Longest run for a while

Evening all!

Hasn’t it been a beautiful day here? Sunny skies, golden leaves- shame it gets dark at 4 o’clock eh?

Today I had a long run, and as next week I have a 5 mile race on Sunday, I knew I would not be doing a long run for a fortnight, so I made the most of it and went a bit further than recently. My Nike+ said nearly 11 miles, but on the map it was a little over 9.5 miles (must need callibrating). I took it very slow and finished in one hour and fifty minutes on the dot. My pace started slow, evened out to a steady pace, but the last 2 miles were quicker. So I suppose that it is good that I still had energy left towards the end. I did make me worry about the marathon though- I haven’t started proper training or anything, I just want to keep the level of fitness I have, but I was thinking I would have to do todays run nearlyΒ 3 times in one go. Hmm. I wish I had started this blog when I first started running, as I had days like that when I felt that my 5k was unattainable, and I think reading my thoughts about it would help me see how far I have come, and help to change my mindset. The 6 hour limit is worrying me a bit, as I told myself that I can walk if I want to, but with the clock ticking I won’t be able to walk for long. Anyway, best not to dwell on those thoughts.

I got to try out my new running top ( I did decide to use the 20% off voucher in the end)- I got a top and some running tights (they came in a weird dry cleaning bag or something).

The top is lovely- it has the proper zip cover thing (last year I had a normal hoody and when I got back from my run the zip had made a nice dent in the skin at the bottom of my neck- not making that mistake again!), and an mp3 player pocket in the arm. It was lovely and soft, and perfect for this weather with a vest underneath. Not too hot, not too cold.

Anyway, once home it was time for another lovely american clif bar, this one was chocolate almond fudge.

And some chocolate milk- I forgot to get more coconut milk duh- so had to have it with normal. Still nice. The clif bar was good-Β I loved the real chocolate almond flavour- not sure if I could taste any fudge though.

This afternoon I spent alternating between watching TV, pottering on the internet, and coking up a storm. Well, cooking a few tasty morsels.

I made pumpkin pie for Sunday tea, using the Hummingbird recipe. I confess I used ready made pastry as I am not great at pastry, plus I thought it would take ages. Without having to make the pastry, it was super quick. Blind bake the pastry, then mix together pumpkin, evapourated milk, sugar, tbs flour, an egg and spices. Pour into the pastry shell and bake for ages.

Then sprinkle with cinnamon. I am really looking forward to trying it tomorrow- I hope it tastes nice as everyone else will be eating it too!

I also made some maple spiced nuts- I copied the recipe for the candied walnuts on Oh She Glows, only I used almonds.

There are the nuts having been baked for ten minutes in the oven. In the pan is the maple syrup+brown sugar+ spices combo. When I mixed them in it went super sticky- almost like peanut brittle mixture, and they were hard to get out of the pan and onto the baking sheet. If only I had to make spun sugar for something….

Now they have hardened, so if you want one you have to break them apart. They are pretty tasty though. πŸ™‚

We were having pizza for dinner (home-made) and so I made some dough balls to go with it. I experimented with these last week, and they turned out really well. It made loads- next time I would use less flour! I used 100g strong bread flour, 1tsp yeast, pinch of salt and pinch of sugar in a bowl. Then I added 60ml warm water, mixed it all up and left to rise. After an hour or so, I punched the dough once (knocks the air out) and then pulled the dough and rolled it into little balls. They took 10 mins to bake at 200c.

I made a bit of garlic butter as Andy likes that- a few tsp Pure spread with some garlic paste. Easy peasy!

We decided against a firework display as I am very tired. Plus we can see some out of the window.

I loved going out for my run this morning, and in the holidays I always find I run better in the mornings than in the afternoons or evenings. It sets me up nicely for the day, and it is nice to come home, shower and have the rest of the day to do what I fancy. E.g. I would be up at half 7, and then go out at about half 8 or 9, for an hours run, and still have some morning and all afternoon left! In term time I could get up and manage a 3 miler before breakfast, but that is about my limit- any further and I would need breakfast, then an hour for it to go down, and so I would be getting up at silly o’clock. So I get a run in after work and before dinner, which is still good as I still have the rest of the evening to relax. So what time of day do you prefer to exercise?

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18 thoughts on “Longest run for a while”

  1. I either run early afternoon if I’ve been on an early shift or mid morning if I’m on a late, if I have a day off mid morning is my favourite time to run. Enough time for breakfast to settle!

