Adding distance

Up to 20-25 km/week on a pretty regular basis now. Morning runs are all around 5k and feel pretty comfortable running at a 5:30/km pace. Long runs have been around 6-7 km. I think I can add a few more of those in each week and make the long runs longer.

After today’s 7.7 km run, I think I could do a 10 k at a 6:10 – 6:20 pace pretty easily. I think when it starts getting light out again in the morning, I’ll add in some of my 6 and 7 km routes to my daily runs. That should get me up to around 30-35 km/week.

Running up and down the street to the main road is getting a little on the boring side now. The longer routes will add a bit of variety.

Shoes

These are my Brooks Adrenaline GTS 11s. There are many like them in the world, but these are mine.

A pair of Brooks Adrenaline GTS11 running shoes

Zen running

For some, running is their contemplative time. For some, it’s time to slap on some headphones to tune out the world. For others, it’s just another tortuous chore to get through.

For me, running has always been a time where my brain turns off. The only things I think about are breathing, keeping my feet moving, and making sure I don’t get splatted by traffic. I usually pick my routes to minimize the chances of the latter happening. One less thing to think about.

There’s no mulling over the day, no thinking about my latest problems or woes, no worrying about this or that.

Even the voices in my head are quiet during my runs.

Since I started running again, I’ve realized how much I missed that mental quiet.

It’s not an escape. It’s just…quiet, meditative.

Maybe that’s why Forrest Gump took off and ran, and ran, and ran.

I wish I could do that.

Summer is coming

Feeling pretty comfortable running a sub-28 minute 5k pace now (about 5:30 minutes/km). Pretty sure I’ll be able to manage a race pace around 5:15 by the time the i5k comes around.

Morning runs aren’t so dark anymore, which is nice. The air is also filled with birds chirping and the almost deafening drone of frogs by the ponds.

Of course all that will change once DST hits this weekend. Then it’s back to the dark for another three weeks.

Yeah, thanks for that.

Recovery run

After Tuesday’s run, I took it easy with today’s run. A slow leisurely pace that put me at just over 32 minutes for the 5k. “Slow and leisurely” is a lot faster now than it was a few months ago.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I love that tired worn out feeling in my legs after a good run. It gives me that “tired but satisfied” feeling.