An Easy 10K, With a Small Question Mark

North Downs Ridge 50k Training Block - Week 1/17

Having decided against following Runna's suggestion of a tempo session today, I opted for something considerably more sensible: an easy 10km, keeping things firmly in Zone 2.

The route was a familiar one, heading out from Worthing towards Goring before looping back along the seafront. Nothing particularly adventurous, just a nice steady run to get some miles in without putting too much pressure on the legs. And as runs go, it was pretty much perfect.

The weather and conditions were good, the pace felt comfortable and I was able to settle into a nice rhythm without having to think too much about it. After the recent efforts of Beachy Head and Tuesday's club session, a gentle run was just what I needed. There was, however, one small downside.

As I approached the final kilometre, the discomfort in my left foot started to become noticeable again. It wasn't particularly painful or anything that stopped me running, but it's clearly still there and something isn't quite right. It's a little frustrating, especially when the rest of the run felt so good, but there's no point ignoring it and hoping it'll disappear by itself.

I'd originally been contemplating running every day for the next three days, but I'm having second thoughts. I think another rest day is the better option before deciding whether to head out for parkrun on Saturday. If the foot is still causing problems, I'll give parkrun a miss rather than risk making things worse. The next target is Sunday's WSFRL race in Horsham, and ideally I'd like to be fit enough to take part. But there's little point jeopardising that by squeezing in an unnecessary run beforehand.

For now, the plan is to rest, see how the foot responds and make a decision closer to the weekend.