Week 3/17 HM Training - Run #1 12K

So it was "Thrill Hill Tuesday" today ...

Before I begin my post on today's run, I have a little catching up to do ...

After my LSD on Saturday, and having a BBQ with friends that night, I opted out of my scheduled 8K on Sunday. And I slept! For someone who gets up extremely early, I slept for much longer than expected. Clearly, I was exhausted after the week and needed the rest. It made me shake my head a little - Week #2 and already I was cancelling a run for rest? However, my training book discusses this; what run to cancel if feeling exhausted after the increase in mileage and encouraging a short break when truly needed. I may post a snippet because I think his advice is interesting and makes extremely good sense! :)

After taking Sunday off to rest, I was tempted to go for a run on Monday. It was a gorgeous morning for a run, too! However, I controlled myself by deciding to stick with my training program, wait until Tuesday, thus giving myself a double-day break instead. I did go to a "Body Sculpt" class at the gym and it was just excellent. This is the class that fills a large studio to capacity! The instructor was just excellent, and I was so pleased with the workout I did. I was really feeling it after, not in a bad way (overexertion), but in a good way (truly worked the muscles). I did quite a few squats and lunges, and really worked my glutes, all the areas I want to work on for my running, but won't do on my own at this point (hence going to a workout class). I knew I would probably be feeling it the next day on my run.

And boy! Was I right! When I woke up the next morning - Oy! I often think that I must look very odd running my first 2-3K while warming up because my running form and cadence feels so tight and stiff to me. I am grateful for running down Riverside Drive hill near the beginning of my run because the decline helps to get me going!

I took both Angus and Wallace with me because the temperature was so much cooler, and the air was lacking in humidity (until later in our run). They were absolute rock stars and ran well the entire time, keeping with me at a perfect pace. I noticed more people today smiling at them as we passed so I am assuming they were looking particularly gleeful this morning. :)

My pace was all over the map today. I was very slow at the end of my run while heading up Riverside Hill, but there were sections where I gained a little bit of speed. I am beginning to expect this from my Tuesday runs; my first run back after a break is never my best run.

Having said that, I did make up the Riverside hill without stopping today. :) Mind you, my speed was very, very slow - ha! But I made it up the hill and kept going for recovery at the top. Poor Angus was spent by the time we crested the hill so both of us were grateful when we reached the 12K mark soon after.

I have a "Rock Bottom" class tonight at the fitness club, and a 10K run scheduled for tomorrow morning.

Cheers!