Home Run? Home, ouch, more like

So after the nasty Asics ride yesterday, I tried out Home Run tonight. The idea is simple - run home with a bunch of other folks, with keen runners to help you get there. The principle is nice but I don't think it's for me. After the first mile, my outer shin muscles were burning and I'd slowed to a 12.30 pace, really slow for me. I managed another 0.4 before calling it a day and letting ultrarunner Jen get on and catch up with the guys. It was too early in my training to try it and I don't enjoy running with people and without music. I picked up my pack, ran another 0.7 cross Clapham Common with it before collapsing on to the bus.

I think I've trained too much too soon. I had this same crash almost exactly four weeks ago and needed a good five days off and not thinking about running, and I know if I try and run through it I could do myself a serious injury. This, I cannot risk so close to starting training for the half. I am a bit worried though about the half training - I did a couple of weeks with 13 miles and it's screwed me up in week three. In retrospect racing and then running a five miler would probably have been okay with a good bit of proper recovery time, but to do that, rest for a day, then try a recovery race in shoes which don't work for me, then try and run 4.3 miles with faster people was a stupid and potentially dangerous idea. All of my lower body hurts now - knees, ankles, calves, hamstrings and shins. It's not shin splints, it's just exhaustion.

So that's the remainder of this weeks' training out of the window - running-wise, at least. I'm switching back over swimming to at least early next week. Total rest tomorrow; long swim on Friday and maybe middling swim on Saturday, long swim again on Monday and a reconvene on Tuesday to see how the legs are feeling. Need to finish that race, not crash out half way around because I trained badly.

My physical limitations are frustrating and upsetting but my body knows more than my mind. Got to listen up and pay attention - running through it is only going to make me worse. Aggravating! On the plus side, I now have a phone sleeve which doesn't rub or hurt and provides better protection in the rain than my existing one. I also have a neon orange t shirt which might come in handy for winter runs.