Post holiday blog

My (our) holiday has finished. 2 weeks in Italy, 1 week in Tuscany and 1 week in near the Lago Maggiore. Sun, relaxing and running. Running? During you holiday? Yes, because I have a very challenging target. I just couldn't stop training for 2 weeks. So I did 3 runs in Italy. Early in the morning, I got up, put on my running gear and ran. Before we left, I investigated some routes.

The first run, I planned a 45 minute run but the course I choose was a bit shorter (or I ran a bit faster) than anticipated. After 38 minutes, I finished my lap of 6.11km.

Next, 2 days later was a speed run. My target was 30 minutes. But I started going up a hill. My calves exploded after about 10 minutes :( the run was cut short after 20 minutes, after only 3.63km. Quite disappointing.

The third run didn't quite go as I planned either but this time, it was because of the route I planned. More precise, it was because I got lost halfway through my run so I had to double back along the route I already ran. I planned to run around the Lago Mergozza but at the opposite site of the lake from where I started, I couldn't find the road I planned to follow... In the end I didn't quite make the 10km I planned but still it was a nice run along a small lake.

Friday, we took the 13 hour trip back home. The holiday was finished. Saturday morning I planned another endurance run. Not really knowing what I would be able to do, I just started and would decide my route along the way depending on what my body would tell me. So I ran and ran and ran. And after 95 minutes I decided to stop. I reached on of my goals 2 weeks ahead of target! And even the distance was more than I anticipated. My Runkeeper app told me 15.3km but there were some GPS hickups and it turned out I "only" ran 14.9km. 14.9km!!! That's only 1.3km less than the Dam-tot-Dam distance!!! WOW!!! I'm almost there!

In the next 3 weeks, I hope I'll be able to run the 16.2km in 95 minutes but making those 10 miles is my prime target. Keep an eye on this blog to see my progress.

Till the next blog

Greetinx

Johan

Sayings

In China they have a saying: Even a journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step. Start small and build up to your goal. I thought I had taken quite a number of steps already but today my training showed me I still have a long way to go.

The goal is not the finish line but the journey towards it (or something like that) but today, that journey wasn't all that good. My legs were made of jelley and my body told me it was time to call it a day.

My wife likes to say: The bow can't be always under tension (I really don't know the English equivalent of the Dutch saying: "De boog kan niet altijd gespannen zijn") I really hate it when she says that but there is some truth to it. You can't always perform at your maximum.

Today is a short blog. As my run was a short one (WAY TOO short). My target was somewhere around 85-95 minutes but the engine ran out after only 26:35

Soooo, better luck next time.

Till next blog.

Greetinx

Johan