For the most part I have been running in the afternoon and evening, and this was the first time I ran this early. It turned out to be way more intense than expected, for several potential reasons. First, I got relatively poor sleep last night due to particularly intense dreams. I ended up having only a protein drink for breakfast, so unlike every other time I’ve ran, I had virtually no carbohydrates in my system. It was also exceptionally hot and humid outside. All of these factors converged to make this quite a challenging run by the end. Next time for an early run, I’ll see how getting some quick carbohydrates through carrots or honey makes a difference, and if I sleep better I know I’ll perform better as well.
Despite the challenges, I apparently ran my fastest 5K ever – 26:26. The last record was 27:11, so I feel this is quite a good improvement, especially given the situation with this particular run. I also slowed down heavily a couple times for some pictures. First, there was a tree that had been cut down and was blocking a road, which was pretty cool. I also wanted to document the nice forest path I’ve been running down. The funny thing about this path is I remember its construction starting about 10 years ago. When I would wander through the untamed woods I noticed all the preparatory work and couldn’t imagine what they were doing. Eventually it became clear it was an elevated wooden path, and it turned out great! I feel so happy that I have this as part of my route. Check out the pictures below and I’ll do my best to capture more of the beauty of Mount Washington in the future.
