All that stood between yours truly and a second 5 day/50mpw was a first Sunday long run over 14 miles in 13 weeks,having taken care of my first track repeats in 10 weeks on Saturday it seemed like the weekend for ending long streaks....
I set off at 11.41am armed w/ hat,gloves,half zip and running bottoms....oh yes the cooler temps had set in and running along the river wasn't going to be that forgiving so I felt it prudent to be dressed to combat that,last thing I wanted was to bail on the run cos it was cold.
My calves were a little tender following yesterdays 6x1 mile repeats but I tried to put that out of my mind as I made my way onto West River Drive for the first time since August 17th.....things sure were a lot warmer back then!!!
There were a few other hardy souls out there getting their Sunday run in mostly going in the opposite direction of me but I was more concerened w/ my own running than anyones.
Having to really dig deep last Saturday over the closing mile of my 12 miler and not having ran a 14 miler in 13 weeks there were some question marks in my mind about my ability to "go the distance today".
Given I have races the next two weekends I could've sidestepped the 14 miler by going 10,10,10 during the week and making today another 12 miler but I figured come Dec 7th I'll be thrust back into the realm of Sunday long runs over 14 miles so why not "bite the bullet" today and get it over w/ and hopefully make Dec 7th run that much easier on myself???
To aid and abet that I opted to turn around at mile 7 at Falls Bridge as oppossed to going across and making it the whole loop....???? why you may ask,to be honest it felt psychological if I'd had the legs to go 7 miles out I should in theory have the legs to make the reverse journey,as time evolves I'll hopefully conduct the more traditional whole loop on my Sunday long run but today I had "nail my colours to the mast" moving forward ergo the turnaround at mile 7
W/ little in the way of knee lift and or leg turnover to offer I made my way southbound back down West River Drive picking off three runners who I passed going northbound towards Falls Bridge,so maybe I wasn't as "deadlegged" as I thought or felt I was.
W/ each quarter mile I ate into the 4 miles along W.River Dr I told myself I could do this,mile 5 would be along the Schuylkill Bank and when I reached 2 miles to go along the recently opened footpath connecting Schuylkill Banks to South St bridge I could hopefully find the physical and mental strength to see it through.
Unlike last week when the 12th and final mile proved to be a grind today I was able to shuffle along w/out the stop/start routine that blighted last Saturdays 12 mile,granted w/ just over half a mile to go my lack of kneelift and leg turnover resulted in tripping on a uneven paving stone but thanks to my catlike reflexes I stayed upright and then w/ just two blocks to go I managed to avoid being tripped over by somone raking leaves infront of his house who neither saw or heard me doing the "soft shoe shuffle" along the sidewalk....not sure if "leaping over his rake" means I've gotten married in some weird custom or other but frankly I was too bleedin' knackered to care!!!!
Home in one piece in an unofficial 2.06,I'd left at 11.41am and returned by 1.47pm which equates to 9 minute mile pace....I'll take it along w/ my second 5 day/50mpw
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