Happily Ever After

Life in The Rural Retreat with a beautiful wife, three cats, garden wildlife, a camera, a computer – and increasing amounts about running

Earlier posts can be found on Adventures of a Lone Bass Player, where this blog began life. Recent entries can be found here.

A Quick Trip To Cromarty

by Russell Turner - 20:43 on 21 March 2019

Another one done – just two long runs left until The Big One. Today’s target was 15 miles or 165 minutes, which took place in weather so decent I ran in shorts and T-shirt. It was another 8:2 run/walk, begun at a mystery pace that was comfortable despite a slight headwind. To my surprise, the run part turned out to be around 9:45 min/mile – conditions and clothing must have contributed – and stayed that way all the way to Cromarty from Newhall Bridge and all the way back, where I needed a 20sec halt to refill my wrist water bottle.

That was 12 miles; the remaining three were a bit tougher. Was it the halt, the psychology of being back where I’d started, the pace catching up with me, or not enough energy Bloks? Whatever, I kept the pace up down another road to complete the half marathon distance in a new PB of 2:13 (woo hoo!), walked for a few extra minutes, then completed 15 miles at 8:2 and added a few minutes’ walk at the end to reach 160 minutes. And the legs felt fine.

Next week’s long run will be 17 miles or 180 minutes. Based on today, that should be achievable. It’s all coming together for five weeks on Sunday. What could possibly go wrong?

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