1st run in 4 weeks - struggled

[mbardon]

So the past 4 weeks we have been getting work done. While I have continued to walk my son to creche each morning and evening keeping up some form of exercise (3.5 km per trip) because we had no showers in the house and had workers in up till yesterday, I started back today knowing that it would be hard going. And hard it was. I ran a shorter course than my usual 5km, running only 3.2km, but the last 1km was a struggle. I prayed for the lights to be against me at the crossings. The best distraction was when I crossed a motorway bridge and the cooling breeze was just wonderful. I have to push back now more and get back into the swing of things. I did a 6:08/km pace down from a 5:50/km pace the last time. I knew I would not run at my old pace 1st day back, but I thought that it would have been easier.

Oh and before you ask, I did have showers while the workers were in, just had to have them in family members houses every few days. And todays shower after the run was just too good to walk away from.

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I don't think you should be hard on yourself. 4 weeks ago it was much less hot and humid too, lots of people are running slower and for shorter distances at the moment anyway. It sounds like you just need to build up again over the next few runs. By the way I don't even have a shower only a bath, although I appreciate by no shower you mean whole bathroom was out of action... Enjoy getting back into it