I had an extra rest day yesterday because, although I’d promised myself I would run every alternate day, I woke up with a really sore shoulder and neck for the 2nd day and also lower back pain. So I just had a walk in the afternoon and did some gentle Pilates to loosen up.. lots of Heat Rub on my shoulder and today I felt a lot better. I had set my alarm for 7, so it wasn’t too hot, but somehow I didn’t wake up until 7.30 and then fed my cats and set off.
It was 7.40 by then and warming up already. I’d got my sunglasses but they kept steaming up ( hot stuff me) so I ended up only wearing them when I was running towards the sun. I thought I’d just go straight out into the Tarka Trail and run beside the river, doing an “ out and back”. Thought it would be cooler along there. Maybe 2.5 out and then turn... just notch up a 5k and then home...
As it was when I got nearly to 2.5k I saw some swans further up and wanted to take a pic so I carried on, took the pic and kept going ..” nearly 3 .. might as well make it 3.5 then turn and run back.. that should be the full hour then”. And then there were several 2s and 3s of runners coming towards me on the other side and I didn’t want them to see me turn it or for me to get in their way so I carried on to 4k and then turned.
I was really glad when I turned as my legs were tiring and I was finding it hard to pick up my feet. Got to 5k and was regretting going so far and then one of my happy tunes came on and off I went. I seemed to get a second wind and 6k and 7k flew by and then I was turning into the Industrial Estate to cut back across town. The road was nice and clear so I ran across the dual carriageway and headed towards the little cut through. 8k came and I didn’t really want to stop that far from home so I thought I’d push it to 9k..... and then I ended up running around a little housing estate to finish at 10k. Well it would have been rude not to when I’d got that far.
It wasn’t pretty ( I still have a red face over 2 hours later) and it wasn’t fast ( just over 1hr 26) but that’s the 3rd one this year now and I feel good. I came home and celebrated with scrambled eggs and toast.