Regretting Running Naked? No.

Today as i set out for my 8 miler, i considered the route i had planned and thought to myself how nice it was to be able to run with nothing but my gummy sweets for fuel and my ipod.  No need for a phone, pepper spray, or even a emergency pound.  Why would i need any of these?  I now my route, its safe, its the middle of the day, its sunny with wisps of cloud but not hot, and i'm only running 8 miles, i can go without water for 1:20mins.  I like that i say only, that it doesn't scare me. I have done it once before but that was by mistake when i lost my dads hat and did a one mile retreat to see if i could find it.  I wasn't prepared then, but this time i was, i had a plan, a route and fuel.

Running along thinking of when i will be running my HM i remember an article where the expert said there is no reason you can't make every workout in to a quality one, just up the pace for a few miles or minutes or by adding race pace in to your long runs.  Not wanting to over do it, i decide that miles 5 and 6 would be at 9:30 /mile: my race pace to hit a HM of 2:05.  I realised that would also mean that i was going to be trying to eat my gummy sweets while running faster but hey, i have to do that on race day too.  Miles 5 and 6 flew by, it was easy....

But...

...I missed my turn off.  My mind had wondered, like my feet and by the time i realised there was no point in turning back.  I had gone too far.  How far?  I came to the road sign that read i had 4 miles home. I was at mile 6!

At mile 7.45 i passed a shop and caravan park with holiday makers lolling about, enjoying the nice weather. I considered, every. five. steps, going in to that shop and begging for 1. water 2. a phone call to my dad.  Cursing myself for running naked, no money; no phone; no water; i wondered if i'd make it home. The shop and holiday makers passed. I was on a main road, running the hard shoulder, not a fun place to be, going up hill, but i plodded on. Mile 8 passed, mile 9 passed. I knew i was just over a mile home, thank goodness for living closer than the sign thought i did.  10.27 miles.

The last mile i picked up the pace, all down hill and desperate to stop.  I had made it. Unlike when i first started, and my legs would go way further than my lungs, this was vise versa. I walked a 1/4 mile to cool down and when in got home and stopped i felt it. My legs ached all over.  But a good ache. An ache i want again. I felt great.