Previous best was 14K and today was the day I set out to try to do better. This wasn't about time or speed but just running further. The weather was perfect too, cool and just a light drizzle.
I started off slowly and tried to keep a steady pace, which I'm not very good at. Breathing was fine, legs felt good and I ran beyond the point I usually turn back at until I came to the VERY long VERY steep hill which I have absolutely NO intention of attempting.
Headed back, detoured again to extend the distance, managed to cross the ring road without risking life and limb and checked the Garmin for the first time so as to decide which way to head next...11.2K! Everything was still feeling okay apart from my usual niggle in my upper inner thigh, but I've learned that it doesn't affect my running and I just live with it now.
So, the decision was to try to make 15K. If I just carried on towards home, that would be about right so turned up the hill, using my butt muscles to push me up, crossed another main road and just kept going! Had to do a bit of doubling back to make it up to 16K and nearly got taken out by a woman on a mobility scooter who came screaming around a corner and was too busy looking at her watch to bother about pedestrians on the pavement until I shouted at her, then had a short cool down walk to my house.
Considering the route has a lot of ups and downs, albeit not especially steep but that used to nearly do for me, I have to say, I'm pretty happy with the time too! Apart from the final 1K or so, it felt comfortable and I never felt that I was pushing myself. Maybe I do have a Half Marathon in me after all........