The small muscle pull I obtained in January soon went away. I'm sure that I have been building speed through January into February, mainly I think because I have taken 10lb off since Christmas. I started with a calf muscle pain last Wednesday night just before going to bed having run a slow 5 miles that evening, and this pain lasted a day or so. My legs have felt a little niggley this week, but it's probably just nerves, because today I took part on the Wokingham Half, and I decided to use this race as an indicator as to my level of fitness and injury.

I had decided to run this race in 7 minute miles, but I was not sure how to judge this pace. The first mile in the race was very congested, and we were walking or running slowly a number of times in the first mile. I completed the first mile in 7:30, but after this I started completing miles in sub 7 minute pace, and by 5 miles I was back on track with my 7 minute mile pace.

I was fortunate enough to find other runners to run with me, and in the first 8 miles I ran with a chap who also wanted to run 7 minute miles, but I lost him eventually, and ran with a girl up to 10 miles. I had run the 10 miles in 1:08:30 I think, and 7 minute miling would have been 1:10:00, so you can tell that I was fairly consistently running sub-7 minute miles. Between miles 10 and 12 I ran with a chap who looked very fit and was running easily, and then I left him behind to run the last mile with a club runner, and in the last 400 yards I left him behind too.

I finished in a time of 1:29:40 (unconfirmed), which I am very pleased with and feel that it was mission accomplished on the day. If I can build on this, I think that I should try to run the marathon in 7 minute 30 second miles, and see how long I can sustain that pace. I probably mis-ran Wokingham, as my first mile was the slowest and the fastest mile was probably the last one. I was passing people most of the way. It was a good experience though.

I would like to think that I can now start training for the Cranleigh 15 and 21, and ideally do the 21 mile race this year.