Week 8 Run 1 - Three More Minutes Are (Not) Impossible

[michaelvdays]

Got up earlier today, and did this run in the daylight.

I intentionally tried to go "slower and steady" but was barely down on my pace of W7R3. I did keep my pace stable for most of the run - thanks to another runner, I think, whose pace seemed to exactly match mine. I kept five or six metres back and used them as a reference point. Seemed to help!

Getting to 25 minutes still required a bit of willpower, and I was swearing silently through the final 3 minutes, at whoever thought up this grand idea... Kept running, didn't slow down, until Runmeter said "Run completed" at me, and suddenly all my bones melt and its hard to walk straight... Oh thank goodness. 4.18 km of running. Phew!

One lesson - next daytime run in Shenzhen, get up earlier to run before the sun gets high enough to see over the skyline. The air temperature was only 29 degrees, but with a clear sky the direct sunlight was utterly baking. There are plenty of trees in the park, so the squiggly-return section of the root is almost all shaded, but the initial straight has only a single line of trees which no shade at all. Apart from one of the nearby skyscrapers, which cast a finger of cool shadow across the middle segment of the long straight. Thank you, skyscraper architect person!

My feet and knees are definitely feeling the extra distance, so I will make sure to get some good rest before trying W8R2 on Tuesday evening. Back to night runs for me.

Picture above is the south end of the main straight, looking north.

[NeverSayNoToJeffing Graduate]

It's that belief that you can always do a 'little bit more' - well done.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Beautiful photograph..thank you. A super post..well done for running in the heat. The UK does not get a lot, :).. but holidaying in France.. phe I only manged three runs.. all before 7 a.m. !

Your night runs, sound much cooler...

You are doing so well, slow and steady is the way... and we really do amaze ourselves, don't we?

Look forward to your next post!

[MrsLis Graduate]

Well done for carrying on and getting to 28 minutes, particularly in that heat!

[michaelvdays Graduate in reply to MrsLis]

I think I'm starting to get used to the basic 29 degrees air temperature, but honestly that sunlight!

I do wonder how a run will feel when I'm back in my natural environment and temperature - coastal Liverpool. Will my muscles feel tighter because of the lower temperature?

[lightweightkate Graduate]

What a beautiful place to run 😀Love the description of the bones melting - know that feeling!! Well done too in that heat 😀

[Aldlib Graduate]

What a lovely picture. Am glad you posted your run report as I am doing W8R1 tomorrow, so its good to know its achievable. I am going to do reverse psychology and tell myself I have 30 mins to do but I will 'allow' myself to stop at 28, that way I dont have to add on 3 mins to the 25 which I know would be the longest, cursed 3 mins ever lol! The mind games I do to get through this. Happy week 8!

[michaelvdays Graduate in reply to Aldlib]

Clever idea! Good luck tomorrow, and tell us how it goes!

[Irish-John Graduate]

Well done, and you have supported what I think "Slowing down" is more about relaxing and not wasting energy and effort rather than lessening speed

[Vanessa291 Graduate]

That park looks beautiful. Thank you for a great post 😃

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

Ha! Told you it would be fine. Laura never asks us to do things that we can't manage.

Well done!