📣💫I did it!!! 😁🥇10k exactly = 1:16:42. For the whole run of 10.1k, my pace was a totally amazing (for me) 7:38 mins/km. How did that happen? It’s in the range of my faster 5ks. So, so proud as I finished. There was a little celebration dance💃🏼 with air punches and victory arms, albeit with nobody to see me except the birds. And I was glowing as I entered my run on COGH.🌟
It’s been quite a week. After my shin splints and then post-jab pause, I returned to a short gentle 4k run a week ago. During the week I ran two 5ks. The first was a record-breaking new gold🥇37:53; pace 7:33 for the whole 5.08km (although it looks like I mis-entered my COGH data, confusing my run and walk elements!🤷🏼♀️👓)
The second was my new silver 🥈37:58; pace 7:35 for 5.02km. I hadn’t tried to do either. In fact, M and I were trying to slow down especially at the start. Must be the spring energy!
Today, I set out thinking I’d just see how I felt and, if good, maybe try for 7.5 or 8k. Pace ebbed and flowed throughout, but we did succeed in keeping the first stage nice and slow. M left at the 5k mark, a nice step-up for him at 38:58 (from his usual 35:00). I felt good for a longer run so continued on our circuit with the view to gauge (and map) the km markers on a well-known route. Often, once M departs, I change direction or run about willy-nilly just to mix it up. Sticking to the circuit meant repeating, of course, but I know that it is never ‘the same’ and enjoy observing all the the subtle changes of experience. I did feel a bit heavy in the hips at one point, but put my mind to to it (thinking myself strong and light, and upping my cadence) which certainly did the trick. I’ve also been doing some zigzagging this week (thanks for suggesting this @roseabi) and this always seems to give me energy and speed; it’s fun. Sometimes I run along the narrow tracks behind M doing zigzags.
Earlier M and I had seen one of the woodpeckers drumming on a pollarded tree, but this was a day for the crows. They were flying about in a band, cawing loudly. I always like their plaintive sound. Later I ran past a pair stalking about on the grass and pecking the ground. The one brave bird did not budge as I approached, and ended up just two feet away from me. We acknowledged one another, eye to eye. Beautiful to see at such close quarters. A blackbird’s song pulled me along at another moment. The parakeets had been noticeable by their absence (I’d thought this on my other run too) but put in in a well-timed appearance bang on 8.5km. 🦜🦜🦜 Yes, I thought, they’re popped by to cheer me on. It worked. 10k in the bag!!
😁Happy running (or walking, or relaxing), everyone! 🚶♀️🚶🏻🏃🏿♂️🏃🏻♂️🏃🏽♀️🏃🏼♀️🦌
London Virtual Vitality 10000 
Compromise
W4R3 - halfway to 10km!
My first 10k... week to go before Longleat 10k
