This morning when I headed out at 6:30am, it was around 70 degrees, cloudy, and barely sprinkling. Absolutely perfect running weather. A little cooler would not have been a problem, but I was quite happy with the lack of sunniness.
I ran 14 miles in 2:27:26 ish, so an average of 10:32 per mile. When you take out the 2 minute bathroom stop, it works out to about 10:22 per mile. I ran mile 10 at a faster pace and did the last mile in 9:32. Obviously I am quite pleased with the pace.
The run itself was an adventure. Being a mom, I know all the playgrounds and I know which ones have bathrooms. So, I planned my route around a stop at the 8 mile point at a playground that I knew had a potty and water fountain. (I also passed said playground at the 3.5 mile point, but was not in need at that point.) I trotted up to the potty, only to find that the county had locked the doors overnight and had not unlocked them yet. Grrr! Thankfully there was a McD’s only a half mile away so I headed there for my potty stop. After my stop, I was running a nice comfortable 10:20ish pace, planning to do a walk break and drink around the 10 mile point.
That’s when running in an urban area became a negative. Two guys were walking down the road I was on, paying way too much attention to me. I didn’t feel overly threatened as there were a lot of cars passing by, but when they crossed the road to my side, I decided to up my pace and to not do an “out and back”, but rather turn at the next major intersection and head to a different major road before cutting back towards home. (Thankfully, our county was designed as a grid and I could take any number of routes back home.)
After leaving them in the dust, I was able to back down to my normal pace until I hit a major light that cost me at least a minute or two (I never stop my garmin). After the light, I picked up the pace and was able to really push myself the last mile.
I may be a little sore from the 10 mile push and the final push, but overall, I feel really good.
See, I stop my Garmin for teh lights. I have gone back and forth on that decision, but ultimately with South Florida light the way they are, that could add a lot of time to a run.
Oy, that’s creepy about the 2 guys.
Ooohh yeah girl, you totally have to hit the stop button when you use the BR. I always do 😛
way to go girl!!!
i’ve had creepy peeps before…especially when i run through downtown to get to the bayou, so i do a lot of crossing streets when otherwise i would not!