Good Sunday to you all. The sun is shining, the sky is blue and I've just had one of my homemade pasties - which was so delicious, I almost fainted.
This week has been good for running. On Tuesday at 6.30am I hauled my shapely ar$e out of the door to do my shortest run route - a 3K around the block. I find that this bite sized chunk of a distance is PErFECT for that first run of the week. It's not too far, and I can do it in 15 minutes which leaves plenty of time for me to get back and make myself look delicious for work.
Thursday was a shock to the system because it was ZERO DEGREES CENTIGRADE outside! My scooter saddle was covered in frost and I realised I would have to make sure that I poured some hot water over it before setting off for work later on. I didn't want frozen bot cheeks! I dressed accordingly - running tights, top, long sleeved top over that, gloves and beanie. I set off a 6.23am and planned to do a 5. Despite the freezing temperatures, I felt SO ALIVE and perky. There's something about running in the cold -it's you against the elements of the Universe and the only way to beat it is to keep going and work up a sweat! By the time I'd finished my run I looked at Endomondo on my phone and it told me I had in fact run 6K - not 5! Hooray! Hot shower, porridge, hot water on scooter saddle for maximum buttock comfort and I was off to Central London for another 10 hour stint.
Roll on to this morning SUNDAY. I decided to do a longer run today as I wanted to up my mileage for the week. I told Mrs Dan that I would do my favourite 7K route and if by the time I reached the end, I felt strong and fit, I would do the next 3K to bring it up to a 10. I wasn't feeling too alive I have to say when I set off. It'd been a long week, I'd drunk far too much on Friday night with Mrs Dan which rendered Saturday as a sort of non day and I still felt sleepy, despite a full 12 hours in bed! However all this was to change...
By K2 my body decided to wake up. I had a brief conversation with myself -
"So how we doing then? / "Feeling pretty good Dan Boy! Don't go too mad now" / "OK good" I replied to myself. "I'll imagine I'm that bloke I once saw in Santa Monica jogging along the beach in 2010. I'll keep it slow and steady" / "Let's do this baby" said my body......
I kept it slow and steady as planned. I could hear Endomondo announcing the time for each K and I used this information to try and vary my pace. By the time I got to 7K it was decision time - carry on or stop? I decided to carry on and imagined a studio audience all cheering and clapping as Ant and Dec announced "He's carrying on ladies and gentlemen! He's goin' for the 10K!".
This meant doing my 3K round-the-block route. Easy peasey. Amazingly I still felt fine. Breathing was perfect, legs felt light and so did my feet. I was convinced I could finish without too much trouble. K8 went by in just under 6 mins, K9 a few secs over but when I knew the final K was about to start I stepped on the gas. Where this pace and energy came from, only the good Lord knows, but I was tearing down the street like a hare being chased by a massive greyhound! Actually scrub that. I WAS THE GREYHOUND!! Rocket speed!
Finally finished in 58'45 which isn't my quickest, but for someone who felt sleepy and dull when setting off I was extremely pleased with this titanic performance!
That's me done for the week. Sending hugs to you all and have y'all a GREAT week.
Yer pal
Dan.
xxx
Week 9: but 3k
