Up Irvine down Harrop

Up Irvine down Harrop trailsI put in a solid effort on a familiar route, tackling it for the 35th time with a bit more grit than usual. My pace was slower than recent runs, but the added elevation and tough mid-route climbs made that expected. I spent most of the run in higher heart rate zones, pushing into threshold and tempo for a strong overall effort. The challenging terrain also dropped my cadence below normal, reflecting the extra work on the legs. Overall, it was a tougher day out, but a good reminder that sometimes the route sets the terms—and that’s all part of the journey.