So I think that might be a PB...

Dragged myself out of bed this morning - largely only because Sarah was already up; had she still been in bed I don't think I would have had the willpower to dislodge myself. Dislodge myself I did, however, and despite not really "feeling it" as I left the house I got running.

Running quite quickly, as it turns out. Well, by my standards, obviously. Compared to a Mo Farah, or a Sonia Samuels, then it would be something of a dawdle, but...

The Loop, clockwise, in 22:06. I can't find any record on here of me going under 23 minutes previously. I don't seem to have been very good at recording my times in the early days of this blog, but the quickest I've found so far is 23:02 in May 2010, so I'm nearly a minute quicker than that.

Edit: found a quicker one (which I still beat today): clocked 22:43 on 04/06/10  http://bit.ly/29MQoFI 

Went off quickly, then basically tried to keep going. Made the most of the downhill bits, and pushed the uphill ones more than I have previously. Split times are pleasing, first mile sub 8 mins, and a pretty hot pace for the last segment too.

So, can I get down below 22 minutes? I feel a challenge coming on. Post-holiday :)



Music: Muse

Muggy mileage

Out on a weekend lunchtime following a depressing morning of rain. Couple of significant differences between running early doors on a weekday and on a weekend lunchtime: the population density on the roads, and the temperature! Might have thought that a morning of torrential rain might have cleared the air, but it was still muggy as hell - I had a major sweat on before I'd left Jarvis Way!

Still, quickest yet, which is good. No knee pain, and barely any discomfort - getting a lot stronger / better in that regard. Could still feel it from about 1.5 miles, but it never became enough to be a focal point, as it were, and by the time I'd got home it was almost an afterthought.



Musical accompaniment provided by Volbeat

Further. Faster. Fitter.

Two runs a week apart? That equals the total number of runs for 2013, 2014 and 2015 put together. So I'm counting that as progress. Year-on-year improvement and all that.

Having looked back through the one-offs from the previous couple of years I noticed a recurring theme regarding knee pain. I didn't have that when I ran a lot, but the difference - to my mind - is that I built up to that from scratch, using running / walking methodology. Now, I've not (pleasingly) struggled for fitness, but I do wonder whether that building phase armoured my knees against the stresses.

Anyway, completely ignored that and ran. Chucked in a couple of sprinty bits too, because I felt good. Ran the opposite way around the loop, for novelty value.

Can feel it in my left knee, but much better than last week. Enough that I'll persevere. Glorious morning for running, not too warm, but very bright. Located the "running" headphones, so enjoyed the musical accompaniment too.

Music: Akala