Day: January 17, 2014

Thrashing out plans late into the evening, as I wasn’t keen on running on Friday evening with a long race Sunday, the only other slot available was the one that meant waking at 6 am and being out the door some time before seven.

I’ve never been good at waking, or doing anything before seven, running is especially difficult, made more so with the sixteen miles but completed until around nine pm the night before.

Somehow I got it of bed a little while after the alarm call, headed downstairs to put on the running gear and managed to get out by 06:40. The first couple of miles were no fun, being closer to nine minute miling than the seven minute I’ve been more used to when running at a sensible hour. Moreover, as it was still dark the out and back park route I normally run was not possible so I had to choose another, hillier, option.

With the worst climb out of the way I settled into a slow but comfortable rhythm. I could have gone on a little longer but I was on a tight deadline to get back to walk the kids to school. In the end another 5.7 miles were in the bank – ones that may help me get that sub-2:45 I’m so keen to achieve.

I’m glad I got the early morning run done rather than not run at all, but I hope it doesn’t have to become too regular an occurrence…

Before the run with GRC it was time to put in my usual four and a bit miles beforehand, although today it was a little closer to five as a few minutes into the run I realised I’d forgotten my hi vis top and running in pitch black country lanes doesn’t come recommended when you cannot be clearly seen. A quick turnaround to pick up the offending item and I back on my way, albeit running now a little faster to make up for lost time.

Once with the club and off running there was plenty of trainer talk, running styles and races entered in the upcoming months. The pace was mostly leisurely on the clockwise Sproxton circuit, but me and Ben up front picked up the pace on the uphill mile out of Sproxton itself, averaging 06:18 pace, and then on the run from Harlaxton down to Grantham on the A607 (fast becoming a favorite section of mine) I managed four fifths of a mile at 05:37 pace.

Those blasts out of the way it was a jog back to base, some more trainer talk and then running on back home. All in just shy of sixteen miles run in under two hours.