Running high

7 miles long slow run on the agenda yesterday and I crushed it! I actually did 7.17 miles as I wanted to run as far as the shop beside my house to buy a newspaper on the way home. Normally after the end of a long run I don’t run a step further than I have to, but yesterday was different. I actually experienced the runner’s high as I approached the end of my run and didn’t want to stop!

I know the runner’s high is real but it’s rare enough for me, and usually involves sunshine and exotic locations. I remember running around the glaciers in Franz Josef in New Zealand in the sunshine feeling ecstatic. I felt like I was off my head with the beauty of it all. Running in Ireland rarely makes me feel like that, so I don’t know how yesterday’s happened as it was raining and windy and cold, but happen it did.

For the first five miles the weather was lovely, sunny and bright. Temp was 8 degrees C, felt like 4, so I didn’t overdress and was in short sleeves by 2 miles. I got a new Adidas sports bra too, which was much lighter fabric-wise than the one I had been wearing, so I think that helped in keeping me cooler. Still had a big red face on me but that’s par for the course. I did a nice route, with a few hills thrown in for good measure, down to the Phoenix Park, which is a beautiful enclosed park here in Dublin. While I stopped probably every mile to have a drink I was feeling ok as the miles ticked along, enjoying my surroundings.

I started practicing my fuelling strategy for the half-marathon and took an energy gel at mile 3. I always liked the gels and never had a problem taking them during marathon training. During the marathon itself I took a gel approximately every five miles and I didn’t hit the wall. My fuelling was the most successful part of my marathon actually. It definitely helped me yesterday too.

At around mile 5 yesterday the weather changed, and it got windy and dark and started to rain intermittently. I welcomed the rain actually as it helped cool me down; the wind wasn’t too bad, no choice but to keep going, was on the final stretch to home. I was feeling ok, hot in the face but legs and lungs felt fine so all was good.

I got to mile 6, nearly home. The train-tracks were closed as a train was approaching so I had to stop and wait. The barrier went up and I crossed the train-tracks at around 6.5 miles. It was at that point the endorphins kicked in, and I could feel myself running a bit faster. I wasn’t sure why and then I realised I didn’t want to stop running and figured out what was going on! I felt absolutely amazing as I finished my run and bought the paper and walked home. It’s a wonderful feeling, all the sweeter for being rare. I really don’t know why it happened yesterday, conditions didn’t seem optimal for me. Must be Mother Nature’s way of keeping us hooked on running. Nice job Mother Nature.