Runstreak Day #228 - the joys of the early

Okay, so right now, my running is as slow as an elephant sleepwalking through treacle, blindfolded... and backwards... on a bad day... but I *am* enjoying my early morning runs at the moment.  It is so nice to catch the day before it fully wakes up.  In fact, it feels like you're out and about doing something positive before just about anyone else wakes up.

Which is probably true when it's half past five in the morning and even the milkman looks at you like you're a little bit crazy.

But a little bit of crazy is good when you get to run along in the early morning sunshine through chill shadows and out into the growing warmth of the morning.  You feel completely alive when it's just you, just your breathing, just your footsteps... and nothing else.  No traffic.  No hustle.  No bustle.  If you're lucky, you get to see the mist rising off the land while it's still bathed in a blanket of golden light.  It's so perfect it's almost like being let into a secret that things could be that beautiful... but only if no-one else knows about it.  It's a fantastic time of day.

The thing is that you don't need to think about how lovely it might be when you get out there.  You just need to get out there.  Whether that's putting your running kit in the bathroom so that you see it when you go to the loo first thing (that might just be me who wakes up super early for a pee though!)... or whatever.  You just have to fool yourself into getting ready so quickly there's no choice *but* to run.

So, I ran at 5:30.  I ran almost 4 miles.  I ran pretty darned slowly.  But I savoured every delicious minute of it.  And then next time someone tells me they're not a morning person or they think I'm crazy for going out at that time, I'll make an 'mmm hmmm' noise... and know that they just haven't been let into the secret loveliness of really early mornings.

PS  And then I lost my Fitbit which was annoying...
PPS ... but then decided I didn't need it and that I was okay about it. That's how positive an early morning run can make you feel!!

Geeky stats stuff

Distance:	3.75 mi
Time:	32:54
Avg Pace:	8:46 min/mi
Elevation Gain:	187 ft

Runstreak Day #223 - laundry-motivated running!

... and... that's it! No more runs left to go until the RMR Retreat!!  A whole weekend of running and meeting other lovely runners awaits!

*almost explodes with excitement*

Plus, my smug pants are so high they're practically giving me a wedgie. Run done by 6am. Now showered and busy scoffing toast and supping a cuppa before heading off to work. And obviously washing all of my running kit ready for tomorrow!

Which, to be honest, was the main reason for going for a run at 5:30 this morning. Not because I'm dedicated. Not because I wanted to experience the gloom of a truly dreary Nottingham morning. But all because I wanted to make sure I had enough shorts, socks, sports bras and tops to take with me tomorrow. My brain was going 'run in the evening and they might not be dry for the morning... but you could tumble dry them... but you *shouldn't* tumble dry them... but how will they dry if they've only got overnight to do it in... they won't!!!... what can we do?!?!?!... could you run on the way home from work?!... still not enough time... hmmmm... I KNOW! Get up at stupid o'clock, do a very quick wash and they'll have all day to dry... and... RELAX' 

This morning's run was less run, more plod. Deliberately nice and steady as my run last night was very hilly and my hip's aching from 6+ hours of driving yesterday too. But, I did enjoy it. You feel like the streets belong to you in a morning. No traffic. No people. You could cartwheel down the middle of the road and no-one would notice!

Only I didn't cartwheel. I just ran. Then got home, did the laundry... and popped on my smug pants.

Day 223, all done. AND THE RETREAT TOMORROW!!!!

*jumps up and down happily* 

Geeky stats stuff

Distance:	2.94 mi
Time:	25:22
Avg Pace:	8:38 min/mi
Elevation Gain:	103 ft

Runstreak Day #213 - 7 months of running every day!

Day 213... you have been RUN!!!

And today is exactly 7 months since I started this crazy running streak and it's 6:30 in the morning... I've already done a nice hilly (yeah - nice and hilly in the same sentence!) 5k.  And I feel EPIC!!!  WOOOOO HOOOO!!!

Absolutely sparkly delish out.  Running up the hill didn't completely wreck me.  I played 'beat the bus' along the high street (bus 0 : me 1 - yay!) where when the bus passes me on the hill, I see if I can run up the hill and along the high street and get to the other end before it does.  Then ran down the hill the other side... up another hill... down it... up a looooooo-o-o-o-ong not-too-steep hill, avoiding being bitten by a stupid yappy dog... around the streets at the top... avoiding another trip-hazard dog on an overly long lead... then down the next hill... and up again to home.

