Day 36: 30k Long Run

Target: 198.29
Actual: 252:00
Ahead of target


New training routine is going splendidly well. Sitting quite pleased that at 0730 on a Friday, I have my long run in the bag. I noticed a bizarre thing last night, I’m about 5 seconds faster a length than I was when I swam in the morning. Maybe I was more tired than I thought swimming straight after a run. Yesterday saw me back at my local gym doing a body balance class. I’m going to try and fit in some yoga and some strength training each week and any other activities that directly improve my running/swimming.

This morning’s run was done on the 0.5m loop outside my office. If I have counted correctly, it was 33 loops. I love doing my long run here, much more than I thought I would.

From a practical point of view it’s perfect. I don’t want to be miles away from work and turn an ankle or as happened the other week, give up the ghost and still be a couple of miles from where I needed to be and had to walk. Or get lost, come across a road closure, a dead body lying at the side of a road (how many runners and dog walkers find dead bodies???), or any other number of things that can happen when you are running a distance on country lanes/trails. It’s good to be no further than a quarter of a mile from the door at any given point. The added benefit is that it’s a quiet road in an industrial estate. I don’t have to be lit up like a Christmas tree, can relax and listen to some tunes.

From a specificity point of view it’s also perfect. The race I’m training for is pretty flat, on the road and will have drinks stations at regular intervals. It’s much easier to mimic these conditions doing a short loop. My loop is relatively flat, all on road and I can leave water out which I can pick up as and when required. I can also control my pace much easier than if I was at the mercy of road on a long circular run.

Lastly, it ticks all the boxes on a spiritual level. When it comes down to it, a run is an internal journey more than an external journey. Very seldom will I run a point to point run with the sole purpose of arriving at a destination. I do occasionally run to or from work and while I do need to get to the end point of the run, this is a secondary purpose of the run. Most of my runs will have a particular training goal in mind. The real destination of a run is the end goal that I’m working towards – a metaphysical destination as opposed to a physical one if you will. It doesn’t matter what I’m seeing externally, it’s what I’m experiencing internally that is important. Running can be a form of moving meditation. I’m not saying that I don’t enjoy a big long run on different roads or trails and seeing different things, as I do as much as the next runner. Just sometimes it’s good to control your environment to make your goals more accessible and not leave so much up to chance. I suppose that’s the trade off I need to make.  

Weather was fair, breakfast was porridge washed down by green tea. Run fuelled by water alone approx. 2l drank (started feeling a bit tired towards the end my run, may need to re-evaluate either breakfast or in run nutrition).