Thursday, February 07, 2013

Ugly Porcupine

Report:
Debated running a 6 mile road route then opted to get back out on the trails. Even though I picked the flat rail trail, it still felt better than running the roads. As I got on the trail and started running, I felt okay. Not great, just okay. I clicked off the first mile and glanced at my watch and was a bit surprised at my pace. Happy with what I saw, I began to entertain thoughts of stretching my 4 mile run to 5 miles. I made it to the second mile and still felt good so I went another half mile before turning around. On the way back I was able to bring my pace down even further. I began to feel pretty good so I made a conscious effort to increase my speed again for the last two miles. Again, I was pleasantly surprised by my speed.

By the time I finished I felt tired but happy. My pace was better than expected and I was yet again reminded of the fact that music makes me run faster. It's not common for me to run with music but for some reason I felt like it today. Anyway, the run went pretty good overall.




Weather:
Temps were about 35F to 40F. Sky was cloudy. Wind was light.

Fluids and Fuel:
Breakfast was waffles, yogurt, and iced coffee. During the run I had a bottle of plain water. Recovery was Hammer Recoverite.

Aches and Pains:
I could feel the stones stabbing me through my shoes. I think I'll need to try the rock guards the next time around. I also had some pain in my left thigh but that's expected after a new tattoo. My right hamstring felt tight for a half mile or so but it went away after I chugged some water.

Gear:
Listened to music, took pictures on my GoPro, and took my cell phone. I also used a hand warmer at times. Wore a thermal shirt, t-shirt, and a wind breaker (which I ditched after a mile). Wore T-Star shorts under my pants. Wore a headband and a hat (which I ditched after a mile and a half).

Codename - Ugly Porcupine
So while my wife thinks it looks like a hedgehog (her favorite animal), I think my porcupine looks ugly. But in a good way. He's fat, slow, prickly on the outside, and not pretty to look at but goofy enough to make you smile. Just like me.

Splits:
Mile 1 - 12:16
Mile 2 - 12:02
Mile 3 - 13:12
Mile 4 - 10:26
Mile 5 - 11:23
Finish - 59:20

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