The Run of Every Weather

Hope everyone's enjoying the weekend! I packed more than enough food yesterday.. I think I must have had eyes bigger than my belly when packing my pasta portion cause I only managed to eat half. I think partly I only managed half cause I was a teeny bit upset.. One of the residents clocked me right on the nose and reduced me to tears. How embarrassing. The boxer who can't be hit haha, I've been hit much harder but it totally caught me off guard. I hope I react better next time it happens! She did get me hard though it still hurts today lol!

I had a 10 mile long tempo run planned for today. Even though my headphones did eventually arrive just before I was about to head out for my run I'd spent the best part of the morning trying to pursuade Mike to come with me. He finally gave in and said he'd run with me on the condition that we go to the river trail. I said ok and waved goodbye to my pace goals, which I'd ever so carefully plotted out here and scrawled on my hand..

10 mile plan: Goal pace 8.47!!!!!
Miles 1-3 9.17
Mile 4 - 8.57
Mile 5-6 - 8.47
Mile 7 8.37
Miles 8-10 8.17

They will have to wait for my next 10 miler, which I think is scheduled fairly soon and even then I'm not sure this pace is remotely possible.. I knew I would not hit these goals as the trail route is hilly and rough terrain. We ran on concrete, gravel, mud and grass during todays run. Miles 1-2 were on concrete, miles 3-8 were a mix of gravel, mud and grass, mainly gravel and miles 9-10 back on concrete.

We also had the wierdest, and most annoying weather. Strong wind was going against us constantly for the first 5 miles. It's an out and back run almost all in the same direction. Mike kept saying don't worry the wind will help you on the way home... Almost exactly as we finished mile 5 and turned around the wind completely disappeared. It was totally still... wth?? I guess at least it wasn't that magical wind that somehow seems to be against you regardless of direction.. That would have made me so sad!

We also had a random rainstorm which lasted about half a mile but mostly it was hot sunshine.. After seeing AnneMarie's post the other day I decided to forget feeling insecure and stripped down to my sports bra (it's quite big and looks like a crop top)... As I did I swear some prissy bitch laughed at me. Instead of feeling fat and putting it back on I thought I'd like to see her run 10 miles, or go one round with me in the ring... her choice! I would put money on her not surviving either ;-)

The particular route we ran I have only run once before and had my worst run ever - recapped here! I went at it with a much better attitude today and even though I totally missed my time I feel ok, I don't think I could have done much better and the wind and hills will make me stronger!

10 miles in 1.32.18 = 9.14 pace

Mile 1 - 9.13
Mile 2 - 9.54 (hill+wind)
Mile 3 - 9.02
Mile 4 - 9.03
Mile 5 - 9.28
Mile 6 - 9.01
Mile 7 - 9.05
Mile 8 - 10.12 (killer steps - they made me cry last time haha)
Mile 9 - 8.48
Mile 10 - 8.34

I'm glad I got a negative split and finished strong. That was my main goal of the run, if only the wind had stuck around and helped me out it might have been stronger haha..

I'm sure most of you have probably seen the OIAJ (oats in a jar) creations floating around the blog world.. I finally got round to trying it, I had mine in a peanut butter jar with some set honey... It's really nice, Mike quickly got in on the action and I had to make some more (I'd been saving two jars).. I'll definately be making this again!



Yum! - What's your favourite OIAJ creation?