Procrastinating

That's what I've been doing this morning.

According to my original plan I should be just coming towards the end of this morning's 15 mile run. Instead I'm in bed typing this.

The run isn't off though, just delayed, and that's probably down to my being probably over cautious. I'd best give a little context.

Friday's run wasn't a disaster but nor was it as successful as I'd expected. The plan called for 5.5 miles at 7:30 pace with a 1.5 mile jog both before and after and I expected that to be straightforward. After the warm up 1.5 I set off at what felt about right pace wise and a glance at the Gamin confirmed it but next time I looked, after half a mile, my average pace was at 8:00 a mile. I'd day dreamed as I ran and my pace had slipped in the process. I increased my efforts but by the end still only had the pace at 7:35. That doesn't sound too bad but what concerned me was that it felt very, very hard work and I'd had half a minute's break at halfway.

Yesterday I wasn't due to run but decided to do about 5 miles at a steady pace. I ran from home so it was a mix of road and trail generally downhill on the way out generally uphill on the way back. I felt fine when I set off but an early look at the Garmin suggested I was running well over a minute slower than I had presumed. I pushed on and by mile one was averaging 8:12. Mile two was 8:20. Then at halfway I felt a sudden need for a rest and did so for a couple of minutes. The pace and distance shouldn't have required one but I felt really pooped.

I carried on and whilst I didn't try to push pace, took a little detour across an unclear trail through the woods and was running uphill my speed was still lower than expected and the remainder of the run averaged 9 minute miles, and thta with two more short breathers. Like Friday, it wasn't the pace that was the worry it was the fact that it felt much tougher than the pace should have warranted.

That might have been down to having a very slight cold (a bit wheezy on an evening, and slightly bunged up on waking but nothing more) but I really don't want today's run to go the same way.

My plan for today is 15 miles with the first 5 at base pace then the last 10 at marathon pace. If I feel OK at the end I might add on half a mile or more for luck but that's far from obligatory. I'd also like to do this, and the remaining runs, in kit similar to that I'll be wearing in Paris which means wearing road shoes.

Its been raining steadily overnight and heavily this morning though, meaning the canal is apt to get muddy in places. As a result I've adjusted my route and have been waiting for the rain to ease off this morning.

I've also felt rather sluggish as one bi-product of the difficult runs was a decision to undertake some rather unstructured, and heavy, carb loading last night to make sure I'm ready for today's run. Hindsight tells me that was completely unnecessary but yesterday it left me feeling more in control of my destiny with regards to the success of today's run. I hope that doesn't sound too melodramatic!

Still coming down heavily now but I can't really delay much longer. Here goes.