It's been a week since I last blogged and I haven't run in that time owing to limping (sore groin) and starting a full on new job. I've done 84 hours this week and couldn't have run, even if my groin had let me! Now the first week is over I'm under orders from Mrs Dan to not be such a massive plonker and to start later in the morning. I think she's scared I'll drop dead with exhaustion.
HOWEVER.....my body was feeling pretty settled this morning, so after my lie in, I dressed in my lycra cat suit (shocking pink) and........SORRY! ONLY KIDDING. I don't really have a lycra cat suit. Just boring shorts and T shirt! Anyway, I decided that the groin strain was now calm enough to allow me to go out there and see what I could do.
I have read a number of posts today where a lot of you LOVED todays fresh, crisp morning air. Well, what a difference it made to me. It was a tad chilly, (but not enough to make protrusions in my running top around the chest area) and as I ran along the river Thames into Richmond, I could smell that autumn smell. Wet leaves and grass and cold freshness. Lovely! My plan today was to go slowwww Forget trying to PB, or break world records. I didn't want my tender areas to start playing up again, because frankly there's nothing worse than having to limp around one's office looking like some sort of Richard 3rd auditionee!
So...... slow it was gonna be. Legs felt good over the first K. And the 2nd. Was I going to do a whole 5K distance today? "Hmmm" I mused. "I'll see how I feel, and if I feel any twinges, then I'll walk".
I've had the most horrendous week of stress and pressure and general "first week problems" (I'm working on a new film) and to just look at the sun shining on the Thames as I trotted along was just divine. I felt a huge sense of relief to have a day off and I smiled at fellow runners along the way, a few of which actually smiled back. I was on the 3rd K now and about to cross Old Deer Park and I began to feel a bit of a twinge at the top of my right leg. "Blast!" I said. "Slow down Dan. Keep it together baby. You're doing great. I'm so impressed with you. You're a running God. You can beat the world". It's amazing the conversations I have with myself.....
A burst water main halted me in my tracks as I ventured up the aptly named "Water Lane". I had to detour slightly and climbed the steps at Richmond Bridge, then over the bridge to the other side of the river and back along the Thames path. Leg was still niggling a bit but not too bad so I kept going. The thought of a long jacuzzi bath when I got home kept me going and I even picked up the pace on the 5th K just to see if I could do it. I DID!
Fishing my phone out at what I believed to be the 5K mark, Endomondo said I'd run 4.99K, so I kept going for the extra few secs to complete the loop. I'd done it. 5K in 31'51. Decided to stretch there and then - on the pavement and using a handy 12ft brick wall to push against. Amazingly, the niggle at the top of my leg went away once I'd stretched it. Hooray!!
Mrs Dan had the jacuzzi already run when i got home. Even had the radio tuned in to my fave Saturday morning politics show. I sank in the water and smiled broadly. Boy, I felt good. What a tremendously fantastic run. I felt clear headed, light and feathery and extremely relaxed. I closed my eyes and listened to the radio thinking to myself "I must remember to drop the blind when I get out, otherwise those builders across the road will get an eyeful of bodily parts which shouldn't be on public display!"
Have a great weekend folks. I'm back at work tomorrow, but at least I got a run in this week. Fabulous!
Dan
