Could it be magic?

The day after my last post was awful. I couldn't physically get out of bed until after 1pm and then I had such overwhelming fatigue that I was completely unable to do anything all afternoon. Just as I thought I was perking up a bit in the evening I was struck with a bout of explosive and watery D. The whole day was a write off.

I still had major mind fog and lingering fatigue on Sunday, but I was giving a friend a lift to the race so had no choice but to go. I was cold and tired and decided that unless it looked like I could win it, I'd just run within myself and try not to die. This was the Rugby Rover 30k. Another off-road race with lots of ascent, but rather better sign posted than the Dovedale Dipper and rather less extreme.

You have to set off fast to avoid congestion on the gate and single track path, so I did, and found myself in second place behind a bird-like lady with a bouncing back pack. A girl in a Trentham vest I'd seen warming up earlier was behind me somewhere. I'd picked her rather than the bird-like woman as the main competition.

We reached the first big hill and I opted to walk it to save energy. Trentham vest came past me here and birdy got a bit ahead too. On the flat at the top however I easily passed birdy. Trentham was showing no signs of tiredness though. I kept up the pace in the hopes that Trentham might also tire, but by 10k I knew I wasn't going to catch her so I eased off. I was feeling more alive by this point in time but knowing the win wasn't going to happen I wanted to save my legs for training.

Sure enough, I finished in 2nd place. I was looking forward to my bag full of random crap that my friend Katie had won in a previous year for 3rd place, but it turns out there are new organisers and there was no prize for 2nd. Boo, hiss.

I was rather tired on Monday and only made it to the gym in time for 3 miles before work. Doing 10 afterwards meant I missed Body Pump. I felt generally unwell all day and had massive distention in the lower abdomen. Finally at 9pm I was able to 'go' for the first time since Saturday night's D. It was so hard and large it made me bleed.

Tuesday - I woke up bloated and it just got worse and worse. Until I turned into the Endless Poop Machine in the afternoon. I must have gone 8 or more times, and for a large volume each time. By the evening I was feeling much better, and the track session was back on our own track (newly reopened after refurbishment), which made me happy. The downside though is that I have way less time to warm up and cool down due to travelling and them locking up. I completed the full session of 2 x 1000m, 2 x 800m and 1 x 400m but it only came to 5 miles with WU and CD.

Also on Tuesday, my Symprove arrived.

Wednesday - I woke up feeling better than I have done for a while so can't attribute it to Symprove. I took my first dose just before leaving the house for work. Bleurgh. It smells grim and tastes like the taste you have in your mouth after you've been sick. And you can't eat or drink for 10 mins after taking it. I felt fine all day and had no issues during my 15 mile evening run.

Thursday - I had one brief bout of cramp, but otherwise it was another good day. It was also a rest day so involved doing the grocery shopping only.

Friday - I realised that if I take the Symprove immediately on waking then I can brush my teeth 10 mins later to get rid of the taste. And I still get to have my morning Espresso. Win. I felt well again all day. The evening run did involve a couple of cramps, but nothing that involved stopping or hiding in a bush.

Saturday - A waver perhaps? I slept until 1pm again, but maybe I was just sleepy. I watched Mo Farah win the 10000m in Beijing before heading out for a recovery run. It was hot. Where did that come from? It's been cold and rainy for days! I had to stop to buy a bottle of water I was so parched!

Hopefully I'll make it out of bed at a reasonable time tomorrow for a 22 mile long run to bring up 75 miles for the week. If I do it, it will be the first decent mileage week I've run in the whole marathon build up, and time is running away from me so it is much needed.