If you tell yourself something enough times...

...eventually your brain and body will come along with you for the ride!
I've been getting my head out of this "walking malarkey" during a run, and made very fast progress to be honest.
Today was my XL long run, and I've been telling myself all week that I can't walk any of it, and as it's an easier route coming back than it is going, I expected to get close to 12 miles in the 2 hour time frame.

I took my iPod with me today. My calves have been extremely achy after the barefoot running, so I decided today I would give no consideration to my form... I'd just run the bloody thing!
My mind was a little side tracked by the fact that my puppy is about to be born (the mother went into labour last night and I had a message from Andy saying the pups were looking imminent). I wondered how it was all going. At a tough incline on the run, Hoobastanks' "The Reason" came on my iPod. I thought about my late dog George and how I missed him. I had a few tears before realising I'd got to the top of the bank... clearly disassociation works for me then eh?

I'd had 300ml of water before I left the house, and at 5K I took on 100ml more. I was enjoying myself, and although slowly getting hotter, the weather was perfect.
At the halfway mark, I turned around and realised I'd been running fairly fast. The last 2 miles had been 10.23 and 10.29(the 10.23 was mostly uphill too). I felt great, and I noticed that I seem to be running differently. I'll be honest, I've noticed this a few times recently and it's a fab feeling, as I'm definitely running better.

At 15K, after a bit of a hill, I drank my next lot of water (200ml again) and started to notice the run was feeling tougher. My plan was to run around the block at home and get to 12 miles (which I have never done in 2 hours on a training run... even without the XL vest).
So, the last 3 miles (although fast...mostly around the 9.38 mark) were really tiring, and I only got to 11.5 miles in 1.57.17... however, the 12 miler will come soon, I'm sure. My overall pace today was also the best at 10.12mm and I'm really pleased with how I'm progressing. 13 weeks ago, I ran 10.6 miles in 2.01.24 with an average pace of 11.26mm.... so that's... errrr.... 1 minute 14 seconds a mile quicker today. :-) It's all good :-)