Firstly – what kind of time is 08:25 for a long run to start? I ask you – what time do you have to have breakfast for it to do you any good at that time of the morning?
The answer? Too blooming early. This was my first, and my last ‘breakfast run’. Sod that, give me a midday start any day.
Still, it was a beautiful day for it and I was looking forward to the distance. Having managed 20 miles last week without too much trouble and having run past 16 miles without any stops, I had hopes that this would be a nice easy practice run where I could focus on keeping my pace.
And it was!
Similar to last week I ran a little fast for the first few miles until I settled in but at 4 miles I was 3 minutes ahead and I kept that going until 10 miles. I pass the 10 mile maker after 1 hr 36 minutes and 37 seconds (a PB for me!) and I was feeling good.
Kate and Lorraine were out and about on their bikes and where showing up every few miles to clap, cheer and take photos and I have to say that I think as cheerleaders go – my team were the best out of Anyone’s there. They were waiting for me just after the 10 mile marker and I shared the goods news about my PB with them. All was rosy.
Imagine my shock when at 11 miles I’d managed to loose 90 seconds. WTF? Where did they go? Time to stop patting myself on the back and start focusing on my pace again. But try as I might to I hold my 10 minute mile, for the next 4 miles I lost about 30 seconds a mile. Looks like I was tiring quicker today than I had last week which caused me some pain and it meant that passing the 15 mile marker, I was 30 seconds behind my pace – and I *really* wanted to come in on time. I sped up thinking that I could push myself that last mile and make up the time. Alas though – pushing myself simply meant recovering my pace but it just didn’t last and in that last mile I slipped another 30 seconds.
However, with some strength supplied from my cheerleaders who were there at the last I managed a bit of sprint finish and made up some seconds.
Target time: 2hrs 40 minutes.
Actual finish time: 2 hrs 40 minutes and 50 seconds.
And boy do my legs ache now. 🙂
A Massive thanks to Kate and Lorraine who made the day for me.
Next stop – 26 miles on the 25th!
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steveslaw 