My knees are niggly, I walked too much yesterday even though it was a rest day and I've been pushing it a bit running every other day recently. So the gremlins were having a great time with me after lunch. They threatened injury, exhaustion, failure, collapse, flu - you name it. But if I don't run today I'll be thrown completely of course for the rest of the programme due to other obligations. So run I did.
I'm pretty sure it wasn't raining when I looked out of the window four seconds before I opened the front door. But it was as I stepped outside. I'm also pretty sure the wind didn't come directly from Siberia when I went shopping this morning. But it was now. God knows how because it was definitely coming from the South or West - but it was COLD. On my "brisk walk" I thought I might be dressed too lightly, my hands were really cold. But once I got going it was fine and I soon got to my overheated, not quite so gently perspiring stage. Not many people out - an older man doing stretching exercises, a middle-aged Nordic walker who smiled conpiratorially as I passed and a really fast jogger, who I met again walking on the way back looking knackered. Oh and a dog walker pulling her golden retriever away from something smelly and obviously delicious. I had runkeeper reporting to me every 5 minutes and I was pleasantly surprised. It may be the music on the podcast, it may just be the weekend, but I definitely run faster at weekends. The second five minutes were spent listening to Julie - I've finally met her! Never thought I would.
The rain turned into sleet. I couldn't see as my glasses fugged up and were spotted with rain. I fumbled around pulling my running shirt out from under my jacket to wipe my glasses. After that it was OK. I tried to go slower and control my breathing and concentrate during the first 15 minutes, but it all went to pot towards the end. My breathing got jagged, the last three minutes were really tough. And then it was over. I switched Runkeeper off at exactly 28 mins, and was just being told my statistics when my phone died on me. Too many apps running? Oh no, I hope the run has been recorded. I walked briskly home, the cool-down would have taken me to 5k, the time would have interested me, but I have my whole life ahead of me to do it again.
The stats weren't lost. I ran 4.1 km in those 28 mins, all of them under 7 mins. My fastest was - as usual - kilometer 3, maybe I'm running downhill there.
That is the fastest I've ever done in my whole life. OK it's called a PB, and you all have them, but I'm new to this game.
And yes, I know we newbies shouldn't get hung up on statistics, but it is nice to see some progress. And I am a statistic person, when I'm running I'm always working out percentages, distances, times etc. It's how my head works - so please don't tell me off!
The gremlins were proved wrong again - although they might still get me on the flu!
Run 2 will probably be on Tuesday. We're definitely going hiking in the Alps tomorrow and that will knacker me. Might be too stiff for a run on Monday - but you never know with my new found fitness I might just leap up the side of the mountain like a gazelle.
Onwards and upwards. Happy running!
Samsung Insult
W5 R3- i only went and did it!!
Bad run turned good :)
W8r1
