Time: 12.50pm Weather: Sunny, damp, warm in sun, bitterly cold in shade. 4°C
Needed sunglasses!
My aim, since I achieved doing it in September, is to do one HM distance per month so that I don't lose it. I actually ended up doing two on consecutive weekends in November. I won't be repeating that.
The morning started out with a frost. The thermometer went slightly below zero about 8.30am. I decided to wait until lunchtime and do a few chores instead. I'd also eaten and didn't want to go out running on a full stomach.
After much faffing, I put some stretchy sports tape (Lidl own brand) up the back of my right ankle where the Achilles was rubbing, and kitted up for the cold: two layers of long sleeved top, thicker running leggings, mid calf socks, beanie hat, buff and gloves.
And because it was a Long Run, I also had the hydration backpack, with 750ml of orange squash, a dozen jelly babies (in a zip plastic bag) and some sheets of kitchen roll (also in a plastic bag).
Some dynamic squat stretches and leg swings to loosen things up a little, then I'm out.
The pavements are damp where the sun hasn't dried them. There must have been a very heavy dew last night as we haven't had rain for a few days.
Even now, I still do the five minute warm up walk from Couch to 5K.
I start running about 10 seconds before the watch buzzes to say the 5 minutes are up. I start slower than usual as I really don't want to peak too soon.
Past the post office and on to the long straight (probably a former turnpike). I begin to pick up a bit of speed. This bit is quite exposed and there's a slight cross breeze which is very chilling. A large group is walking towards me on the pavement and I have to step into the road to pass.
On the slope down to the level crossing for the preserved railway another runner approaches and we briefly exchange greetings. The tracks of the crossing show evidence of something passing through as soil has been displaced from the grooves.
Not as many as I'd expect on the clay path. I turn off it before the end and go on a path between fields. A guy steps to one side as he hears me approach from behind. I thank him profusely. A bit further on a bunch of lads is hogging the dry bit through a farm yard. I almost catch one of them with my elbow and shout out a sorry.
After going through a housing estate and between some industrial buildings, I'm on the canal towpath, going "downstream". It's relatively quiet.
There are a few dog walkers. A family group sitting on a bench. A walking group who hear me approach at the last minute and one of them moves right into my path. Elbows collide and I apologise profusely.
From about the 8km mark I'm starting into the jelly babies, taking two initially, then trying to remember to take about one every km after.
A lot further on, I hear talking approaching from behind me. I keep to the left, expecting a cycling group to suddenly appear. Nope, it's another runner with headphones on, carrying on a phone conversation. He's running a fair bit faster than I was doing too (I guess at a minimum of a 5min/km pace). Obviously his "conversational pace" is very much faster than mine.
Off the canal at the lift bridge and onto the pavements again. From this point on (about the 14km mark) I have many potential distances I could do: 15km, 10 miles, 18km, 20km, HM or possibly longer). I continue on the HM route.
I plod through a large residential estate, passing a trio of chatty teenage girls at a bus stop, a guy who looked frustrated because someone had parked across his drive, a lady with crutches who apologised for swinging her car door out into the pavement, etc. etc.
At one point the pavement is uneven tarmac. A tree root has lifted it but the change in height isn't obvious in this glaring sunlight. I stub my big toe. Ouch! In toe shoes this is not pleasant. I've still got about 3km left.
I continue to run. The discomfort gradually lessens. A right turn at the motorway, along the main road for a bit, back into the housing estate for a bit, then out of it again.
And then there's about 500m left. It's gently uphill. At this point my legs are on autopilot and my glute muscles are moaning a little.
I miss the notification from the watch that I'd completed the distance and continue on to the bottom of the next slope before stopping.
I stop the watch and record the walk home separately.
I feel a bit wobbly for about 10 seconds. My glutes have a slight burning/tingling sensation.
The walk home is mostly uphill, and that makes for a good cool down.
Inside, change out of the sopping wet kit, put it in the wash, drink the remainder of the contents of the hydration bladder, do a full set of stretches, down two large mugs of coffee in quick succession, then flop.
Stats:
Duration: 2h26' (2h11'18" running)
Distance: 22.61km (21.33 km running)
Splits:
5'56", 5'50", 5'57", 6'17", 6'10", 6'03", 6'18", 5'59", 6'02", 5'44",
5'49", 6'00", 6'12", 6'01", 6'19", 6'20", 6'12", 6'32", 6'33", 6'37",
6'33", (100m) 6'15"/km, (230m overrun, downhill) 5'45"/km
Average running pace: 6'10"/km
Strava awarded four PBs: 15km (90'27", was 91'), 10mile (97'21", was 99'30"), 20k (2h02'47" was 2h03'29") and HM (2h09'45", was 2h10'28"). Garmin clocked it at a second longer.
Today's podcasts were: A Problem Squared (007: Big Thing Fans and Retirement Plans), Dead Ringers (Xmas Specials 2021 Ep2), Out To Lunch with Jay Rayner (Richard E Grant) and part of You're Dead To Me (Zheng Y Sao).
Well, that was interesting. There was definitely a point about the 15km mark were I was toying with the idea of stopping, but obviously didn't. I got a little bit of a second wind from somewhere. From the splits you can see I was tiring towards the end, but I didn't really feel that at the time.
Some jelly babies were harmed as part of this run.
Tomorrow's definitely a rest day, though I may go for a walk.
First HM of 2021🏃♀️🏃♀️
Don't stop until someone puts bling on you...
HU Spring 23 HM
First ever 10 miles 
