Sat AM, Arse kicking great run

Run type: Steady aerobic + hill workout
Distance: 19.8 km
Average pace: 4:52 min/km
Weekly cumulative: 78.9

One of the most enjoyble runs in a long time. The legs actually felt a bit stiff when I first started, but there is nothing new in that and I was soon moving smoothly. The temperature was a very comfortable 22 degrees, humidity mild, and the morning fresh and calm.

So I headed up Meguro River towards the Aobadai hill workout circuit. But I was thinking that with the temperature so nice it would be good to get in a few more km. So I kept going to that covered over path section after the river crosses Route 246 at Ohashi. I'd only ever been up there a few km to a busy road, where I thought the path ended. But Brett had told me that it actually continues on the other side of the road. So I explored this section fully and picked up the path again to run a couple more km. At 40 minutes, soon after Sakuragaoka Station on the Odakyu line, I decided to turn back so that I'd have some juice left to do hill repeats. There is still more path left for exploring another day.

Back at Aobadai I had a strong tummy pain, so had to stop by the park beside the circuit and let off some ballast. With that done, it was into the hill repeats. I wondered how this would go on more tired legs than I normally have at this stage. Surprisingly the uphill pulls were the same as ever, 84 seconds for the first and second, then a second or two quicker for the next three. I decided to quit at five because of the extra distance I'd run.

Cruised home feeling comfortable at a heart rate of 135 to 140. With almost 20 km for the run, I did get a bit tired in the legs, but never that total bodily exhaustion you feel when the temperature is up over 27 degrees. It augers well for the long run tomorrow.