Greg, thought I'd commented on your big round but can't see it. Cracking run that
![Thumbs up! :-bd](./images/smilies/113.gif)
I like the idea of combining it with the climbing problems, gives it a purpose other than just running for running's sake.
GregMay wrote: ↑Thu Apr 22, 2021 7:54 pm
5KM out and back on a usual Thursday home from work trail to break up the drive. Fastest time. Maybe my legs are ok after the weekend? Not sure. Easy run tomorrow, then a short orienteering race on Saturday to find out.
Weirdly, I've found after a big ride (100 miles+) or a multi-day trip, when I next go on a short run after a few days rest I'm quicker than normal
![Confused :???:](./images/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif)
I'd expect to still be recovering but I'm fine with the running. Maybe because it's running after a big ride, or maybe it's because I'm using my fast muscles and it's my slow muscles I wore out on the ride? This may be complete nonsense though as it's not my field of expertise.
Colin, I prefer running to somewhere as well rather than in a loop. The feeling of traveling through the landscape and also it seems like you are going further. If you run a 10 mile loop in a circle you are only ever 1.6 miles from the centre so it doesn't seem like you're going anywhere. Run a 10 mile line and the start soon disappears into the distance.
I did the run commute this morning. First time I've run it when Jane has been cycling. I go a different way to her for the first 3 miles to avoid the road and then our routes converge. I had a 25 minute head start on Jane as she leaves at 7:00 to meet her friend on the way and I left at 6:35 so I'd get to work about 7:30 to allow time to cool off and get changed before I started at 8:00.
Despite the frost the last few days it was warmer this morning which was nice. Once off road I saw a tractor and trailer with the farm workers ahead. There was only 5 of them in the trailer, at first I thought it was Brexit related as they are eastern European but then I realised it's covid, they need to space out in the back, normally there's be 10 to 15 of them in there. They were driving along the field parallel to the track I was on and despite their track being quite smooth they were crawling along. I pulled level and then passed them, spurred on by the knowledge they were watching me. I pulled out a lead and as I turned a 90 right on my track I saw they had cut the corner by some margin and came out on to my track now with 50m lead over me. I reeled them in again and caught them just before we parted ways, with thumbs up and clapping from my audience ahead
![Very Happy :grin:](./images/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif)
A cheery start to both our our days.
I was soon at the point where Jane meets her friend. It was 7:00 and they meet at 7:15, so I had a 15 minute lead with just over 4 miles to go. From here it's all on good tracks and quite a bit is tarmac so they'd have the speed advantage but by the time they got here I'd be nearly 2 miles further on. They'd have about 16 minutes to cover 4 miles and I have 2 left to go so if they averaged 15mph they'd catch me. I was confident they wouldn't be able to manage that as they'd be too busy chatting but on the other hand Jane might have left early so it wasn't nailed on yet.
I tried to manage my effort and keep at 8 min/mile but I had the odd glance over my shoulder, expecting them to appear any minute. I reached the outskirts of Newport and made it to the point where our routes split. I leaned against a bollard and tried not to look like I'd be trying too hard. I was just out of sight form their direction of travel so they wouldn't see me until the last minute when they turned the corner. It was like the end of a Top Gear Challenge where they race across Europe to get to a bar. I was only there 3 or 4 minutes when they appeared, claiming they'd not been trying to catch me
![Wink :wink:](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
they congratulated me but I did confess that with the 25 minute head start it would have been a big ask to make up the deficit. It added a new dimension to the run though, nothing like the feeling of being chased down to spur you on, I've not had so much fun on the run commute for ages
7.1 miles 68 feet 58 mimutes