Evening all
Today was the Christmas Fayre so my morning run was put back to later (also as the stockholm marathon starts at 2pm I need to start doing some long runs in the afternoon so I am used to it). The fayre was fun (lots of face painting, present wrapping, carol singing, mulled wine and mince pie eating (not by me though)) and after that I popped to the shops. To cut the story short, we are away for Christmas and so Andy has said we won’t bother putting up the tree or decorations which I wasn’t happy about. In the end we compromised by saying we would get a little tree, so I got one. Only the misunderstanding was that I was meant to get a real tree. Which I was tempted by but thought I was being so good at resisting. So tomorrow the saga will continue.
Anyway, I had lunch and then started making some stollen (currently addicted to it).
![DSC01841](http://runningcupcake.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/DSC01841-300x225.jpg)
It takes ages as you have to soak the fruit, make the dough, leave it for ten mins, add butter and sugar, leave it again for a few hours, add in the fruit, leave it again, shape into loaves (add marzipan in), leave again….. It’s a day project that keeps on needing to be revisited.
![DSC01842](http://runningcupcake.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/DSC01842-300x225.jpg)
After a lot of the prep, I went out on my run. This morning was quite bright, but as I got ready the rain started. Not too hard, so I thought it would be ok. After about 30 minutes the rain got very heavy, but I was not feeling cold so I carried on. But my glasses fogged up and the tissue in my hand was also wet so useless for clearing them. At the lakes there was a lot of slush about, and the lakes were still half frozen (randomly with a lot of seagulls sat on the ice). Then on my way back I was so mad because by this time the puddles were quite big, and the puddles on the roads were bigger too. As I was on the pavement right by the road a car actually swerved into the puddle to actually splash me with a wave of icy muddy water. My shoes were soaked through, the wet got through my capris and tights, and so the last 15/20 minutes of my run were spent freezing and soggy. I was not a happy bunny.
I was also starving when I got home. I normally now have porridge in the morning before a long run, but I tried 2 slices of toast with sunflower seed butter (peanut butter is a no-no before a run for me). I didn’t want anything too heavy, but I think I needย a little more protein possibly. Anyway, I downed some chocolate milk and a normal clif bar, before peeling off my soggy cold clothes and warming up in the shower.
Then it was time for some tea;
![DSC01839](http://runningcupcake.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/DSC01839-300x225.jpg)
Christmas tea ๐ It was from Whitards last year (black tea with orange peel and festive spices) but I saw it in a pretty new tin this year too. I love my teapot ๐
After my post a few weeks back on nutrition, my amazon order arrived so I spent a bit of time flicking through it;
![DSC01840](http://runningcupcake.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/DSC01840-300x225.jpg)
Vegetarian Sports Nutrition
. I look forward to reading it.
After dinner it was time for some stollen (still warm, mmmm);
![DSC01843](http://runningcupcake.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/DSC01843-300x225.jpg)
Love those cranberries.
So I am pretty pleased with my first afternoon run, it went ok- my pace was pretty similar to my other runs of that length, and as I know that fuelling is the main issue it is something I can experiment with between now and May. Anyone taken part in an afternoon race/ race at a funny time? Any good tips?