All Downhill From Here

After dropping off my son at a soccer referee training course, I quickly popped into a Running Room store to pick up some gels on my way downtown. I ran about 18 ish km using the same loops that Sylvie and I did together last week. As I was heading east towards 14th Street, Nancy caught up with me and did about half a loop with me. We had a nice conversation and then I was on my own again for the last hour or so. I ran 10 minutes and walked one, occasionally extending a walk break to eat my gel or a cookie, and skipping one occasionally to make up for it.

There were some geese settling in along the river, and I saw a pair of ducks as well. Lots and lots of exercisers of all kinds were out moving and grooving.

I felt pretty good through the whole time, and am not dreading next week’s 20 km run at all. Sure I’m a little creaky now that I’m done, but I’ll recover soon enough. No blisters, no sore feet (2nd long run in the new shoes), very little chafing. If I do the Police Half on April 30th at this pace, I should finish in about 2:40ish. I might do it faster (I’ll be racing), I might do it slower (today’s run was flat, there’s hills in the Police Half), but I’m quite happy with my effort today. I will keep up the hill training over the next month!

Tonight I’m off to volunteer at a new Calgary Roadrunners Race, the Runny Nose & Frozen Toes 6k. I’m looking forward to it!