19.37 miles

Given how hot it's been recently, I need to get out early for my long runs at the weekend. Today, I was through the door just a shade after half past seven, running out through Kearstwick and up Hophouse Lane, then all the way up to and through Hutton Roof, before coming down through Low Biggins and back to Kirkby Lonsdale. And then I ran out to Barbon and back. 19.37 miles, all in. Three hours and twelve minutes. 

I have to say, arriving home, I felt better than I did after the 18 mile run I did a fortnight ago. I wonder if that was to do with the bananas I took with me, today, as I had pretty much run out of gels? It certainly felt healthier. 

But with just three months to go until the Loch Ness marathon, I was a little nervous all the same; there's no way my legs had another seven miles in them. But I mentioned this on Instagram and got some lovely, positive, and encouraging feedback from other runners. 

You know, Instagram reminds me quite a bit of how Twitter used to be, despite Facebook messing with how it works; friendly, funny, and a real community. If anyone who follows me here is on Instagram and I don't follow you there, please do let me know. 

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Reading: I finally finished book 15, ‘The Underground Railroad’ by Colson Whitehead. This is an astounding read for many reasons. The writing is excellent (if I hadn’t been so busy, I’d have devoured it in a couple of days), and the story of a 19th century slave girl fleeing the plantation is riveting. She moves from state to state via the surreal device of an actual underground railway but everything else is based on historical fact. And the history is shameful. This should be required reading in schools. 
Next: ‘The Janissary Tree’ by Jason Goodwin.