Saturday 25/08

Type: Steady
Time: 50mins
Distance: 5.9miles (plus 1mile on treadmill)
Pace: 8.30m/m
Rating: 6

Just a steady run around the West End. Ran down alongside the motorway again which is always fun, especially when the sound of the cars is blocked out by my most-likely-ear-damaging music volume. When running along Great Western Road too I play this game I like to call "beat the car"...Essentially I chose a car which is stuck in the nose-to-tail traffic and, yes, I race it. I do try to keep my pace consistent but it does tend to creep up. It's great though because Gt W Road does have a really gradual hill in the middle which tends to really take it out of you on a faster paced run. So when you're actually enjoying going beating the suckers caught in traffic, it really does make the hill easier.
I sometimes amaze myself at the complexity of these games I invent....
Seriously though, on a road like that, running is the fastest way. All in all this was a great run, and I'm glad I kept that pace the whole way. When I got back to the gym I rowed for 20mins (3.5k) and I forgot how much I love it! I then did a cool down run on the treadmill...and forgot how boring that was compared to running outside. I can't believe I used to do that every morning. That WAS my training for the 10k last September, I hardly did any road running at all. I wonder if I did a 10k now what time I would get...I'd hope for under 45mins at least, I'm sure I could really push the pace from this type of run. I'd like to run with somebody for a change sometimes though, that's the only downside to my running, I think. My dad can't run with me because his arm is still healing, and everyone else I know is a cyclist. I thought about joining a running club but truthfully, I think running interfered with Uni last term (amongst other things)...I mean, training for and running a marathon during exams isn't really an ideal situation. But I do want to do that again next year (even though it will be my finals), I'll apply for London, but really would love to run Edinburgh again. Hence I think taking 2/3 nights out a week to go running (when it's nights I study most) wouldn't be a wise idea. But hey, we'll see.

I'm thinking about doing the pedal for Scotland cycle from Glagsow to Edinburgh half way through September. It's quite cheap for students and looks like it could be a good day out! That is if I don't pass out and/or fall of my bike 20miles into it, naturally.