I love it when I get an award from Strava – today it was 2nd fastest time on A40_Run_To_Denham. Its because its a Mondays – they’re are the best days to go running, I’ve also very pleased to have slept very well this morning. I’ve found that If I’ve got the time I should sleep within an hour window between 20:30 and 21:30. That gives me a good refreshed feeling when I wake up and more important is that I don't feel tired waking up and getting out of bed is not difficult as it would be otherwise.

A pace of 4:26/km is nice and comfortable. Though its funny how more difficult this same pace feels further on in the week. My new replacement Pegasus 33s are doing pretty well though I still feel my feet getting tired (what I’m i expecting, right?) after 10kms but wow what great shoes. I think the thing about these are the zoom units in the forefoot region which is where I run and so a nice swooshing, smooshing action when I land on the zoom units is exactly what I want.

I don’t run with a heart rate monitor anymore – its just a nuisance. When I do eventually upgrade my running watch it will be one with a built-in heart rate monitor which I don’t have to store separately. I’ve been eyeing out this watch but I as usual I don’t need it, but thinking about it, its price is ridiculous: £434.80 so I’m not forking out that for a running watch when I got the Suunto ambit 1 one which is just fine really (albeit 5 years old – released in 2012). I just dont car about the heart rate anymore – which actually makes me think that perhaps i should end my strava premium membership as i think that's one of its features – analysing your heart rate. Then I gain not sure.

Oh I ran a bit differently today, I went up top instead of down the normal south park road, which was because there were cars stacking up on my normal cross-over point so I(well my legs made the decision almost wholeheartedly) instead just continued on and when down the other way which was nice because I always fine that while inertia tells you not to change, when you do change its a beautiful experience. For example, I ran past a lady and she said “Good morning” and its that kinda stuff that happens when you change and go against inertia.

I was thinking while I was running this morning, how lucky I am to be able to run – its a privilege and a gift thats given to me every day and I just love it and one day I’ll say to myself, thank you for doing it, for taking the strain, for pushing myself and for doing something which, lets face it will not be something I can do forever. Its almost sad that there is a certain gap in ones life where one’s body and fitness can react and adapt to strain and training so that you can do it. Then, inevitably, you’ll get bad knees or get married, have children – priorities will change and you’ll loose the opportunity. I guess, in a way life its like this, and opportunity which if you don’t take, never comes again.