Improving

Running-wise, this has been an easier week - I've only run on Tuesday, Wednesday and today. Total mileage this week: just over 12, which is what the serious runners will do in one sitting, and which is what the hardcore runners will double or quadruple in a single session. (P.S. I hope to have race reports to read this week at work, guys.) Around 13 miles per week seems to be the right figure for me, considering what I want to achieve and how much time I'm prepared to give to it. Beyond that distance, the knees start complaining, especially at this time of year. The weather's turned suddenly cold (for me, anyway) midweek to about 48F at the height of each day, and old Lefty makes a lot of noise, but still, I'll take cold bright days over dark ones.

Today I ran 3 loops around the neighbourhood - I've recently got into the habit of not looking at the stopwatch on the first lap, so I'm running by feel, judging pace by how I'm breathing and by how my feet are moving. I find that it's when I start paying attention to the times that I try to do too much, go too fast, and then slowing down seems almost like going too slow, and before I know snails are moving faster than I am. Today's times - 1st loop: 12:20; second loop: 11:40. On the third loop I ignored the times, ran by feel, except for when I had this uphill section just before the end. I needed to see where I was. Finishing time: 8.1km in 35:56, 5 miles in 35:29, 7:06 per mile.

I think that entitles me to a bigger portion of Mrs Try's hard work.