11:40 7.5 miles 53:47
1 6:56 2 7:16 3 7:06 4 7:18 5 7:04 6 7:11 7 7:15 7.5 3:40 Average 7:10 min/miles
I’m told that the weather forecast for tomorrow is for snow. That’s why I went for my run today, despite not feeling great, rather than leaving it until tomorrow. There’s an icy cold wind out there, which is ominous, but otherwise it’s a beautiful day. I didn’t feel great because I was shattered, not because of our neighbours – they were quiet, but because of my inability to go to bed when I’m home alone.
Mrs pacepusher is in Edinburgh this weekend, and as I always seem to do when she’s away, I stayed up watching rubbish on TV rather than going to bed. And so, it was 1 am when… I must have fallen asleep on the sofa, and after 2 am when I went to bed. I then woke up at about 5:45 am with the worst cramp I have ever had in my left calf muscle. Where did that come from at that time in the morning? I did get a lie-in though. It was almost 7:50 am when I awoke again, a whole 20 minutes later than normal!
I had a good breakfast and watched Soccer am for a couple of hours, then got myself ready and out of the door into the sun. This was supposed to be a 10 mile run according to my training plan, but I figured 8 miles would be enough. It’s not my fault I ran out of road at 7.5 miles! I started off, much to my surprise, feeling great, and thus ran much faster than intended. This was supposed to be run at marathon goal pace today. I tried to slow things down after the first mile, and was almost bang on target for the second one. However, if you analysed this a little more, you would realise that the second mile had a couple of hills in it, and was at one point, into the relatively strong wind. So it would seem that to run race pace, I need to slow down, run uphill, and run into the wind. Great!
Mile 3, too fast, despite a hill. Mile 4, slower than race pace, was really up hill. It was also at this point that I ran out of energy and went from running along like a gazelle, to plodding along like an elephant. As well as a lack of sleep, I don’t think I ate enough yesterday. I really did have no energy today. Mile 5, too fast despite feeling rubbish. Mile 6, almost right, and Mile 7, finally, spot on at 7:15 pace. However, mile 7 was into a now strong headwind, and I had a terrible stitch. So to run my goal pace in London, I now know that I need a combination of things. I need to slow down, I need some uphill running, some running into the wind, and I need a really bad stitch. I’m really going to enjoy London then aren’t I?!!?
Today seemed to be national peep your car horn at a runner day. 5 times today I was peeped, and I checked, I didn’t have toilet paper sticking out of my shorts or anything! And so I am giving today’s ‘How Annoying?’ award to all those people that chose to misuse their horn today. If you really feel the need to peep your horn at me, at least get one that makes me laugh. Like the Dukes Of Hazard General Lee Dixieland tune. That would make me laugh. Beeping at me as you approach from behind, does not make me laugh, because it’s not funny. It actually gives me a wee fright and I lose my breathing and my rhythm, thus it does not enhance the enjoyment of my run. But the Dukes Of Hazard car horn on the other hand… So a certificate is on the way to you all, with an additional message on the back which reads:
I have removed the locks from your car doors, and have sealed them shut. I have also removed the windows. This will allow you access only in the style of the Good Ol’ Boys from the Dukes Of Hazard. I’ll leave it up to you as to whether or not you want to paint your car orange with a big 01 on the side doors and a blue flag effect roof. However, I insist that you use the link shown below, and that you purchase your new car horn sound.
http://www.autobarn.net/dukes-of-hazzard-general-lee-dixie-car-horn.html
Watch out for these cars on the roads around Paisley. And next time you hear a car horn on your run, smile and sing The Good Ol’ Boys.
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