Two runs in three days

It isn't very often I manage to make it out so soon after a run but today I ran 9.5km following Friday's 13km effort. Both runs weren't particularly fast although they both felt pretty tiring. It's been fairly hot for the last few days, although showers and a slight breeze have helped keep cool during running, and I think that is probably why I've felt a bit slow. However, I'm happy at the regularity of my runs and hopefully I can continue to get out plenty. I've never really managed more than two runs a week for any amount of time so if I can make that three I should be able to increase the distance covered in any given month.
The aim for August was to complete 80km (50 mile) without getting injured. So far I have managed 50km so I'm on course to complete my target. If I do manage it, next month's target will be 100km, something I have never managed before so that will be a real challenge. But that's for next month anyway, step one is to complete the remaining 30km this month.

Darlington 10k 2012

I ran the Darlington 10k this morning and finished in 44:10 - not quite a PB but pretty damn close. I'm certainly happy with the time, conditions were close to perfect except slightly too warm. I ran the first half of it with Andy and struggled to keep pace with him but ended up ahead by 40 seconds at the end. He lost a couple of seconds around 6k I think and it's always a struggle to get back even a slight difference when you're tired. I had the same thing happen to me running the Great North Run a couple of years ago, I was running with a work colleague and found myself unable to close a gap of about 2 metres and ended up well behind. We're planning on doing a couple more longer runs and then trying the Middlesbrough 10k in 3 weeks, I suspect he'll beat me given a bit more training but I'll make it as hard as possible for him.

Why bother running?

This is something people ask quite often when I mention that I've been out. They can't see what joggers get out of it. I don't understand it completely myself but I definitely feel better when I've been out running and I get somewhat moody and short tempered when I'm injured.
The main reason I go running though is for the satisfaction of being able to run at a reasonable pace. Originally it was more about keeping fit and losing weight and these are still important to me but there's nothing better than finishing a run and getting a good time (although very rarely anything like a PB). I went out this afternoon and ran 9.3k and the time was mediocre. This time last year I'd have been happy with it but I've improved quite a bit in 12 months. I've got another race on Sunday so I'll hopefully get a couple more steady runs in during the week before that and hopefully a good time in the race.