Easy Run with 10 days to go

Tomorrow will be single digits till the big day. Yikes!

This morning I couldn't sleep so got out of bed at 6:30 and did stuff. Like complete my entry form and pay my entry fee, as mentioned earlier. I had butterflies all morning.

By 9am I was finally ready to get out and do something. I decided to do my regular 5km run. Just a maintenance run, nothing long or complicated. I headed out with those butterflies. What's interesting is that the nerves I was feeling from submitting my entry were pretty much the same as the feeling I get before a race. Some strange combination of anticpation and dread, all forms of excitement bundled up into a nervous energy ball in the belly.

And it made me run faster than usual. I'm sure of it.

I was feeling pretty good and was cruising right along until BAM! 3km in, I have the stitch from hell! It finally forced me to walk, not once, but FOUR times! It sapped my strength and just ruined my wicked pace. At the 3k mark I was at 17 minutes, a full minute faster than my usual pace. That set me on track for what I was hoping would be a personal best 5k run, and was looking to pick up the pace, but the stitch was going to be a problem. I walked out the stitch and headed off again, but it wasn't long before it dragged me down, again and again. I shortcutted home, only saving a few hundred metres, but needing it. :( Still a good pace (10.4kph), even with all the walking, but not a great feeling end to that run, unfortunately.

Lesson learned: I didn't hydrate sufficiently prior to the run. I was not prepared for the heat and wind. Even at 9am it was quite hot (already 25 degrees), and I only drank about 250mL of water, which is far less than I typically drink before any session (usually work on 500-750mL to pre-hydrate). Of course, I figured it was going to be a short easy run, so wasn't paying enough attention to all the conditions around me. So let it be noted that hydration is imperative, no matter what the circumstances, but particularly in the heat!

My hydration belt was shipped this morning, so I hope to have it by Friday. That means I can do another run or two with the belt on and see how drinking on the run works for me. I think it'll be really important and will give me the boost up the hills on the Blackwood day!

I also did my first run in my new visor! It's awesome, because the sun is off my face, and it's absorbing lots of sweat, but my head gets to breathe. I simply feel too hot in a regular cap. This was excellent! Very pleased with this purchase.

Now I'm off to try my gloves and paddle in the lounge room for awhile.

Mat and I will be going to REAL water this weekend and really paddling. Was noting on the Blackwood event page that they have four portages this year, as the water is quite low, so that will be quite the challenge.

Also, hopefully have a strapper! Updates to follow when I get a yay or nay!