Getting warmer

And not just in the old children's hide and seek way, although it is getting nearer and nearer too - into single figures weeks now...

No, it is actually getting warmer; today I spotted some green buds appearing, some brave crocuses struggling up and I almost got too hot. I've probably put the mockers on it now and we'll get hit with real winter at last, not just this awful never ending wetness. Can you buy ice chains for running shoes? (Let's not go there, cross that bridge and all that.)

So where were we? Getting wet I believe - am I really just talking about the weather? Although it's very important when you're trying to fit in running sessions without catching double pneumonia. Anyway, Sunday was a glorious day here and my plan said 120 minutes. Perfect for it, except that I felt awful. I'd had a really grumbly tummy all the previous evening, I slept really badly with stupid tunes and thoughts buzzing round my brain and on Sunday morning I just felt a mess - and it was all in my head. The very idea of going out for two hours was freaking me out, the grumbling in my tummy was nerves and I just stood over the washing up and cried at the prospect of how much I still had to do. At that point I was so close to giving up but hubby was so good and supportive, and, after a little cuddle, he chucked me outdoors.

So off I went, nice and steady, round the 10 mile route I had planned. I don't know if it was the weather, or the porridge, or just the fact that I was out there when I so nearly hadn't been, but it was a super run. I got to 5 miles in less than 56 minutes, at which point a man at least 15 years older than me went whizzing past and disappeared up the road to puncture my bubble briefly, but I stuck to my steady pace and carried on. At 7 and a bit miles I got to a bit where the road dips under a railway bridge, and the dip was full of water. I'd gone too far to turn round and go back so I just waded on through - it actually felt quite nice, like a little ice bath to give my feet a little pep up - and carried on in squelchy shoes. I stopped William a little way from home to allow me to cool down and enjoy the sunshine, but by that time I had done 10.66 miles in 2 hours 2 minutes. The first time ever I have run double figures (and I did run the vast majority of it, with just two or three bits of walking to catch my breath) and I felt pretty ok. After my stretching I sat in a cold bath which is supposed to be medicinal but was actually really unpleasant! Then I had a warm bath and a delicious roast beef dinner prepared by my lovely hubby - ooh the protein! - and spent the afternoon feeling pretty smug.

Yesterday, to ward off any potential ill-effects of the long run, I "treated" myself to a leg massage at a local Sports Clinic. I'm sure it was very good for me but ouch ouch ouch! I have bruises today.

This week is a "taper" week, with fewer sessions to allow for a bit of recovery, before a half marathon on Sunday. I'm not actually running a real half, that comes later, but I plan to do more or less the distance. So today was just 30 minutes. I thought I'd see if I could push it a bit, and I did 3 miles in 32 minutes 56 seconds. That's under 11 minutes a mile! The fastest I've ever done! Not sure I could keep it up for much further and I was quite pooped by the end but still. It's all good for the lungs. And it was quite warm.