Looking at my watch
More than the autumn half moon,
Running with purpose.
(13km first 2k at about 7min/km, then rest at about 6min/7)
Let me start things off by congratulating my old neighbor and member of the Guilbault Gang, Marie-Soleil Bélanger, who finished the Montreal Half Marathon in a personal best time of 2:05. She had a disappointing finish last year on her first attempt, but she came back stronger this year. Félicitations, ma chère!
I recently bought the digital version of Run Less, Run Faster in the hopes of one day, maybe not this year, finish the Kyoto Higashiyama Mountain Race in less than four hours. I say not this year because I'm a little late getting on the program (something the authors would disapprove of) and I'm still hurting in the feet and legs and I'm not sure if I'll be able to follow the program (again, something they'd disapprove). We'll see what happens.
Yesterday I ran my first 'long run' at 13km. It's a little funny that it's considered a long run since it is the course I often run when coming back from work. It was a little different this time as along with the distance, a pace was required for the run. I never check my pace and I'm glad to say that I think I followed it pretty accurately, having checked the map beforehand to identify one-kilometer stretches for comparison along the way.
For me, this type of training is all so new, with the three key runs: intervals (hardest for me as I don't usually run fast, unless it's to catch a train!), tempo runs (warm up, somewhat fast running, cooling) and long runs. Also, what separates this running program from others is fewer runs and more cross training. Bicycle cross training is easy for me as I commute almost everyday by bicycle. I'll try to put in some swimming as well, something I've meant to do for a long time.
In a way, all this training goes a little against my philosophy of running for the fun of it. But being a little competitive with oneself can be fun too, although I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner. I remember telling an amateur (in the good sense) friend who failed to run a full marathon in under 3 hours that the length of seconds was arbritary (since created by humans) so she shouldn't worry about never having done it, and here I am wanting to finish a nondescript (well, it is beautiful, but not famous or record-setting in any way) race in less than 4! I fully assume my idiosyncratic self!
