top ten things to not hate about running!

i'm feeling the joy of the run this week. it's rare. let's embrace it.

dave letterman style, here's my top 10 favourite things about running;

10. putting new songs on my running playlist. makes me want to run immediately. when the song comes on during the run, i smile and nod my head like a little bit of a loser. when the song comes on during a non-running moment, i feel the need to tell the nearest person "this is on my running playlist." they don't care, ever, but i feel the need to share.

9. shopping for new running tops/pants/bras/socks. i even like getting into the tiny change room and practice running in the mirror to check everything works. the choice of pink over blue might just inspire me to run faster. that special nike fabric definitely will.

8. eating whatever for the rest of the day after a morning run and feeling good about whatever hits my belly. i deserved it all. i ran hard.

7. having a cold shower afterwards, and instead of using the time to relax, start stretching. always multi-tasking.

6. hobbling a little the next day and being a little bit satisfied when someone queries the hobble and gives me an excuse to gloat over the kms i've clocked. sometimes the 6.8km run turns into a 7km run. who understands points of kms anyways?

5. thinking in terms of 'can i run there' whenever sometime suggests a meeting spot. if it's too far, it turns into a 'can i bike there.' rarely does this turn into 'can i swim there.'

4. bringing forward the cooling down point during the run. no matter where it is, i'll always find a range of completely viable reasons to stop running sooner. i always feel good about this, like i've cheated that crazy running side of myself and won.

3. running for runnings sake. no time, no route, no plan. i need this to maintain running sanity.

2. hitting the pavement with only a pair of sneakers. you don't need any equipment, nothing, it's like your own little traveling gym.

1. and the number one favourite thing about running; is when i've been out on a hard run, and that moment, when i stop.


so what have i done this week? ha! can you guess?

monday > rest
tuesday > 4.5km run, 15 minute swim drills
wednesday > 9km cycle, 1 hr spinning, 30 min weights
thursday > rest
friday > 7km run - sprint/walk intervals
saturday > 3km run


i've got three weeks until the Hever sprint tri, and i'm really looking forward to it. it's the first year they've run it, and it's in a ye olde english castle. here's a pic of the open water swim locale (not sure who these people are, if this year is the first?)



they're really into their medieval stuff out there, and have a few too many pictures of jousting on the website. not quite tapping into the usual triathlon vibe with these kinds of images;


as long as i don't have to fight off any merry men i'll be able to cope with a little ye olde theme :) next week i'll get stuck into some time predictions. until then, back to the UK and see if all this humidity running training has worked wonders (miracles)!