9 Miles. Yay!

Having decided to do a 1/2 in May thought it best to get some longer miles in. Planned out a 9 mile route with the intention of doing it at Planned Half Marathon Pace. Which, for me, just happens to be 10min/mile pace. Derived from best recent 10k time x 2.222 / 13.1. Set Garmin 305 up for 9 miles in 1.5 hours and off we went. Have used the virtual partner feature in the past, but really came into its own today. Much better over longer distances that short ones. Designed an undulating course with some long drag out hills and some short and sharp. Feet totally wet by mile 3 or so, but no problems. Around mile 6 and 7 slipped into some sort of zone. Pace was cock on but the CV part of the equation felt under no stress at all. Which was nice. New longest distance in sprints. Ended up with an AVG pace of 10:04. Very pleased. Even closed out with a 9:50 last mile.

Run off

Up, jumped on the scales 64.9kg as expected. Big surprise was snow. Went bed clear woke up to snow, the Kibworth 6 race was cancelled. Sad for those that had put a lot of effort in organising it but have to say it is my least favorite course so a little relived.

Went for run with Jen instead. Mix of X country and road. Quiet enjoyable. Legs had a lactic bath 2/3rds of the way up the first field hill. Hmmm not good.

Sat 20th fo Feb

Body weight has yo yo'd a little this week. 65.7kg to 64.9kg.

Have been keeping a daily log of body weight and noting what and when I eat. One observation I have made that backs up fairly common knowledge is, DO NOT eat, too late. If, I have eaten before 7pm I WILL record a reduced weight in the morning. If Delia is working(does not finish till 8pm +) I therefore eat later, I WILL record a higher weight in the morning.

Basic and in some sense obvious. But providing you DO know how your body reacts you can adjust as required. I will be running the Kibworth 6 in the morning 10.30, so have made a point of eating earlier tonight. I also backed this up with a 1 mile brisk walk after eating. I expect to be 64.9kg or less in the morning. We shall see.

Jason

Casual run

Low key casual run tonight. Ran with jen a couple of last years beginner ladies who are returning after christmas. I know I know.

As pace was very steady gave me chance to play around with different techniques etc. One observation I have made is sometimes merely thinking about a technique seems to invoke a change whether I actually intend to make it happen in the physical or not. Thinking of feet as if on a cycle for instance. Not deliberately trying to make a change just thinking.

Is the change real or imagined? will observe further.
One thing that is for sure though as from "born to run" run easy run light run smooth.
Getting the first bit. The Sat run and tonight felt so easy. No stress on the CV side at all.

Set off on road then about 1 1/2 mile in we took a left across some fields. Again another revelation. The feet seemed to take control of the situation and decided to land in a toes down manner. The going was very soft and sludgy and yet just seemed to glide across. The other three had clumps of muck stuck to their shoes, particularly in the heel region. Hmm wonder why that is? :)
Next field after they had de-clumped we set off again. me with smooth bottomed zero grip footwear, they with tread left them in my wake.
I put it down simply to being in touch with the environment. The feet are allowed to do their job feeding the brain with info so it can do its job.
Rambling on now.
Bring on the hills Wednesday

Sat run

Had a nice easy run this afternoon with Jen. Purpose, to get some miles in the legs. No time or pace targets just distance. Clocked 7.8 miles. Pleased on many accounts. Not done that distance since pre christmas. Some proper hills involved. Done the lung bursting hill better than ever before. Overall felt comfortable. Not race pace like I said but not bad for us either. Something has changed how I run. Adding bits from born to run, barefoot ted, ken bob etc. Something has changed and for the better. Just feels easier and joyful. Done the 7.8 but felt like could just keep going. Really impressed with how I done the big hill. Still taxing but previously I have been wearing my heart and lungs on the outside.
Will have done 24 ish miles this week. Not done that for a long time. No where near the miles of some, but not bad for a short fat bloke.