I used to more, but now I really don’t until near the end.

Don't make the mistake in thinking that all runners who check their watch are doing so for pace/ distance related reasons.

Sometimes we are just worried that we won't make it back home by the time we promised our partners we would!

I've run more this month than all of last year

Bammer’s partner likes this post

Agreed.

I don't have a watch, but my running app gives me time/stats updates every km and 10 minutes

Do you have a Beast Mode button you just push?

It mostly just defaults back to sloth mode

I’m going to stop harassing you about how good you are.

From here on, my Saturday long runs will be new distances. Today's was nine miles and it was mentally tough.

It wasn't tough as in "how will I finish this?" Finishing the distance isn't a problem, and I wasn't really that fatigued. I skipped a rest day so I was a little fatigued, but not terribly so.

The run was tough because for the first time in the training block, I realized that I might miss my goal pace. I missed the average pace it by 3 seconds for these nine miles and I was battling to even do that well. On paper I ran it well. Got gradually faster, Starting around 9:41/mi and finishing with 8:46/mi, but it really felt like an effort. I've still got a month to figure it out, so I'm not really sweating it too much, and finishing the race in over 2 hours is still super respectable for a 38 year old novice, but damn this is the first long run that I didn't 100% enjoy. 10 miles next week. Let's see how it goes!

Factors working against me this morning:

1. No rest day. That's the biggest one for sure. I did 11 miles over three days leading up to this so legs were a little heavy.
2. Cold cold temps. I was layered but still an adjustment in this neck of the woods.
3. 5 hours of sleep last night. I usually try to get at least 7 before a long run. You'd think without a rest day I'd need even more. Not in the cards for my schedule unfortunately.
4. Maybe over-experimenting with fuel? I tried two types of carbs on the run which was likely overkill for nine miles. A powder and a gel.

Don't focus so much on pace and just run, you fool.

Not the worst advice by a long shot. Thanks len. I needed that.

I was kidding. Make yourself go faster.

Got in just over 5km this evening. Took the dog with me, so my time was awful. She's good to run with for 2 - 3km and after that I'm pretty much dragging her

Just over 60km this month, so I'm happy with that

Did 3.5. Body felt off so just went slow without walking much

3.3 miles yesterday afternoon. I really pushed myself hard to make it in about 40 minutes. I kept peaking (around 167-172), so had to keep slowing down, walking some. Well, it is only my second run in two weeks after about a month and a half off, before which I hadn't been running a lot anyway...

3.5 again. Hoping to do 3 tomorrow. I never go 3 days in a row, so we will see…

I haven't run at all this month so far. Buggered up my foot, so we'll see if I'm up to it in a couple of days

wat

Is it February 1st there?