Queen of the negative split

Me? Or just the biting Southerly that fought me on the way out and carried me home?

I'm not sure, but I did the first 4km of my long tempo run in 21:08 (8:26 pace) and the return trip was 19:28 (7:47 pace). My goal pace was 8:10 and I averaged 8:07, so I'm ok with that, but I wish a consistent effort would yield more consistent results!

I should be grateful. On the way over to the pool, the weather threatened to turn my run into a real adventure, as the freezing rain pelted straight out of Antarctica into my face. But by the time I got dressed (which took awhile, with frozen fingers and soaked legs) and headed out to run, it had passed, and I didn't get a drop while I was out there.

I am well over winter already... I'd forgotten how bleak it gets. Fortunately I'm a lot happier inside this year, which means I don't have the awful winter blues/depression I had last year (when I first started this blog). Yay!

So, I had an epiphany yesterday when I was running from pool to work (4.5 miles?) with my not particularly heavy backpack. One of those silly ones, where you knew it all along. I realised that the extra fat I'm carrying on my tummy, hips, arms, legs, butt (etc..) weighs more than that backpack. That backpack turns me from sleek and speedy to a real plodder. I realise that it's not just a weight thing, or even mostly a weight thing, that slows me down when I run avec backpack, but I also think I'll enjoy my next marathon a lot more if I'm not lugging round TEN extra pounds. Yup. As many pounds as I have toes.

Unfortunately, this epiphany hasn't quite kicked me into action yet. Yesterday was an all time low eating wise (I wish it was an all time low, but I suspect it was just a bad day). It started with the treat P bought back for me from Auckland- a boston creme dunkin donut (we don't have any good donuts in Welly). He forgot to give it to me until late (11ish) and I was running in and very space conscious, so I couldn't carry it. But I didn't want it to go stale, so I ate it. At 5:45am. I arrived at work to find butterfingers and jolly ranchers (we don't have those here...they came back from Seattle with a colleague). Couldn't resist a taste of ginger slice at lunch. Found myself undernourished and hungry by the time we got to dinner after a light lifting session and barely noticed myself ordering fries with my healthy chicken pita. Still hungry when we lined up for treats pre Harry Potter (woo!) and scarfed a hot fudge sundae and some popcorn. Yup. THAT bad. (bet you didn't think it possible).

When will I learn??!