Longing for a long run

Tomorrow's weather forecast is looking very promising. 16 degrees, almost no wind, sunny. It's been ages since I ran a long, easy run on tarmac. I've mostly been focusing on hills, since it is that kind of training I need for running on Kungsleden in a few weeks' time. But tomorrow it's time to take it easy and run long. Maybe REALLY long, if the mood takes me.

It could be the fact that I've been reading Josefin's inspirational blog (in Swedish, unfortunately), who's running round Gotland this month. Or it could be that I received some running gear in the post today that I ordered last week. Among other things, a 3-litre Camelbak reservoir that fits perfectly in my Inov-8 backpack - I just have to test it. Whatever this urge to run long is caused by, I am willingly giving in to it. I follow no schedule. I do what I feel like when it comes to running. I love the freedom of it.

Running in the woods is amazing, both because of the beauty all around and the training benefits, but there is one fault: I can't get into a flow, like I do when I run on tarmac. Sometimes on my long runs on flat tarmac I get into an almost meditative state, my thoughts drifting away to all sorts of things. Once I was so lost in my thoughts that I suddenly looked around and had no idea where I was. On a path where I'd run a million times before.