Finished another 10k. Felt way stronger this time. The main difference was refueling with an isotonic drink mid-run.
I started running more frequently a couple of months back. As someone who absolutely hated running before that, I've surprised myself quite a bit.
The first 2 kms are always the hardest. There's a lot of inertia, the body resists movement. After that, something shifts. The pain and lethargy disappear, and the body enters cruising mode. From that point on, it's purely a mental game: how long can the mind sustain the resistance.
Since I wasn't a regular runner until recently, I'm being deliberate about taking it slow. Listening to my body on run days and recovery days. Long distance running is well documented to be harder on the body, knee pain and ligament tears being common. I don't want to get injured while building up.
So far it feels comfortable, and I think I can push more. The things that have made a difference: refueling during and after runs, stretching religiously, and strength training specifically to support the running.
Targeting a half marathon (21k) by June. Still a long way to go!