The morning sky yesterday, was so clear when I set out, a pure, unadulterated blue. A child's sky; the turmoil of the wind and rain storms of Wednesday, washed clean away, in the freshness of a crisp new day. I was feeling much more confident after my run on Tuesday, so, I set out to try...Couch to 5K plus with the Stepping Stone podcast.
Quite a relief to hear Laura's familiar voice again... and the little frisson of excitement when she said.." if you have completed Couch to 5K you are a runner..." Still cannot quite believe it.
I decided to take the route I did on Tuesday... a warm up walk.. with a very brisk pace being set and up the hill over the roundabout. Time to start running. This is all quite different, with different pace and different timings..but terrific fun. A perfect half moon, pale and silvering, ahead and above me in the sky..half a Camembert cheese maybe?
I was concentrating very hard, and did find it a little hard going initially, just getting used to the timings and pressure bit again. I seemed to get the pace right... and soon found that I was relaxing into the whole idea of it. The sky, lightening now, with wispy pink clouds, like candy-floss, raspberry flavour! I was enjoying this.
Trying to listen to Laura's tips and follow her instructions and always, the steady rhythmic beat keeping my feet in check. A few more cars this morning, a single dog walker and a jolly lady, who looked older than me, ( surely not) running down the hill and past me with a huge smile and a cheery good morning. My feet seemed to move of their own accord.. one, two, three, four..one, two, three, four.... my hips do seem to sway a bit.. is this normal, is it a bad thing? I was in time and making good progress up towards the common.. I got much further this morning and realised I needed to turn.
Across the road, down by the golf course. The huge poplars which I imagine, on Wednesday, were swaying and roaring in the strong winds, standing quiet, like proud giants, silently guarding the shadowy lake beneath them. In front of me.. a tree has fallen.. a huge branch blocking the pathway...negotiating it with care, slowing down slightly and onto the grass.. I noticed a Buttercup! December 31st... and a Buttercup. I wanted to take a photo but did not want to stop.. will go back tomorrow.! The last bit of the podcast urges you to up the pace...so much easier heading downhill...!
My three crows from the other day have multiplied to five... my magpie companions have dwindled to one pair, but a blackbird, with his, oh so familiar, fluted and mellow song, high above me on the top of a hawthorn tree... jet black plumage, bright eyed and polished yellow beak! He sings me past into the homeward stretch. A large lorry parked near the roundabout at the edge of the slip road.. cab curtained tightly...I run quietly, trying to land exactly as Laura says... so much to think about.
Down the hill again, everything still quiet...just me and the day... the New Year hanging quietly in the air... an actor, waiting in the wings of the World's stage... ready to make a grand entrance at the appointed hour.
End of the run... a lovely walk-down walk, Laura congratulating me, home, family and the whole day ahead. How lucky I am.
So love your posts, Oldfloss! 
It's a wonderful day; it's wonderful to run in it!
W9R2! And I tried something different! Podcast instead of music, but it really hurt my pace!
The Need for Speed
