no pain no gain

Having lost my mother to moles and melanomas I am probably more aware than your average Englishman of the damage sun does. So on the aptly named Sunday, as the sun moved over top of our house, I made sure I stuck as closely as posible to the shade while doing some repair work to our front path. I did not make a great job of hiding. As the sun moved through the sky my shaded area shrank and although I thought I was still protected, edging closer to the wall as I went, it seems I was not. Satisfied with my handyman work I went inside the house, and plonked myself on the sofa. My back was a bit stingy. Oh dear. Seems my lower back had been in the sun - had and shoulders fine - and was now rather pink and unhappy. My tan line (ha! burn line) comes down in a neat semi circle, stopping a couple of inches above my arse crack, the result of me stooping while wearing baggy board shorts. All together now - twat.

So I was not really looking forward to my long run on Sunday morning. Vest rubbing sunburn and an early start - I dislike morning runs - to avoid the predicted 34 degrees temp. Not likely to be fun. I hit the road at 7:30 and was pleasantly surpised at the lack of sunburn rub. This was going to be my 2hr run. As it happens I made 1hr 57. That was home, to and over the Bridge, around the Opera House, Farm Cove and Botanical Gardens, through th City to Darling Harbour, around Cockle Bay and then around the Piers, back over the bridge and a little way up the Pacific Highway. And then, with a litle under 3mins before 2hrs arrived I ran out of steam. Uterly bollocksed and with a 1km hill before any relief. So I walked up the hill, recovered a little and then ran 8mins home. SO 2hr on the watch is still a target, but I feel OK that I put in the hours. I was home a little after 10. Despite having downed (hat I thouhgt was) plenty of water and a Powerade en route, and managing to avoid high temps, I ended quite dehydrated. I kept drinking once home bu don't think I took a piss until about 5 in the afternoon. I'll need to watch for that as summer continues and the miles pile up. The rest of the weekend was given over to being absolutely bollocksed, anothe reason I don't like morning runs; they wipe out the rest of the day. I am far happier clobbering myself and then sleeping it off overnight.