Back On The Street Like You Didn't Miss A Beat

Between my taper and Nationals themselves it had been five weeks since my last Sunday long run untill yesterday,you know what they say"you can run but you can't hide"!!!
It was always going to be a rude awakening to jump back in at  a 14 miler but since I prefer the "cannonball" approach to getting back into the pool so to speak rather than pussyfooting around inching my way back in w/ a 10 miler followed by a 12 miler b4 the 14 miler it was a case of "Geronimo" and hope the splash didn't drench those sitting poolside!!!!!

Out the door by 11.25am a little later than I would have liked but somethings are beyond my control ie when my brother is going to call me from back home in South East London,I'd forwarded him the link to the video from Nationals for my 1,500m so he was quite chuffed to see me race as it's not something he gets to do w/ him back there and me on this side of the "pond".

Nice easy 9 minute mile pace for the run,having just gotten my first 8 miler under my belt earlier in the week the big step up to 14 miles was going to be important,a 40 mile week was riding on the outcome and while anything less wouldn't have been the end of the world the old "start as you mean to go on" mindset kind of ruled the roost.
It was shaping up to being a warm one,hence my preference to be on the road by 10.30am but equipt w/ a "can do attitude" and sensible pacing I was clipping off the miles at a decent rate of knots.

I always felt the last few miles would be the challenge both mentally and physically but given my mouth felt like the botton of a budgies cage I knew the sooner I got home the sooner  a pint or two of Strawberry Milk could be enjoyed which serves as quite a deterrent when ramdom thoughts of stopping and walking creep in!!!!!.
2.08 just off the 9 minute mile 2.06 pace I had hoped for but all things considered not a bad return to the realm of 14 miler Sunday long runs,one down several dozen to go!!!!