Right, having replaced the batteries in the keyboard, and had a drink (makes the hands shake less) I'm ready to recount tales of wonder, tales so fanciful I might still be dreaming and be about to awake. (Lets hope not.)
After the trials of this week (illness, lethargy, treacle-legs etc) I decided that today was going quite well (apart from Starbucks being shut and Costa having NO vanilla - it took all my energy not to reach across the counter and strangle him). So I had my carbo loaded pastry (not ideal but damn tasty) and my banana (sensible option) and after a suitable gap headed for the woods.
I thought I might finally increase the BIG run. 8 miles was the secret target in my head. And here is how it went:
8.2 miles in 1,29.16 I added on the .2 to prove to myself I wasn't a 'stopper'.
Average 10.53 per mile (delighted I could maintain my sub 11min pace)
10.21
11.25
11.26
---------------34.15 for 5k
10.57
10.56
10.43
---------- 1.08 for 10k
10.40
10.24 - So the 8 miles was in 1.26.54 under my 88min target!!
--- & 2.20 for .2miles
I'm really blown away by this, it feels like real progress - I'm quite emotional about it as it's the sort of distance I never imagined running when I started.
[Just had a break in writing this as TheOther came in and told me I smelt so bad I had to have a shower at that moment before the fug became any worse!]
I'm trying to be detailed about this run and why things went well. I think the temperature helped overall (damn cold - about 8C) but may have affected the second two miles as I got used to it.
I obviously have a psychological improvement after 1/2 way - as if I save some energy reserves until I know I'm heading home.
Ooo, I also forgot my water so I had Lucozade Sport in my runners aid bottle - it did feel better than drinking water. Luckily it was (just) cold enough that it didn't matter that I had nothing to pour over my head.
I also wonder if it's not just coincidence that 2 of my most successful (in time or distance) runs have come after some hill work... that's definitely a point to consider for the future. I might add an elliptical workout into my week and see if it makes a difference. (I might also try and re-set the damn machine to see how far I'm going too!!)
At the end I felt like I could have continued so it took some effort to stop but I know that over stretching myself will only lead to injury and disappointment.
Sorry this has been such a long post folks but I think it was all (well maybe not the bit about coffee) worth writing as I'm a big girl who was at one stage bloody HUGE and it's taken a lot of effort to get to this point. The weight is beginning to drop (as predicted by many runners it takes several weeks before the lbs start to fall) and my energy levels and (bucket ready) 'happiness quotient' are right up there. I never imaged when I started running that I would enjoy it so much, or have a blog, or want to inspire others. GO on people, get your trainers on - you know you want to.
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