Bit of a Mishap

Week of Aug 26 ~ Sept 1

52.9km / 32.8 mi.

Monday
4:00 - 6k very easy with HS cross-country team - their first practice. About 20 boys and 20 girls on the team.
Have a sore lower back. It got sore last night for some reason.
Weight: 58.4kg

Tuesday
4:00 - 4.2k. Was a bit more than halfway into an easy run with the kids, had just picked the pace up a bit, when...I smashed my head into the branch of a tree! Not a horizontal branch, this was sticking out straight (hidden by leaves) and had been cut off, so was sharp. It took a nice gouge out of the top of my head. It didn't hurt too much, so I thought I was ok. Had my hand over it, the kids saying, "Are you ok, Mr. Poulson?" I said, "Yes, I'm ok," and took my hand away. It was covered with blood, and blood started running down my head. The kids started yelling, "No, you're not ok, Mr. Poulson, you're not ok!"
So I walked back 20 minutes to the school, accompanied by one of the girls in case I passed out, with my shirt pressed to my head. I was fine, had no trouble getting back and went to the nurse, who put disinfectant and a bandage on it.
My wife puts disinfectant on it and changes the bandage each day, so 5 days on and it seems to be healing all right. I was going to give you a photo, but it's not very pretty.
So that was the excitement for the week.

Wednesday
7:30pm - 5,000m club time trial.
Head felt ok, so decided to run the 5,000. I told the club members, "If my head starts bleeding, tell me and I'll stop." They laughed, but I said, "No, I'm serious!"
Well, it was ok and I ran 19:46. Splits of 3:51/57/4:00/3:59/59. Not great, but I'm still not in very good shape. And it was hot and humid. Anyway, I wanted to run under 20:00 and did.
The strange thing was, I picked up the pace from 4,000m, went around and pulled away from two guys, and then ran hard the last 400, but those 2 ks were both 3:59. I think that shows that the heat takes more out of you than you realize.
Weather: 28C/82F, 58%
Weight: 59.1kg early am, 58.2 before running

Thursday
4:00 - 10k, with 8k running with junior varsity kids at easy pace.
PS: Took my hedge clippers with me and rode out to the tree before practice and cut off that branch! Held it up in front of the kids before practice and yelled, "I got my revenge!" Good for a laugh.

Friday
11:30 - Gym workout
3:30 - 6k with 1 mile time trial with varsity girls, on part asphalt, part dirt path in a park. Myself and the top girl ran 6:20, with 5 other girls close behind us - great! This was a good pace for them in the heat.
Top two boys ran 4:47 and 4:48!
Weather: 34C/93F
Weight: 57.7kg


Saturday
12:30 - 16.5k in the heat! Total 1:29:12 @5:24/k but with first and last 10 mins very easy. A very tough run.
Weather: 36C/97F ? (33 in shade, but much hotter in the sun).
Weight: 57.5kg

Sunday
Rest - hard run yesterday and have a 4 mile tempo run with the varsity boys tomorrow (not with the top boys!)
Back is still sore each day, but when sitting, not when running or walking. I'm not sure what this is, hope it goes away.