Creeping the distance up again

Distance 30xkm [total: minimalist 285.6km: Barefoot 4492.3km] Week 17

Thursday, 25-Apr. 15km

Anzac Day holiday today, a lot of people get up early for the ceremonies held around the country, as I am up early most days I had a lie in. It was a bit cloudy outside so I couldn't see the sun streaking in as it would during the summer so I don't feel as inclined to get up early.
I did use the day off to go for a run though, I got to the beach at 9.45am. There was a north west breeze, it was a warm wind that blew dark rain bearing clouds across the sky. I felt like getting the distance up a bit more today so I started with a slow pace, keeping the heart rate in check. It did start to rise into the high 130's as I pushed against the breeze. I added the extra distance to Semaphore jetty the walked to the bitumen path that runs alongside the beach. As I came off the beach I spotted a couple running that I had seen the previous week and tried to catch but failed. They were in front of me by about 50m so I gave chase. They stopped for a rest after a kilometre and I passed them but I expected them to take off and chase me down so I increased my pace so that my heart rate went up to 151. When I looked around there was nobody just over my shoulder, all the sound of footsteps I thought I heard were nothing. I slowed up my pace when I hit the grass behind the houses that run along the beach. I couldn't seem to get my heart rate back to the 130's it stayed stubbornly higher even when I went back onto the beach. I think the faster 3km at 150 rate kept it elevated for the rest of the run. Maybe I was still running faster than when I started but couldn't tell after the chase.

Saturday, 27-Apr. 15km

As I had run to Semaphore on Thursday I decided rather than repeat that run I should go the other way, to Glenelg today. I got to the beach at around 9am, it was a warm start to the day nearly 20C but it was also breezy. The usual rule employed is run into the wind on the way out and have it behind you when you on the return and feeling tired, unfortunately I did it in reverse today. I ran along the road, my feet felt a bit sensitive by the time I reached Glenelg. I turned around and now had the wind blowing towards me and it had also strengthened from 32km/hr to over 50km/hr by the time I got to West beach. My feet were feeling quite tender by then so I headed for the beach. Wow the wind was so strong, I found it hard running into it and after a while had to give up through exhaustion. I walked back from the Torrens River outlet to the car, it was almost as fast as running but less exhausting. I had to keep my head averted as the sand was whipping up and lashing my legs and face. A tough day for a run.

Sunday, 28-Apr.

No run today as I was busy trying to buy a new car. The weather today was far more amenable, no wind and warm sunshine, so much for the forecast of rain.