Leaving the house I was buzzing with nervous energy wanting to get going but worried that my fitness levels would've dropped to a point where I wound find this too difficult. Laura's voice was reassuring and motivating as ever, and the five minutes of walking seemed to fly by. In this five minutes I found myself talking to my shoelaces "Don't you dare come undone or trip me up" and laughing at an oasis advert on a bus stop reading "It's summer. You're thirsty. We've got sales targets." At least they're honest.
The first run came and for the first 30 seconds I felt like Ii could go forever, then I felt like I couldn't go any further. I persevered though and it seemed to end quickly. I enjoyed the walking and running alternating, remembering a route I never use any more as it was an route to an old job. I see little quirks that used to break up my morning walk, things like gnomes in a garden, car numberplates, things that make routes interesting.
The fourth run proved the first truly difficult one as my route took my somewhat uphill. I knew though that once I got to the end of that run I would be able to turn around and go back down that hill. At the halfway point I turned and began to head back. After run five it came into my head that maybe I couldn't do this, with aching legs and a slight sickness building in my throat. But another thought came straight after it. It was more than halfway through, I had done more than I had left to do. All I had to do was keep putting on foot in front of the other.
Run six ended and the grass beside the pavement I was running on was looking very comfortable for just lying out on. The walk after run six helped though and run seven and eight both felt easier. Come the end of eighth run there was a slight feeling that I could go on /if I had to/ but mostly a relief. I was back running and Ii had proven I could still do it.
Week one, I've done my first run!
Week one, run one!
Bad back = no running week, gutted
Week one, run one...
Final pre-week one run complete!
