I am doing all the runs on my programme and even put in an extra one this week and mostly all is well.
So this am I set off all hydrated - urine pale, no beer last night, sensible food, up 2 hours before run and rice pud to fuel the engine, gels on board and a water to carry. Plan was a change of scene without driving too far - so off to East Morton, pick up the canal and run to skipton (or nearly there) and back. MP +28sec was the goal and 30-32Km.
The first 25km were fine, I behaved and was never more than a second outside target pace and running whilst not easy - wasn 't hard. HRM had me constantly in zone 3, occasionally zone 2. I gelled a bit, drank a bit, was bored a lot. It might seem appealing to do a long run on a canal but boy I fancied a hill or two to liven the day.
Anyway at 25km (probably a little before) it all went to pot, I can't say whether it was mental, one run to many this week, the dullness of canal running for over 2 hours, not enough breakfast, but at 26km I stopped the clock and jogged the rest - I must have looked like one of those blokes who set off on their first run since school and after sprinting 400metres look ill and you're not sure if they are walking or running. I've not felt so bad since.. well last time I ran a marathon in the last 5km - and I had no crowd/tea shirt/ medal or time to be published on the internet to keep me going. I had dark thoughts about really not being cut out for this long distance running lark and limped back to the car.
On arriving home I had a bowl of cherios - comfort/minimal effort food, and was asleep in an instant.
Now awake and showered I feel great, not too sore but wondering a bit what it means. Maybe I'll not know until the next long run.
Have the usual storm before the calm 10 days ahead of me before hols but should keep to plan. Running on holiday is never what you think it's going to be and I already have the excuses lined up - 2 places we are staying the temp were in the 40 this week, another has bears in the woods, and another is nearly 9000ft. I need to decide whether to run easy and enjoy the view or put in some intense sessions. I guess runners need holidays too. After todays downer (though that's still 31km in the bank) I just need to approach holiday running without being neurotic - yes that's what I'll do.
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