"Why do I do this?.......

Just one of the thoughts that entered my head sometime around 0620 this morning during my 2nd of 4 mile repeats @ 10k pace (06:18) into a strong headwind.......... "I could be at home in bed, I don't need this to keep fit, easy paced runs would be enough". Maybe it's the early hour and the fact that my legs are pretty dead towards the end of the week after the 20 miler on sunday and 12 x 400 reps on tuesday evening but I find these mile reps very difficult to complete without thoughts of giving up long before they're over. It wasn't helped this morning by the fact that I ran the first rep in 06:07 with the wind behind me (must have been blowing at the same speed as me as it felt surprisingly calm - I could have heard a pin drop). Not so when I turned around and faced a strong breeze heading into my 2nd mile - counting down the paces to keep my mind off the effort - 06:22 (took about 20 paces more that the 1st rep - 643 to 623). Eventhough mile 3 was with the wind my legs felt like jelly quarter of the way in but I persevered (perseverence is the name of the game with these mile sessions) finishing in 06:15. My attitude towards the last mile into the wind was to run within myself so that I wouldn't blow up half way through - so what if it turned out to be 07:00. 640 paces later i pressed the lap button to read 06:24.5 - that'll do. Legs failry dead - it's funny how the brain lets you do what you have to do and then decides "no more". Next week i'll need its permission to add a further mile but enough for now that's a week away (Thank God). Mon 18th Feb Complete day off Tue 19th Feb a.m. 8.6 Miles in 01:08:23 (07:57 pace @ ??HR - No HRM) to make up for monday. p.m 8.0 Miles in 01:02:02 (07:45 pace @ ??HR - No HRM) incl 12 x 400m Ints @ 85 to 87secs Wed 20th Feb 8.6 Miles in 01:14:07 (08:37 pace @ ??HR) - legs dead as a doornail - no energy. Thur 21st Feb 8.0 Miles in 01:04:10 (08:01 pace @ 139HR) incl 4 x 1 mile @ 06:07 to 06:25 pace. At least I won't be entering the club 5 mile race on Sunday as I have volunteered to help at the finish line. It'll be great to see others suffer for a change and I will be able to get another 20 miler in on Saturday. Have a good weekend.