Caramba, these midweek runs are getting longer. 8 miles tonight, though I was luckier with the weather than last night. When runtime came around the rain was over and the wind had dropped. Cold though – just 2 degrees above freezing. Despite this, I ran without a tracksuit top for the first time in the evening. For the first shivering mile I thought I’d misjudged it, but after that I warmed up and was glad of the decision.
I took an unusual route this evening. I tend to stick to the same back lanes during the week but tonight I adapted my recent Sunday 10 miler which takes me a different way. A pretty dull route it has to be said. There aren’t a lot of kind things you can say about the modern housing estates of Yate.
I felt good. I wasn’t tempted to stop for a walk break, and ran the whole thing at a steady pace of just under 11:30. Not fast by most standards, but considering I was running 13 minute miles only a few weeks ago, I’m pleased with that. I’ve deliberately upped the carbohydrates this week, and am also drinking more water during the day. Perhaps these things are filtering through to the legs at last. It was only in the last mile that I began to tire a little though I could have easily run another few miles.
One new source of anxiety is the appearance of another blister in exactly the same place (the outside of my second toe) on my right foot that’s been troubling me on the left foot. Worrying. It’s possibly the new Thorlo socks I’ve been wearing. They’re great socks, but they are so thick that wearers are advised to use shoes that are a half size larger than normal. I’m still wearing the same old shoes, so perhaps they’re constricted around the toebox.
I received my running number for the Reading Half today. Gulp. They believed me…
