Life is good

Especially when you're training for a marathon and you're still enthused and feeling good! I've had a couple of people say in the last couple of months ... oh, wait until you get to those monster weeks and you just can't be bothered getting out and running. Well, maybe I'm not at those weeks yet, but I'm still eager and enthused to get out and run every morning. I love feeling stronger, I love seeing my pace get faster, I'm loving the challenge.

Okay, alot of that gushing might be to do with the fact the last two runs have been great, throw in a bad one I might not be quite so gushy! LOL

Long Run Sunday - 24km

My furtherest run to date, but then again the next 10 weeks will have lots of those! I was supposed to run with Deirdre, but first of all I had to change to the afternoon because we took our oldest son into his new living arrangements (life as a varsity student!) and helped him move in, I kinda figured that huge moment in his life (and ours) was probably more important than running my long run in the morning when I'd like to. Anyway, we planned to meet at 2.00pm and run then. Deirdre rang me at about 11am in a fluster, they were having unexpected visitors that she couldn't get out of being there for so was rushing out of the house to go do her run then. Which left me on my own later in the day. Originally I'd kinda planned we'd run down the beach, because I know Deirdre likes that run, and I'm all for trying something new (and not being so bossy and anal all the time!). When I was on my own I decided to stick to where I knew and ran the river trail twice, it is about 10km long so with the 2km from home to the start of it and back again, that made my 24.

First Km I was frustrated, I was trying a new hydration pack (I usually carry a drink bottle which is really annoying), I had the pack to loose and it kept dropping off my shoulder AND my ipod was only playing in one ear. I stopped at about a half km to try and fix them - pretty unsuccessfully. I carried on, feeling rather annoyed ... by the time I got to the river I still hadn't fixed them but decided I'd cope until I got to the Main Road bridge where I was planning to stop and drink and have a gel anyway. By the time I hit the second walkbridge (about 5.5k from home) I was in a rhythm and feeling great. The Main Road bridge is the turning point for the river run (over the bridge and back down the other side of the river), so about 7km from home. I took the pack off tried to tighten it (but still not enough), had a drink, had a gel and was off again. For some reason, probably a totally mental thing, I love running down the return side of this trail, I always feel good :) I think I sped up a wee bit and was really enjoying the run. I'd also talked myself successfully into knowing that once I got to the main walkway bridge I'd have a quick walk and drink over and I'd be halfway then it was just up the one side and then back down the "fun" side and only 2km home after that. It wasn't until I got to the second walkway bridge again (about 15k) that I started feeling at all tired. Then it was just that 1.5km (which is the worst part of the run, lots of big river rocks along the trail that I'm always really scared I'm going to twist an ankle on) up to the Main Road Bridge. I walked across there again, again having a drink and my 2nd gel and then it was the "fun" side of the river back down to the start again. Made it to the walk bridge no problem, walked across and had a drink and then just had the 2km home. I'd be lying if I said that 2km was easy, but it wasn't too bad! Got home, and all finished - a great run. It took me 2:32 with an average pace of 6:21/km, I think I actually ran the second half faster than the first, which is good for me the serial start too fast runner!

I was pretty stiff the rest of the evening (and yes, rolled my eyes at unfit husband who was complaining HIS legs hurt because of the six flights of stairs we went up and down a few times while moving David into his new home). The worst thing was I kept waking up during the night with sore legs, what is with that? I'm thinking blood circulation or something? Woke up yesterday morning and my legs felt great ... bit stiff, but definitely not "sore".

Today - Tempo Run - 6.5km

Once again, this went well, I'm amazed I can run a long run Sunday and then find my legs all ready to go again on the Tuesday morning.

Fastest overall pace yet 5:23/km (35:17 for the whole run).

See? How can I not be enthused?

Remind me of my happy Pollyanna attitude when I'm moaning after a bad run!