So hard I feel queasy!

I love taking my phone on long runs and sending texts to unsuspecting victims. I tell myself and P I've got my phone for sensible reasons (like arranging to meet him in Island Bay for a big feed of fish and chips after my run, and making sure that if I get raped and/or murdered I will anyone who finds me will at least know who to call) but really? Really I use it to send gloating and rambling texts to my mum, sisters and to P.

Today's run was good, then fun, then shite, then bloody freakin brilliant! It's a clear, sunny day, with a nice breeze but no blow me down and pick me up winds and best of all, I got to share a large chunk of my long run with my widdle sis :-) I really liked running long with J for a number of reasons, not least because she's great compnay and an awesome runner. We didn't run fast for me, but we ran strong. It was her longest run in time and distance today, and ten minutes from the end she was singing along with me. Five minutes from the end she was picking up the pace and dancing along. I also loved running one of *my* routes with my little sister. The Kaikouras were amazing today- they looked as if I could swim over the straight to them- and I just love love lOVE showing off the South Coast. Seriously everyone, come to visit me in Welly (on a clear, not too windy day) and I will give you a tour of my playground ;-) I love it.

I left J at Scorching Bay with D and trudged out to finish my 20 miles. I figured that 2 hours on my own in total, plus the 8.5ish miles with J would end up being around 20 miles, or a little more (assuming around 6min/k for my *own* bit). I was fading a bit at this point, having been out for a little over 2 hours already. I'd only had a PB sandwich for brekky, and although I'd eaten a granola bar and some sports beans I was definitely low on energy and a bit dehydrated. I struggled over Awa Rd (not a bad hill, but not so fun on stuffed legs), and convinced myself that I could and should buy a powerade in Miramar. It didn't kick in for awhile, and I was counting down the 1:15 I had left to do (yuss! only 1 hr to go! I can always go another hour!).

Fortunately the powerade seriously kicked in around Kilbirnie (running along Queens drive) and I was loving it. I loved that I was at around 3:00 and my second wind was kicking in! WTF? I loved it so much that I suddenly found myself going up Hungerford Rd without even realising it (well, I realised- hard not to notice yourself climbing up a billion percent grade after 3 hours). Then found myself continuing up to the top of Houghton Bay road (well, it was just there ASKING to be climbed) and up Buckley Road.

Then I figured out what had been pulling me up. I was many many feet above the sea, looking down over Lyall Bay on on side, to the South and the Kaikouras in front of me, and over to Brooklyn on the other side. I wish I was a poet, or that I'd had my camera. There are a lot of wonderful views in the world, but not like this. All you not living in Wellington people YOU ARE MISSING OUT!!!

Anyway, back to my first paragraph and the bit where I tie it all together. At the top of Buckley Rd, I texted my boy. "I f***ing rock so hard I'm giving myself motion sickness"!! Yeah- you know it. I really do.

All up 22.76 in about 3:50 for a 10:06ish pace. The bits by myself were about 9:30s, which I'm waay good with (it's consistent with PMP + 45-60).

Here's my map. I don't trust this elevation, but ah well. The hills were big. Trust me.