After a great hike on Saturday, I was ready for a long run.  Or I was cautiously optimistic for one.  My training plan called for 12-14 miles but I knew that was highly unlikely.   I was eager but also lazy.  🙂   I was aiming for 8-10.  This was my test run.  If I felt good throughout the run and after I was registering for Wine Country.  Which is now 4 days away.

As much as I love daylight savings time and was looking forward to it, there was no way that I was running in the morning.   I was looking forward to sleeping in.  Besides my favorite time to run is the afternoon, so why change?  Ha!   I set out around 2:30 for my run.    What I forgot to take into account was the unseasonably warm weather we have been having.  High 70’s- low 80’s when I set out.    This actually sounds like my perfect running weather, and it is, when I am used to it.    I’m just not there yet.  🙂I kept it slow and easy and felt pretty good.     Because I am a sucker for punishment, I did my usual hill repeats.   Why am I not better at hills?  Actually I know that part of my problem is the downhills.  I tend to slow down when running down a street.  Which is odd because I practically throw myself down trails where there is more chance to hurt myself.   🙂  That’s a little backwards.   I need to work on keeping my pace more consistent on downhills.  It was warm so I was actually managing to keep my pace just under 11:00 for once.  I have a route that if I loop twice is 10 miles but then I would have to run past my driveway halfway through.  I always end up doing little loops instead and end up shorting myself mileage.  Which drives me crazy because in theory I am covering the same ground just in a different way.  Ugh.   I had just completed mile 8 and was trying to figure out where I went wrong again when my phone went off.  Texts from my brother and mother, they wanted to do family dinner…soon.  I was still a mile from home plus I needed to try and make myself look (and smell) presentable and that was only if I gave up on 10 miles.  I’d kept walking while trying to figure out the plans so that added to getting back home brought me to 9.25 miles for the day.   Not what I was aiming for but pretty good.   Once cleaned up, I proceeded to eat way too many chips and salsa at dinner with my family.  Oops!

I felt pretty good after my run.  I was achy but not in any unusual ways.  Sitting through dinner in a small booth so soon after running didn’t make it any worse.   I had stretched briefly before leaving for dinner so I made sure to stretch really well later as well.   I rolled a bit but not too much, I’ve learned my muscles get real cranky if I try to push it with the roller.   Also is it any wonder I ache some when the roads I run look this-

Do you slow down or speed up when running downhills?

What do your roads look like?

What’s your weakness- chips and salsa or a breadbasket?