Monday 27/08

Type: Longish (slow)
Time: 1hr25mins
Distance: 9.7miles
Rating: 7

49mins - 5.7miles - 8.4m/m
36mins - 3.9miles - 9.1m/m
I ran the first half far too fast for this meant to be a long slow run, and it was very hot so 49mins into it, I slowed the pace right down. This route in the West End is a fantastic one because the mid section is very much equal uphill and downhill, you always feel you have sufficient recovery. And, of course, I played beat the car (BTC for short, because I'm JUST THAT COOL) I raced the 66 and the 159 buses the WHOLE way along Gt Western Road, from the St Georges X end to anniesland! Okay, I did lose the 66 a bit earlier, but I did see the same woman on the 159 the whole way and I kept edging ahead of it!

In retrospect I think that is perhaps what caused the significant drop in pace in the second half actually. Ach well. This week I'm thinking Tuesday off, Wednesday a few short sprints in a mid-lengthed run, thursday a short, steady run plus some rowing/cross-training at the gym. I might be busy on Friday but if I'm not I'd move that to Friday. Then Sunday is the half marathon. So excited about that! Got my race number today!! 12938 (I think) Anyway it's a very high number, I think they must have broken the record from last year surely. Mind you I'm not sure if thousands of people running is a good or bad thing, in some ways it really spurs you on, but in other ways it's really annoying overtaking people and whatnot. That's something which surprised me about the 10miler in Toronto. We started quite near the front and yet my dad and I were practically sprinting past people for the first mile. It was a very relaxed atmosphere, no one seemed to mind being overtaken...which is a total contrast from the Forthside half marathon where I felt like everyone I overtook was glaring daggers in my back afterwards. Maybe I'm being unfair though.

On another unrelated and completely sad note, I'm quite excited to wear my new running shorts in a race! Ok they're not THAT new, but they are the comfiest shorts I've ever had. I was in the new apple store in Buchanan St the other day (anonymous and I were jealously eyeing up all the awesome laptops...well, I don't know about him but I certainly was...) I think if I ever come into money I will buy an ipod nano and the Nike+ run thing. And a good gps heart rate moniter too. I remember that old thing I used to use...and it started skipping times and heart rates...suddenly I'd be at 240bpm during warm up and have run 7miles in 20mins...I used to love that thing. I used to bring it out in class just to show off, haha. (not really) But people used to always want to try it out, it was kind of like having a small, plastic baby which told me when I was working too hard.

Ok not quite, but I was proud of it for the time it lasted.