Spitting and back on track

I hate spitting in public. It is absolutely gross, and I despise the sight of tracksuit-clad 16-year-olds sitting on benches and smoking while spitting their foul nicotine-infected saliva onto the floor. I can't think of a worse habit.

But today, I could kind of understand why I sometimes see runners having a quick spit in the bushes while they are out. I didn't do it myself, I hasten to add, but the cold October air doesn't half cause phlegm to build up in the back of your throat when you're running, making spitting seem a slightly more attractive option. I still refuse to do it though, it's so rude to everyone else using the same public space to leave deposits of yourself littering the environment, and even worse for other people to see you doing it. I don't care how bio-degradable saliva is.

Now that rant is done with, I am pleased to say my progress has not been totally diminished. I managed to do my normal 4.4 mile run in about 42 minutes, which is just under the time it used to take me before the holiday.

I did do 10 minutes of fartlek (with a ratio of one minute fast running, one minute slow) as part of it, which by the end of I felt like I was about to collapse in a heap, but this is normal for me so I'm encouraged all the same. Paul did an amazing personal best today of 4.9 miles in 41 minutes 17 seconds, shaving two minutes off his PB. So the holiday certainly hasn't done him any harm.

But I don't want to speak too soon, we will have to see how our long run goes tomorrow, then I can say for sure as to whether our current targets for the half marathon are still doable!