Another little run

[Yesletsgo]

A bit of a late start today, didn't leave the house until after 9 am by which time it was over 20C (I'm in Greece, not the UK ). My husband suggested only doing 3 km as it felt very warm, especially in direct sunlight. Wasn't going to argue with that!

Our first stop was to drop a bag with towels in it by the beach at the bottom of the road where we are staying. We didn't think to do this on Monday so had to walk home soaking wet.

Towels in place, the first km or so was shaded by trees but then the road curved so we were in the shade of the hill on the other side. Carried on until NRC told me I'd reached 1.5km, but as we were about to cross the road to run back a whole procession of cars, vans, mopeds etc came past so we had to carry on running a further hundred metres or so in bright sunshine as the road had curved again.

The run back felt like hard work. I realised that there were two main contributing factors to this, (1) the heat and (2) a slight but long uphill gradient. Of the two it was definitely the heat that was the most tiring. This surprised me a little as 'I don't like hills' is something I would probably say if asked what puts me off a route.

Reached 3km a short way before the beach, carried on to the steps down to the sea then stripped off my shirt and jumped into the water in sports bra and running shorts. Bliss. I could get used to this. I even remembered to take my phone out of my running belt! Sometimes I impress myself

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10]

Those long, gentle uphill climbs are just killer, especially in the heat. I bet that dip in the sea felt absolutely amazing. I nearly keeled over after my one Greek run so you’ve impressed me too by making it through a 3km like that!

[Yesletsgo Administrator Graduate10 in reply to MissUnderstanding]

I think the long hot summer sort of reset my metabolism a little bit. We were running fairly regularly, doing runs like this but without the hills. The prospect of a swim at the end is definitely an incentive. Do you know the feeling 'If I run a bit faster it'll be over sooner?' 😂

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Yesletsgo]

🤣 yes, I know that feeling well!!!

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate10]

we’ll done Yesletsgo ..I took my running stuff to Greece…didn’t get out of my suitcase it was BOILING!!! Autumn is my fav time of year for running…hats off to you for sticking with it..3km in Greece and uphill?!! Not in my life 🤣🤣

[Yesletsgo Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Mummycav]

We were in Crete at the end of July, I didn't even bother packing my running stuff, it hardly dropped below 30C except at night so there was no way I'd consider a run in that heat. Now, the temperature is pretty perfect, 22-28C ish, so as long as we don't leave it too late getting out it's doable.

Sorry if all this talk of nice weather is a bit unfair, if it's any consolation I am distance working at the moment and helping my bro in law with a restoration project on his boat so it's not all beaches and ice cream!

[dijep Graduate10]

What a lovely way to end a hot sweaty run 😄 So glad you remembered to take your phone out. I find those almost imperceptible long hills worse than by the steep short ones. And in that heat I'd have to have been walking.