I choose not to go for a big distance today. Much as I'd love to match the 80 lengths I did last week, I decide upon half that distance. But I make sure I rest a lot less, and therefore only take a very short breather every 2 lengths for the first 30, and then try to do the last 10 in one go with no stopping. The fast lane, however, is busy with a couple of slow swimmers (what are they doing there?) and a couple of extra fast swimmers. We get in each other's way a bit, and I have to give way to the seriously speedy two, one of whom must half some dolphin in her ancestry so graceful is her ability to glide effortlessly past me into a full on tumble turn! Anyway, I get through the 1,000 metres in just over 30 minutes.