Running in red laces

Distance: 6.5 miles
Time: 1h00m12s
Mile 1 - 8m56s
Mile 2 - 9m02s
Mile 3 - 9m22s
Mile 4 - 9m07s
Mile 5 - 9m16s
Mile 6 - 9m11s
0.5m - 5m14s

A 60 minute steady run this evening. I had planned to go to the gym and run and set a steady pace for this. Then I thought I'd try to run 10½-minute-miles to try to get a feel for that pace, as that's what I want to stick to on this Sunday's last long run before I start to taper. And then being in the gym I could do some more strength exercises, making the most of the fact that the end date they put on my weekly pass was today, even though it started last Thursday.

However, I was just about to work out what pace in kph I would need to run a mile in 10½ minutes, and how many km I would run in an hour (alright, that should be quite obvious if I stick to a steady kph), when I was overcome with a desire to get outside and run in the sun. Ok, I can go home, run for an hour, and then hit the gym...

In the end I just ran. The 6 miles were good, and my pace was steady (rather than the "slow" that I'd toyed with for the treadmill). And I was so glad I was outside in the fresh air, with the changing scenery. I would have been so bored indoors. Once I'd reached the 6 miles in 55 minutes though, I started to tire. So when I got home, I just stopped and stretched, and then stuck some brown rice on for dinner.

Forget the gym. It's not like I'm losing out by not going. So I didn't make the most of it (like last time I had a weekly pass with 10 activities in the week!), but I still did 7:
Thursday: 5.6 mile treadmill
Friday: 30 minutes gym
Saturday: 1 mile swim + 30 minutes gym
Monday: 0.5 mile swim
Tuesday: 30 minutes gym
Wednesday: 30 minutes gym

I've had an excellent day's sponsorship. A combination of cakes in the office earlier in the week, and some Facebook status updates during the day, and I've raised another £97.77 today bringing this week's total to £147.77. I think my post about having run 5 marathons in March has also impressed people that my dedication to training is worthy of their support.

Oh, and why am I running in red laces? I'm not altogether sure, but was sent them along with my official London Marathon magazine and registration form. I believe that Flora will donate 50p to H·E·A·R·T UK the every runner who crosses the finish line. See http://www.redlaces.org.uk/ for more info.