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.

Too Cold To Hang Around

by Russell Turner - 16:23 on 06 January 2018

I’ve been spoiled by a succession of run days featuring crisp, cold air, no wind and sometimes sun. Today wasn’t raining but the cold was damp, and there was a breeze with a chill edge to it from the snow-capped mountains on the other side of the firth. So, not a day for a long walk to warm up. At least there was no ice.

I’d intended to take it easier today but as the conditions were no incentive to hang around I trotted off a little slower than the last run but still slightly faster than was necessary. One day I’ll learn to control my velocity. However, I was able to maintain it for 5k, even speeding up for the last quarter of a mile (a gentle downhill) when I realised I was close to my best 5k time, set three days ago. I finished five seconds slower, acceptable the day after my cold. As Matchgirl said, I must be getting fitter.

The schedule puts me back on the road on Monday and keeps me there for 65 minutes of walking and running. The duration is lengthening. The following week there’s an 80-minute session and the first quarter of training concludes with 90 minutes or 6-8 miles – that’s between almost a quarter and almost a third of the marathon distance.

My shoes are still in good condition beneath the grime, which is just as well. The back-up pair I ordered online were sent back today because they were too tight. Rather than keep the postman busy, it looks like I’ll have to hang out with the real runners in one of Matchgirl’s favourite shops, Run4It in Inverness, where I can try on the goods first. With luck they’ll have a wider variety of size 12s than the average shoe shop does.

At this rate I’ll spend twice as much on gear as I’ll raise for charity.

So much gear...

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