Due to a horrible cold/flu bug (not Covid) a couple of weeks back and a nasty cough, yesterday was the first morning recently that I've woken up and thought 'yes, I could run ' . I didn't though, deciding to leave it an extra day just to be sure the cough had finally gone. So today was the day.
Last time I ran I couldn't find my running socks and they still haven't turned up, so I treated myself to some new ones. Still Balega but pink, not black, on the basis they'll be harder to lose. Buying them was also an incentive to get out there and run, I'm getting a bit too used to the couch.
It wasn't particularly cold, around 7C. Husband was in a short sleeved t shirt but then he's tough 
We decided on 3km and I told him I'd be taking it easy. I avoided looking at my stats as I ran, wanting to go by perceived effort. At the halfway point, 1.5km, he suggested carrying on to 5km. It was all pretty good so why not?
A couple of hundred metres further on the ground started to squelch beneath my feet. Not enough to wet my lovely new socks but I had to slow right down to avoid slipping. Eventually it improved and after about 3 km we got back to a concrete farm road. Much easier underfoot but the gentle westerly was now hitting us head on which, as we all know, is much more noticeable than when it's at your back and helping you. No choice but to continue.
Back onto the path and it was reasonably firm. We turned a corner to see that the way was blocked by a tractor with a work party planting a new hedgerow. The party consisted of 2 men and two small boys. The bigger one, about 8 or 9, was digging holes for the bushes. The younger one, about 4, was handing plants to the other 3. We congratulated them on their efforts. In a couple of years this will give welcome shelter from the winds, plus of course create new habitats for wildlife.
By now I was starting to flag a bit, out of practice. Husband went off ahead of me. I stopped at 4.5km as by then I was back on the street. He did an extra km...but he hasn't been ill, thankfully.
Back at home I checked my stats. My average heart rate was a lot higher than I expected, seems I did 35 minutes in Zone 5. Didn't feel that bad. So much for an easy run! I wasn't even going fast. Must be the after effects of the cold. Plus that rotten Mr Garmin added 2 years to my VO2 age (still 11 years younger than I am chronologically so maybe he's not that bad).
PS the socks are great, the previous pair were about 16 months old so all the nice fluffy padding had gone. These new ones feel like I have a pair of kittens in my shoes (very nice placid kittens with no claws) (just to clarify, I would never ever consider running with real kittens in my shoes, placid or otherwise) (I'm not a monster 😂)
week3run1 ✅. 3 x 17 mins with 1 min walks. 
How did your parkrun or (not)parkrun go?
