I have not been keeping up with the mileage I would like to have had this month, but I am still pounding the pavement. Since I posted at the start of the month that I would like to go for a 600 mile year, I have basically not been able to make it a priority. I got pretty sick just after that and had to lay off of some of the physical activities. Then a long run got postponed because I did not want it to affect a race the next day. I ran a 5K PR in that race, by the way.
This week I only ran twice. A 5K on Thursday and today I ran 8.5 miles. My running and exercise routine has been out of whack due to this chess tournament. I usually do a couple of evening runs while my son is in chess class. His classes were on a break during the tournament since his coach is a judge for the event. Then the morning schedule has been messed up because I am too lazy to get out and run at 6:00. I did manage a short run on Thursday before my son played that morning.
Thursday’s 5K run was encouraging. I did not at all push myself and was just running to get miles in. I ran it at a 9:13 pace. I remember when 9:13 was impossible and an easy run was more in line with an 11:30 pace.
Today’s run of 8.5 miles was very enjoyable. I had no distance nor time goals with the run. I took a play from Adam Tinkoff’s Burning 20 podcast. Adam has been running in France and Australia recently. While on these runs he tells us what he is doing. Besides running it seems Adam spent a lot of time taking pictures and enjoying side walk cafés. So on my run today I got to the 4.5 mile point and just sat down on the side of the road and stared at cars as they went by. I also put a big dent in the 1.5 liters of water I was carrying in my CamelBak pack.
Then at 6.5 miles I saw a remote control airplane buzzing overhead. I stopped to talk to the “pilots.” It was fun to learn a bit about the hobby here. I know in the US the hobby of planes like that is regulated by the FCC and you have to hold an Amateur Radio Operator’s license to use the planes. They told me here that they don’t have to go through any of that, you just have to have the money to afford the planes.
I finished out the last 2 miles kinda slow. Since there were no time limits for me today (a rarity on Saturdays), I just took my time. I did not even leave until almost 2 hours later than normal. I ran for about 1 hour and 40 minutes.