30k covered this week - well pleased! I started off with a new "toy", the "zombies, run" app. Blimey, there's nothing like powering it down pitch dark streets at 6am with someone telling you there is a super speedy runner, who is now a zombie, directly behind you. I discovered I have a turn of speed I didn't know about, but after screaming "don't look behind you!" in my ear they left me alone. How long do I have to keep this speed up, has she gone, how can I check if I can't look behind me? Help! I made it into camp anyway. But it would have been nice to have a bit of praise! All those things I collected for them and it seems I'd shaken Miss Speedy Zombie off.
Well after that recovery runs were in order. A nice, slow 6.6k before breakfast which felt good. Smooth as silk. Then another slow, but not quite so much fun 5k the day after. Consecutive runs are still tough, but I'm sure they're good for me if I don't overdo it.
And today my long run. I sat on the couch this morning at 9am thinking "I do not want to do this!" . We had been out the night before and although I hadn't gone over the top I had consumed some alcohol. Plus I also went a bit bonkers when we got back, trying to get my steps for the day in. The people we went out with are not walkers so there was too much sitting around for my taste and when we got home at 11:45 pm I was about 1700 steps short. "Do you think I can do 1700 steps in 14 minutes?" I asked hubby who looked on incredulously as I started walking round the flat. Well jogging round the flat. Crazy I know! "You shouldn't let your life be ruled by a watch" he observed, tucking into a salami sandwich. "I'm not" I lied, doing a quick loop round the living room table, dashing into the computer room and doing circles in the bathroom.
So this morning I didn't want to go. "It's grey and cold out there" hubby observed cheerfully "but I'm sure the sun will come out for you" - evil grin. Well it didn't. But I really enjoyed my run! I had all my Amazon music on shuffle. Unfortunately my Amazon music also includes CDs I bought for my mother-in-law and my death metal-loving sons. It was entertaining, trying to work out who was singing, I had Bowie, Mark Knopfler, Linkin Park, The Smiths, Black Sabbath, U2, Paul Young, a bit of classical, some German ballads, plus a whole lot of stuff I didn't recognize! I'm constantly surprised at how appropriate the words can be. "Slow down, you're falling apart" made me laugh! Then a bit later something along the lines of "You'll find out how good it gets, we'll make a lover of you yet" (which I heard as "we'll make a runner of you yet"). My heart rate was not brilliant, but I felt good the whole way round and really enjoyed the drizzly rain at 0 degrees. I have a new favourite route for the winter and it involves woods and a vast area of heathland which is surprisingly uneven. There's nothing like looking out for rabbit holes when your glasses are spattered with drizzle. Chunks of it are fenced off for grazing sheep, which is a bit annoying. And because it's so flat you have the feeling you're running and running but not getting anywhere. But I did get somewhere and 12k after I'd set off I came home exhilarated and happy. "The sun didn't come out" I announced "and I forgot my gloves, it was bl***y" cold at the start". But we runners know we warm up quickly. I love my Sunday runs (afterwards!).
Reluctant recovery run
