Long Saturday run - June 3

Catching up now with the backlog of entries: I guess this means I'm back into the swing, and I need to keep entries shorter and more up to date. Saturday, despite hopeless weather, I had the time available and went for a long run. Aiming for 11-13, and I thiink it was probably a fair call: I'm sore now in new ways, which a 10 mile run wouldn't have brought on, but I want to get up to speed before going to Japan so I'll just put up with the stiffness (especially noticeable in the hamstrings). In shorts -- it was mild-- with t-shirt and jacket (it was not warm enough for just one layer; probably 50 degrees F?), I set out in sporadic heavy showers, and for the first four or five miles I was not totally drenched. Headed down the rail trail (direct entry) and followed straight to 181, crossed over and entered new gateway; this shortly became the snowmobile trail, which I was too wet to argue with; turned right on reaching Pine and rejoined 181 back up to the railtrail, then followed that home-but stopped the clock when I reached the momentary shelter of the railway bridge at 202. *So* wet I might as well have been swimming.

Time: 1:34:05
Speed: 7.77 mph
Distance: 12.19 miles

Comment: Felt good at 4 miles, warmed up and ready for the distance. In better weather maybe I'd have gone all the way timed and done a half-marathon. The surface was of course soft, but it's knackering to dodge puddles and the edges of the trail are stony/uneven. Eventually I gave up and splashed on through, but the cold was also a factor--in the heavy rain you get chilled. All in all a good training run, and not too shabby pace-wise, but tonight I'll do some careful stretches and maybe some track work at BHS. Must get the old bike set up too for some X-training.