An hour!

I was naughty today. Today is my long, slow run and my programme said I was to run for 50minutes. I decided to not check my watch because I get frustrated at how slow I go. I knew I would make 6km, so the plan was to check my watch at 6km and see how far I was from 50minutes with a view to making 7km. Good plan, I thought.

Well the weirdest thing happened. The further I ran, the easier it got. I was going slowly, I knew that, but I felt like I could just keep going. At 3km, I'm like "ONLY half way" but at 4km it was "only 2 to go". Instead of thinking in minutes, I was thinking in km! That's the first time that has happened. At 5km I was feeling strong. I was only going slowly but I wasn't puffed. I felt like I could keep plodding forever! At 6km I checked my watch and my little high came crashing down. 54minutes. No wonder I was feeling strong - I was barely at walking pace.

My brain had been thinking 7km and here I was at 6km already over the time I was supposed to be running. So I became a petulant child and thought stuff it I'll run the damn 7km. So I kept plodding, slowly, easily, and made 7km. I wanted to keep going but I thought I was pushing it a bit already, so I stopped. One hour and 2mintues! Well and truly over my 10%. Naughty.

Apart from my very slow speed, another reason I felt good today was because I ran very early and it was relatively cool. I was up before dawn and out the door when it was just light. I have the air conditioner set at 22 degrees and it was only slightly warmer than that outside. Probably only 23 or 24. I thought maybe I would escape the flies, but the buggers are up early. I'd finished my run and the temp would still only have been 26, if that. It was great. It means getting up at 4.40 - but only once a week! The heat has really started here now - it got to 42 yesterday. We are unlikely to get any respite from the heat until about April. Sigh. Gotta work with it - think of all the conditioning I'm getting!