Yesterday Parkrun was cancelled due to Race for Life. I hadn't run since last Saturday...life got in the way last week, so yesterday I knew had to be run day. I set off at 8.30 and knew I had to be back by 9.45 latest. I wanted to try a long run and had a route in mind but after a few minutes decided as it was warm that I was just going to do a few laps round the same loop as a lot of it is down paths so away from cars, and bit of shade and lots of dog walkers and others to say a cheery good morning to, as I ran.
So hot weather is not kind to me but I had my shorts on and on I kept plodding. Reached 8km,which I have done before. Could have stopped but kept saying you can do this. I remembered all the support and words of advice from this forum, I thought of a friend whom I had met en route and who ran with me for part of my journey and was urging me on, I thought this is less than a lap of Parkrun. You can do it. The last bit took me back towards home and along another path to a tiny park where I started my c25k journey last August. It's probably the smallest park in the world but has a lovely pond and short intercrossing paths. I used to do my runs and walks round there..largely because I felt too exposed out on the roads! !
800m to go...just twice round a running track...I can do this. And I did. So so pleased. ...I never thought I would succeed but I did. Thank you all...you were all running alongside me. And thanks to Ju-Ju and her plan. I've not quite stuck to it as I often couldn't do the 9 km and have taken longer to do it but loved drawing faces on my little bit of paper that I printed off.
10k run...complete...no stops. Feels like a gold medal!! Going to enter a 10k race. This has really boosted my confidence.