The alarm went off at 5:15 this morning, I had some strong coffee, read some articles and blogs online and went out for a run. My early morning ritual of drinking coffee while reading on my computer, when it’s still dark out and everyone is sleeping, is one of my favorites. A little bit of silence before the noise starts.
I left the house at 6:15 and drove to the Yaffo Port to start my Long Slow Distance run there. The sky was really dark grey and the road was wet so I figured this might be my first run in the rain, it has to happen sometime, right?.. but I got lucky and it didn’t rain.
My long runs in the last few months have always started in the same place because I’ve calculated the distance for that particular route on Google Maps, 20 KM (12.4 Miles), and if I want to run a longer distance then I just measure the “extra” part I mean to run and add it to the 20 KM. I’m way to anal to just run wherever or whatever distance… I have to know my stats.
Well, since I have my new Garmin I can really run wherever and have the watch tell me how far I’ve run… isn’t that awesome? So today I started at Yaffo Port, run to Tel Aviv Port which is about 7 KM (4.3 Miles), and from there went into a Park that’s right by the Port and run there about 3 more KM (1.9 Miles) each way, and of course back to my car. Total 20.2 KM (12.5 Miles) in 1:43. First half average pace of 5:20 Min/KM (8:35 Min/Mile), second half average pace of 4:52 Min/KM (7:50 Min/Mile).
I’ve only been running longer than 13 KM (8 Miles) for the past 4 months. It was scary at first to go beyond that, so it’s incredible to me how this kind of distance doesn’t daunt me anymore. I definitely feel my hips by the end of the run, sometimes I feel some calf tightening (depending on the effort I’m making) but that’s about it.
It was a great run, the weather was a bit cold (I mean this in a good way), it was early in the morning so the boardwalk wasn’t crowded and it was comfortable to run, and it just felt really good. I ran 4 days in a row but tomorrow is rest day. I need it. Usually I don’t run more than 3 days in a row but this week my schedule had to be tweaked because of my trip, so I kind of made up for the lack of running in the beginning of the week.
I wore my new Mizuno Wave Rider 16 in black, capris with knee high compression socks (so it looked like I was wearing long tights actually), and a long sleeve Mizuno thermal top, no under layer, but I wasn’t cold. I did take a pair of gloves I bought recently, it was my 2nd time running with them, and I didn’t regret wearing them. I did decide not to wear the hat I took with me, and left it in the car, I think that I would have gotten too warm at some point otherwise.
I was back home by 8:45 to take a shower, eat something, and get ready for some family time… Tel Aviv Port again…!!
Enjoying the warm sun this time
Totally different this time, just 2 hours later, the sun was shinning and it was full of people, families, kids, bikers, runners.. it’s one of my favorite places to go, we took bikes for the kids, walked around, and had a late breakfast/lunch (my 3rd breakfast of the day, nice).
Eating Breakfast, Drinking Coffee
2 Cups 'N Run 
I can totally see myself doing the same thing… but how do you personalize it? You mean entering your personal information?
I love my Garmin so much I’ve personalized it and often refer to it as my Garmin spirit, or simply Garmin.