Oh yeah, and I made a point of not looking at my watch again this morning and just feeling what was a comfortable pace / rhythm.  5k in dead on 25 minutes.  Get in!

Things I like about running in the morning?  You don't have to wait to cross the road because there's no traffic.  No-one heckles you.  Early morning sunshine.  Bird song and stillness.  The air is fresher than a fresh thing.  And the rest of the day you feel fabulous.

Things I don't like about running in the morning?!  F*ck me, it's early.  :o)

Cuppa?  Earned.

Smug pants.  On.  :o))

Geeky stats stuff

Distance:

3.18 mi

Time:	25:40
Moving Time:	25:40
Elapsed Time:	25:40

Avg Pace:	8:05 min/mi
Avg Moving Pace:	8:05 min/mi

Runstreak Day #198 - early run done, smug pants on

So... it's less than 12 hours since my last run... and I've had to cram in my run at 6am because there will be no time for the rest of the day.  Am off to London until tomorrow and with this runstreaking lark, you just have to grab whatever opportunity you can for a run.  There is a special technique to going for an early morning run... it is this:

1.  Get your kit ready the night before
2.  Place kit in bathroom
3.  When you (inevitably) have to go for a 'middle of the night pee' (the joy of being nearly 40), put on kit
4.  Except socks, no-one wants their feet to be too hot in bed
5.  Wake up at 5:30, vaguely recall you were going to go for a run
6.  Go for another pee
7.  Realise you're already dressed in your running kit so you might as well put your socks and trainers on and go
8.  Go.

Then there's the small matter of actually running.  But it basically boils down to 'just do it' as the technique.  This morning's run was short.  2.5 miles and that was enough to get me red faced and sweaty... and earned me a ginormous cuppa cha and the right to wear my smug pants for the rest of the day.

They suit me... right?

*happy dances over to her lovely big cup o' tea*

Geeky stats stuff

Distance:

2.46 mi

Time:	20:36
Moving Time:	20:36
Elapsed Time:	20:36

Avg Pace:	8:22 min/mi
Avg Moving Pace:	8:22 min/mi
Best Pace:	7:08 min/mi

Runstreak Day #116 - the 'up early' run...

Day 116 all done and dusted...

... and I have achieved an almost zen-like state of 'I've already done my run for the day' smugness. Ommmmmmmm...

8:23 mins / mile as well... which wasn't bad considering my legs were going 'wtf-ing eff are you doing to us at this time in the morning!!!'.

So... things that are good about an early morning run:

1. You're done for the day running-wise before brekkie
2. You've earned your first cuppa
3. You can see the dog poo on the pavement before it gets you (unlike night-time runs!)
4. No drunks to run past and get heckled by
5. Hardly any traffic
6. Hearing the birdies singing
7. Being smug

*assumes smug face*

*happy dances off to make tea*

Geeky stats stuff

Distance:	2.46 mi
Time:	20:37
Avg Pace:	8:23 min/mi

Time:	20:37
Moving Time:	20:37
Elapsed Time:	20:50

Avg Pace:	8:23 min/mi
Avg Moving Pace:	8:23 min/mi
Best Pace:	6:33 min/mi

Runstreak Day #114 - the dawn chorus run

Is that the sound of... runstreak Day #114 having already happened?!

Why yes, yes it is!

*dances happily*

Decided to try to fit in my run before work this week as I'm sick of not getting out in an evening until 9pm... so... up at 5am and out the door.  Freezing as anything out and SO quiet.  But pretty darned lovely even if the pavements were a bit lethal.

Making sure I had my kit ready to go first thing and not dithering about like yesterday's 'getting myself in a complete and utter state' mess was definitely the way to do it.  Kit on, trainers on, Garmin bleep, (doubt sanity for a second), out the door... bish, bash, bosh!  Big respect to the dawn chorus crew who do this every day.  Let's see how I am on Friday having attempted early runs the whole week!

First cuppa cha... mmmm mmmmm... I've earned you...  :o)

*slurps*

Geeky stats stuff

Distance:	2.49 mi
Time:	21:26
Avg Pace:	8:37 min/mi

Time:	21:26
Moving Time:	21:01
Elapsed Time:	21:27

Avg Pace:	8:37 min/mi
Avg Moving Pace:	8:27 min/mi
Best Pace:	6:30 min/mi