Triple Combo and a coach (of sorts)!

According to my marathon training plan today's run was a 2 hours and 15 minutes Easy Run!  

An EASY run it might be but with the combination of:

• a cold, 
• a hangover 
• and new running shoes 

NOTHING was ever going to be easy about today's run!

BUT I told myself that I am strong and that as I hadn't run since Tuesday my legs would be fresh to go!

My husband has an all or nothing mentality when it comes to exercise!  He sits on the sofa watching footie and drinking beer for 90% of the year and then all of a sudden he gets an urge to get fitter and thinks killing himself with exercise for a few weeks will turn him into superman.  We are in the exercise cycle at the moment as we are heading off on holiday in a few weeks and he's trying to turn into a beach god before then!  His exercise of choice has been short runs on the treadmill up til now but he hasn't had the confidence or the will to run outside yet.  

Anyhow as I have already said today was a long run day for me so I suggested that he started running with me on my run then head home alone after a couple of miles. This idea wasn't welcomed but he came up with his own plan! 

Instead of slogging the streets with me on his tootsies he decided he was going to hop on his bike instead and accompany me for the full duration of my run in the role of pack mule, timekeeper, pedometer, coach and general moral support.

I wasn't sure how this would pan out but not wanting to squash his enthusiasm I agreed to give it a go. 

So I came up with a running and bike friendly route and packed a bag for him to carry containing my drinks, energy gels and tissues along with a spare pair of trainers!  I was starting off in my new Hoka's but I was unsure about whether or not  they would be OK for the full duration so I took my old trainers just in case I needed to change mid run!

The next question was who would wear the Garmin? Should he wear it as the pacer and keep at the correct pace for me to follow or should I wear it so I could be in control of the run pace! I decided as it was the first time running whilst he cycled that I would wear it in case it went horribly wrong and he ended up doing his own thing! 

We set off and right from the beginning I realised it was going to work better than I had expected.  My running pace was a slow leisurely cycle pace for him so he was as happy as pig in muck!  He won't cycle with me as I go too fast apparently! 

It was nice to run alongside someone as sometimes on long runs I end up feeling a bit lonely.  

On some of the narrow country roads he cycled ahead and shouted when a car was coming and it took the worry away from me of being flattened on a corner! 

Initially he constantly asked "Do you want a drink?" "Do you want a gel yet?" and he started to get on my nerves so through gritted teeth I said "I will ask when I want one" and this put a stop to his overenthusiastic support!! The main advantage of having him there (as well as having on tap gels and drinks) was getting a constant supply of tissues passed to me for my constantly streaming nose, along with him cycling off ahead to press the pelican crossing button, so by the time I caught up the traffic was stopped and waiting for me! Towards the end of the run I did actually start to miss this minutes rest, and was starting to pray I'd see a red man!

My Hoka's felt comfortable from the beginning, although they felt very different to run in. I even managed to wear them for the entire run! Unfortunately I didn't fly but perhaps I just need more practise in them! Maybe I was flying as David said my feet were so quiet he kept having to look behind him to make sure he hadn't lost me as he couldn't hear my pounding feet behind him!

I really struggled for the last 3 miles as my nose was sore, my chest was tight and I developed a stitch but I kept my eye on the bike up ahead and kept on plodding! 

I was delighted to make it home after running 2:13:56 and covering 13.95 miles at an average pace of 9.34 minute miles. You can see my route here.

It was only after getting home and showered that I noticed 3 blisters on my right foot that I hadn't felt whilst running!  I hope this is just teething problems and not going to happen on every run!

David actually appeared to enjoy this role he had created for himself which is great news for me because it means as my long training runs get longer I won't feel guilty for taking up so much of the weekend running and he will also get fitter in the process. Although that may pose a problem as he might start to want to cycle faster than I can run!

I enjoyed the company for a change but I also enjoy the "getting away from it all" feeling I get when I run alone so I wouldn't want to employ this running strategy for all my runs!  It might prove useful to get me to increase my pace on short runs - he could cycle ahead and I could try to keep up!