Save me from myself....

Last night (Monday) started badly when my plan to stop on the way home from work to go for a run was foiled by my lack of footwear. I had my shirt / shorts / socks, I even got changed before leaving work, but when stopped at determined location…..no shoes.

I got home resigned to the fact that if I was to run it would be after dinner again. But, my lovely wife had already bathed the boys and dinner was being eaten, so she sent me out the door then and there.

I did not know where I wanted to run, since the initial plan was for a flat location run. So – as you do – I picked the longer of my very hilly courses from home. Mainly because I wanted to run for an hour, but also because I had not run it since the GOR and it was time. The only consession I allowed myself was to avoid the first really nasty hill which is before the legs are warm, so the 13.2k course was reduced to about 13.1km….

The air was crisp and there were more cars about than normal (given normal is 10pm), but I felt pretty good and just rolled along. But it seems that I am less and less able to just roll along and find myself pushing the limits a bit, especially on the up hills. I think perhaps I have a predetermined duration in mind, so that places pressure on me to get inside that time. Of course I could have easily shortened the course to keep to an hour, but that sub-consciously feels like a cop out.

Anyway, all was OK, even my objecting calf muscle didn’t give more than a whimper. I got to 40min and wondered if I would get home by 60min, I got to 52min and wondered again, inevitably the pace when from rolling to rapid. The last 10min was very fast. Home in 58m49s. Stupid competitive drive…..

13.1km at better than 4m30s pace on a very hilly (read 12-15 separate rises) course, too fast for a evening training run, but surprisingly comfortable most of the time, and equally happy with my endurance towards the end.

 

But – in desperate hope of some devine wisdom. Given that more of my running is solo these days and it is tougher to find company due to my wacky work/life situation, how can I force myself to slow down and just roll along – like the plan is before every run…..but rarely happens.

 

Hopefully I can get a couple of morning runs in this week, that might help….