Virgin (snow) on the ridiculous...

A Paul O inspired long run from Ilkley this morning, which started with a snow covered car and a temperature gauge showing -4º.  Met half a dozen Harriers, including three marathon hopefuls, and set off up the Nesfield road.

Over on my arse once, but generally not too bad underfoot if you stayed on the snow, we were soon at Bolton Abbey and heading off down towards the Cav Pav.  Felt odd to be getting here towards the beginning of a run rather than towards the end, but once we went off road in the woods it became softer and just fantastic, making the first tracks in the snow, the trees weighed down with the fresh stuff and the river running quietly by.  Gorgeous.

By this time we were down to four, the others having turned back at the Cavendish memorial, and we bimbled along all the way to Barden, with the fields nice and soft underfoot.  The pace was slowish, but I'm determined to do my long runs at the right effort level (ie <80% HR), and this was perfect.

At Barden we turned for home with the watch reading 8.6m, and stuck to the left bank of the river all the way back to Bolton Abbey.  The priory was looking stunning as usual, and a number of photo stops seemed in order!

We ran home along the Dalesway, which is a bit up and down with various gates and stiles (a classic Harriers' run in other words!), and by Addingham my legs were letting me know they'd had a 50m week.  I felt ok though, which I'm sure is a result of the pace/effort being reasonable.  Paul and I chatted about the theory of long slow runs, and whilst I like the idea of putting in a few MP miles towards the end I'm still convinced that long and slow is the way to go.  I'm going to try and get some 12-15 milers in later with maybe the middle 10m at MP, but most of my long ones are going to be easy on the effort and long on the mileage.

In the end we just hit 18 miles in 2:36, so a sedate 8:40 average pace, but a good week in the bag and one of those runs you're really glad you bothered to get out of bed for!