  2. Ohh loove that pumpkin pie and those nuts!! Yum! I can’t wait to make some pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving. πŸ™‚

    That’s awesome about the run! Whether it be 9.5 or 11 miles..I don’t see how you do it. You must get in a serious zone or something, cause I lose focus and want to stop after mile 3 or so. πŸ˜›

    My favorite time to exercise, by far, is right when I wake up. Afternoon workouts take *forever* and I always seem to have much more energy in the morning, surprisingly.

    1. Another vote for the morning πŸ™‚
      I think I am much better at plodding slowly on for ages, as oppose to short and quick. I have increased the distance gradually (one year I took several months to get from a 5k to a 10k)and now I know I can do it, even if I am tired I know my legs will keep working πŸ™‚ And I enjoy it! Its not a serious zone- it is listening to stuff on my mp3 player!!

  3. Candied nuts! πŸ˜€

    Don’t fret about the marathon. It seems a daunting distance now. But you’re already at 10+ miles. You just have to add on an average of 1 mile a week over 16 weeks. That’s nothing really. And you have *plenty* more time than that. The trick I think is to not try and comprehend the distance. Once you start thinking “it’s over 3 x an 8 mile run” etc, it starts to boggle your mind. So just think in relative terms: it’s 2 more miles that last week. And anyone can run 2 miles, even the tiredest runner!

    I am so looking forward to pumpkin pie for thanksgiving!

    1. And the nuts are vegan! No eggs in here! πŸ™‚
      I think you are so right about the distance- I need to focus on a week at a time and it will all fall into place.Cheers πŸ™‚

  4. When ‘n’ where is the marathon?

    If its next spring then being able to do 10 miles comfortably now is way ahead of where you need to be. My guess is that it’ll be just over 10 that you did. Nike + probably isn’t that accurate but online mapping on sites like map my run tend to be slightly more direct than you will have ran.

    Alison is spot on about comparing runs. Yesterday’s run reflects where you’re at now and the marathon will reflect where you’re at after 16 weeks specific training. Maybe just as importantly, yesterday your brain was geared up for 10 and even allowed you to speed up and tire yourself out more in the last couple of miles but when you run 26.2 your brain is prepared for that distance and will monitor you accordingly. Not sure if that last bit makes sense though!!

    1. It does make sense! Thanks. At the end of a 3 miler I will normally be tired and that is because I am geared up for it, and running faster.
      The marathon is Stockholm- the last weekend in May, so I have 7 months to train for it. So my plan at the moment is to maintain the mileage I am doing, and in January start following a plan, increasing my long run and so on.
      The NIke+ thing generally compares pretty well to online mapping sites- but they can be inaccurate too- GPS thingies are the most accurate but I don’t have one of those- so I kind of go in between what the Nike+ and the map says πŸ™‚

  5. What a fab looking pumpkin pie! I agree – ready made pastry is the way to go πŸ˜€

    I always always run in the mornings and do any other exercise in the evenings after work. It just kind of fits in my day better that way.

    1. I had some of the pie today and it was delish! One to make again!
      It is best, you are right, to make sure the exercise fits in!

  6. Haha coincidence- I just a wrote a bit in my post about what time of day I run! I usually run in late afternoon/early evening but today I did a morning run, which apart from the getting-up bit, I really enjoyed! And well done on your run! It sounds like you’re in great running shape, and your marathon is a while away yet! What the other commenters have said makes perfect sense- you’ll do great, don’t worry! πŸ˜€
    Mmm the pumpkin pie and doughballs look delicious!

    1. Thanks Emma πŸ™‚
      I think you (and everyone else) is right- I need to not think about it as one big thing and just work towards it like I have done for everything else.
      I did enjoy my cooking this weekend!

  7. You can totally run a marathon!

    I just tried a gingerbread Clif Bar (apparently I am behind on the Clif bar trend), but I didn’t think it was that good. Larabars will always hold my heart’s number one spot, I guess.

    I prefer to exercise in the morning! Get it DONE. But, if I am working, then RIGHT after work. I also like to throw a little workout in around 4PM if I am not doing anything else. All times are good times for exercising!

    1. Gingerbread Clif bar sounds good πŸ™‚ I have never tried a larabar but we have similar things in the UK- Nakd bars, and they are scrummy.
      I know what you mean about all times being good for exercise- as long as it is done then it was a good time. But I do find it easiest in the mornings.

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