15 KM

I don’t know whether it was the fact that this was a really long run for me, or that I have never run that long (time), 15 km was kind of a psychological barrier.

That an running for over two hours straight. 15 km took me 2:15 hours to complete. That’s not a very fast pace, but I noticed something strange. My legs aren’t used to running that long. So they started to seize up during the second half of the run. Things got pretty bad during the last few laps.

I also noticed that after the first 8 km, the last 7 km weren’t that much of a cardio-vascular effort. It was more a muscular and mental effort. This might be because I wasn’t running fast enough. Anyways, I’m glad I did this. I was hurting towards the end, but I really wanted to press on through.

I first started looking at the clock at around 10:10PM. I had started running at 8:46PM. I rad almost an hour straight. I took walk breaks at laps 10, 15, and 20. I finished up the run with a walk as well.

After my run, I took a contrast shower. I alternated between very hot and very cold. I massaged my legs and back with the spray. It worked pretty well. I felt better afterwards.

It’s been a while since I exercised for over two hours straight. My usual runs are all under an hour. I’ve inching towards longer runs slowly.

Did I over do it a bit? Maybe. I have run 45.1 km in 8 days, with three days off. I did need those days off. I wanted to go out running yesterday, but my left knee was acting up so I didn’t.

I’ve also noticed that I can no longer tolerate vast amounts of cooked food. I’ve thrown out some chicken curries that I had prepared. Usually, it’s not a problem. However, most nights, I eat a plate of veggies, a bit of cheese, some ham and a few fruits. It’s enough.

I’ve noticed more firming up, but I most definitely need to hit the gym a few times a week to add more muscle mass to my legs and my body. I also want to tone my abs.

The last two days, I’ve been having eggs in the morning with some veggies. I’ve noticed that two eggs are enough. I also drank some smoothies. Mostly papaya blended with milk, and OJ blended with some nectarines. Those are good combinations. I’ve also drunk some mango smoothies.

Today, I had two breakfast buns, with eggs, cheese, meat, bacon and veggies. I usually only eat this once a week or once in a few weeks. Today, I didn’t feel like cooking.

My dog Spike also enjoys the rest of my smoothies. I never add sugar, so he can lick those up as well. They make a tasty treat for him. I’ve been wondering on how to increase the fruits in his diet and I think I found the way. He enjoys having them blended.

Hopefully, I won’t be too sore tomorrow morning. For now, I think I’ll keep my long run at 15 km. It’s a good distance and I have room to improve. In good shape, I’m sure that 90 minutes is feasible for that distance, in a non too distant future.

I love how running just clears your head of all of your concerns. You are in the moment and focused. Your mind can wander, but it can never let go of the moment.