It was a toss-up between running yesterday or today. Yesterday was such a lovely day – cold, but sunny, bright and crisp – that I decided to drag Mr B out of the house for a 7k walk in the afternoon.
So today it was. An unplanned lie in scuppered any hope of a morning run, so I decided an early afternoon run would be in order, following a brunch of freshly made juice (apple, clementine and ginger), melon followed by seeded muffin, scrambled eggs and smoked salmon.
😋
I was just about to get kitted up when there was a loud crash from the garage. As Mr B was reversing the car out a shelf of paint tins had come away from the wall on top of the car! 😱The car is only 3 months old!
We managed to remove most of the emulsion (thankfully not gloss paint) with hot soapy water, and it will need a trip to the body shop to fix some small dents – it could have been much worse.
By the time that was sorted out it was approaching 3:30 when I left the house.
I haven’t run more than 7k since the Vitality 10,000 and that was in November, so I want to do some longer runs at weekend to build my distance up again. I decided I’d aim to run 7k but selected my route so there were options to end the run sooner if I wasn’t feeling good.
It was just above freezing, so I opted for 2 long sleeved tops (thermal base layer under my hi viz top), tights, buff, buff headband and gloves and lightweight jacket.
Finishing my warm-up walk I set off at a deliberately slower than normal pace than of late as I’m aiming to run for longer today. I’m not looking at my watch again – running by feel and letting myself speed up and slow down as feels right at the time (i.e. slowing down when going uphill 😁). The traffic seems about normal for this time on a Sunday – where is everyone going considering we are in lockdown?
The gloves come off after 1k. The jacket follows after 2k and I tie it round my waist whilst still running.
Approaching the point where I can turn off the main road for a 5k, I decide I’m feeling good – breathing nice and easy – so I carry on down the main road towards the Leisure Centre. The gate is down across the entrance and there is a family group by the pedestrian entry point. The kids have roller skates on (a present from Santa?) and are clinging to the gate for dear life. I have to slow down and wait for them to drag themselves further along the gate with their hands and allow me through.
I’m still feeling good, so I add another 0.5k with a circuit of the Leisure Centre. This is a favourite with local runners and is also a Strava segment. I pass the same female runner going in the opposite direction twice on my circuit.
Leaving the Leisure Centre, I head back for the main road. I can go right for home and end my run, or head left and add on another 1km. I go left. My legs feel tired by now, but my breathing is still fine. Maybe yesterdays walk is taking a toll. It’s getting dark now and the fog is coming down. I realise I’m getting damp from the outside in. I’m glad my run is nearing its end.
I must have been zoned out as I realise I’ve run right past my turning point 🤦♀️🙄, so I do a U-turn and head back for 100 metres before turning left and into the housing estate on the other side of the woods. Reaching 7k I stop my watch and end the run.
No PBs, or second or third bests of anything on this run, though Strava does award me 5 bronzes for various segments. But this is my longest run since the end of October and is some 2 minutes 30 seconds faster than my last 7k run and 7 minutes faster than my 7k runs on jujus Magic Plan. Yes – I’ll take that thank you!
So happy with my run today 😁. Not so happy about the car!
🚗😥
The photos were taken on my walk yesterday afternoon to the local Country Park and back. I really must go for a run here sometime
week3run1 ✅. 3 x 17 mins with 1 min walks. 
How did your parkrun or (not)parkrun go?
