(Wo)Man vs Machine!

Tuesday 13/02/07:
After writing my post on Sunday evening, I then looked over the training plan in order to mentally prepare for the week ahead - as ya do! It was with surprise that I realised the next day was a schedueled rest day! In a short time I'd gotten quite used to Friday's being the rest day, Tuesdays being interval sessions, Thursdays being the mid-week longish run, etc, etc.

However I think I actually really needed the rest day on Monday... My shoulder was bloody sore where I'd banged it on the rocks on Saturday (not that I need that to run!) and my whole body felt rather weary. Not sure if it is just my body adjusting to more distance again, or if I was in fact coming down with something or perhaps it was just lack of sleep. Anyway, if the plan hadn't said it was a rest day, I probably would have pushed on, but as it was I took it, and feel much better for it. I have also had a couple of nights where I have made sure I am in bed by 10pm and catching up on a bit of sleep is bound to have helped.

So, that was yesterday - no running. Today however was the schedueled longish midweek run - 70mins at steady pace. Pleased to say I felt ready for it this morning... It was nice and cool when I stepped out the door at 5.30am. Rather than doing a loop this morning I opted for a straight out & back route, which I aimed to run at consistant splits.

Brisk walk warm up: 5mins
Steady paced run: 70mins (14.2km - measured on my way home this evening!)
Brisk walk cooldown: 4mins

I had a really good run today. I think the combination of the route, the weather conditions and how I felt both mentally and physically combined to make it feel really, really good and enjoyable. I was surprised at how many other runners and walkers I saw out there this morning too - especially before 6am. It was still slightly dark when I turned and headed back, but it gets light really quickly once it starts. I had a retro/disco mix on the iPod and the music really picked me up at times too. Nothing like a little "Footloose", "Killer Queen" and "Morning Train" to get ya going!! Gotta love those lyrics from the last one - "He works all day, to earn his pay, so we can play all nigh-hi-hi-hi-it" !! Yeah right - no such luck for this girl!! But its a good old song anyway...

It felt so satisfying to be driving to work at 8.30am on an absolutely gorgeous, sunny day, knowing I had already done this run. Oh and I've said it before, but I'll say it again - its the little, funny things that happen on a run that makes each one unique. Today as I was heading back along the last main road before my sub-division where I stop to walk, I could see a big ol' grader lumbering along the roadside towards me. They were obviously moving it further down the road where they are excavating the new park. I could have jumped up onto the grass at any time, but chose to see if I could get to the little "lay-by" before it did, so that I could stay on the road. I was being a bit cheeky and I think both the driver and I knew it! I wasn't being dangerous or anything - like I say, either he could have pulled out or I could have jumped up the curb if it had come to the crunch, but I knew it wouldn't. As if in slow-motion, he was coming towards me, while I was running towards him directly in his path, getting faster and faster. Of course I made it with several seconds to spare, at which time we basically saluted each other and had a laugh!

Maybe thats why I made it back a minute faster than I went out, despite not even trying for a negative split! Hee hee!