Well yesterday’s run was very interesting because I deliberately held myself back in the pursuit of conserving energy. For example, I figure that if I can run at a steady pace and not vary it during the course of the run then perhaps I’d feel less ‘pushed’ and stressed during and after the run. In effect, enjoying the run more…

So where I’d usually perhaps run a little bit faster (because I can) I didn’t and up and down the straights, I tried to keep a steady pace. The result of course was exactly as I predicted. It was a much smoother and enjoyable run, it felt easier – because I was consistent and I becamee acclimatised to that level of consistence/pace.

The interesting thing is is that my time was not that that far off had I run at my usual varying pace, sure It was a bit slower by a bit (10 seconds) and was a certainly, I’d estimate about 30% easier run than the run before. For example, a week back I ran a 4:13 and yesterday I run a 4:33.

So no need to go out hell for leather, but if you do, do it consistently and it will make the run easier.

Yesterday I decided to run home and this morning I decided to run back to work. My feet were pretty sore yesterday when I got home but after a really good night sleep they were fine for this mornings brilliant run back in to the office.

Yesterdays run was interesting because I wasn’t really feeling fast or light or anything that might have truly motivated me to get going but it was more of a push. It was a good psychological calibration exercise. I knew I had it in me and had the capacity to run back home even if I didn't totally feel that it was going to be easy ie. even though my mind was not all the way in it, I knew I could do it and so when I did, it was a good mind-winner. I can when I want to and I can even when I’m not sure I want to. This morning was a totally different feeling – I woke up wanting it without doubt. Funny thing: I woke up totally recovered. Didn;t wake up once during the night and boy does that make a difference! My feet were totally recovered and I was totally up for the same thing again!

Here is the run home – the more “calculated”, the i-know-i-can-do-it-if-i-really want to run:

Going to work this morning was fine. Sure it was slower but thats to be expected but it was a good run overall. Run a bit further apparently being a 10.7km run rather than the normal 9.64km run so i don't know where the extra mileage came from. Both runs have a good averager pace of around 4:15-30

I got a notification from Strava that I’ve run 868.8km in my current shoes(Peagsus 33) and that its probably a good time to have a look at them and see if they need replacing. According the the world, you should replace your shoes after about 400-500km due to the decreased cushioning and increased stiffness etc. I never cared for any of that before, I’d usually replace my shoes when my toes used to start showing. Once I ran with a pair of shoes where I had to be conscious of turning one way because my toes would come out the side. That was while I worked and ran in central London. Those I think were my innov8 232 unless it one one of the other barefoot shoes from Innov8. I’ve had so many I don't know which ones.

Prior to these soon to be replaced 868.8km shoes, I ran 1,332.3km in the same model(Pegasus 33) and then well they broke – well not broken-broken but running broken – compromised even – they developed a neat little hole in the side of the shoe where I land the most on and all the cushioning was worn away. So I decided that it was a good idea to change them not because of the 1,332.3km they’d run but I started being more aware of shoe mileages.

This time, instead of getting the same shoe/colour yet again – my last 2,200km have all been with the blue pegasus 33, I went for another pegasus 33 in a diffirent colour. By the way, the reason for my inclination towards the Pegasus 33 is because they’re recommended for me or my type of running style as I’m a supinator or under-pronator and also because my daily mileage is pretty high so I need more cushioning. These are cushion kings.  So this time I got the SAME model yet again(yeah, x3 Pegasus 33s) but this time with a twist…Its the Michael Johnson limited edition(LE) and its pretty funky – one shoe is blue and the other is red.

I also for a very long time got sick of putting on my heart rate monitor on. Its a chest strap. Sometimes I’d just plain forget it and have to go back to my apartment and put it on. So for a long time now, I’ve just not cared enough to track my heart rate. All I care about is pace and GPS is built in my watch. I got an old school watch, a Suunto Ambit and I’ve never changed it because, well its not broken.  But all these new watches are coming out which build in heart rate sensors in the units themselves. I like that. But because I wont replace my watch and because I like it, I decided on the next best thing: A Mio-LInk strap which is Ant+ compatible(my watch is ant+ compatible) and it has a build in heart rate sensor in a separate strap and it will send the heart rate data to my watch just like the chest strap would.

No need to buy a new watch. Bonus! Cost me about £50. I bided for it on eBay. So Its always on my other wrist now and Its rechargeable. And its easy to use.

I’d also like to shoe the wear and tear that the replaced shoes have – some very interesting signs:

So you can see that I run on the sides of my feet – classic under pronator. I’ve worn a lot of the tred from left side of the shoe like I said. What interesting is that usually that's all that I’d wear out, particularly before moving to this model of shoe(Pegasus 33). But you can see that I also wear very slightly the top inner sides near the toes which suggests that I’ve trying to even out – or at least the shoe is helping with that. I still run on the sides I don't think that will ever change. There is no wear and tear on the heel which makes no surprise – I run on my forefoot.