Final Long Run.

The watch was left at home today as I wanted to enjoy the long run and eliminate any chance of turning the run into a time trial. After yesterdays hard interval session I expected to be feeling a bit heavy legged but for 16 miles I plodded along quite comfortably trying not to go to hard up the two long climbs both of which are at least a mile long and steep. I could feel my legs stiffening up but it seemed easy enough to keep the same steady pace going so onwards I went. By the time I got back home and checked the clock I was expecting the run to of taken me just under three hours but two hours forty minutes seems unbelievable. I wasn't looking for a morale boosting performance but I will take it with pleasure especially as there's only two weeks to go now until marathon day.
The Mizuno Musha Race Shoes that I had hoped for from Up and Running at Harrogate didn't go to well. I predicted that they wouldn't have my size but better still he told me he had never heard of them and they don't really sell race shoes. I'm sure I will pass on this info to my fellow runners. I think I will try the Darlington store next time.
The weight battle continues with Thursday being the weigh-in day. With only 9 days to go after that I'm hoping to be down to one pound over race weight. Leaving the final pound for the final week. You wouldn't of thought loosing a couple of pounds could be so hard. Maybe I should of taken up darts instead of running. Could you imagine winter training - in a nice warm pub with a pint of beer and packet of crisps with only a few short strides between throws to get through.
Nah ! You'll never impress your friends with training like that. Ten miles on a dark winters night in a torrential down pour is what makes us what we are. No! not daft. TOUGH.