Hello everybody!
I am basically packed for my two weeks away in Hong Kong. I wanted to run on Saturday and then go for a run the morning of my flight, but the rain yesterday put me off. So, I decided to head out today after Skyping the boyf.
I told myself as I left my flat that I was going to run a 5k today. I had changed the distance measurement on Runkeeper to km rather than miles, so I was better able to keep track of whether I was running a 'true 5k', seeing as I include the walks on either side of my run on Runkeeper.
The evening was actually quite warm, and I quickly took off my hoodie and tied it around my waist. Hopefully I will be able to leave it at home altogether when I return to the UK! I headed along my usual route, but knew that I wanted to deviate slightly by incorporating a bit of a route I'd ran during week 9 of the couch25k plan (when I got a little lost).
There were a lot of cats out this evening. I saw a beautiful slender, grey kitten sitting a little way away from a black and white cat. They were avoiding each other's eyes, which made me think that they didn't want confrontation - a good thing.
I started my run with a very deliberate pace. At my BHF run I had achieved a sub 34-minute 5k - a time which I am very proud of - but I feel like I was a little swept away by the crowds and the cheering and such, and replicating such a time in a solo run would be a bit of a challenge. So, my pace was slow and leisurely. It gave me lots of time to observe more cats sitting in people's driveways, darting underneath the nearby fence as I approached.
I deviated from my usual route and found myself enjoying the run more than others I've had earlier this week. I managed to avoid getting lost this time and was able to wind back around to my usual route, although on reflection maybe I should have followed the route I'd taken when I was lost before - it felt to me that I'd returned to my main route a little too soon for my liking. The longer, 'lost' route is a bit daunting as there's a big hill towards the end, but I reckon it would push my usual route into a 5k with little or no backtracking.
I was aware that thunderstorms were due in the late evening in Essex, but I was running a couple of hours before that forecast was due. Rain began pattering down pretty steadily, and I found myself frowning, head bowed as I ran onwards. I ran past a couple huddled beneath an umbrella, past a family darting quickly from the house into the car.
Then, over the sound of my headphones, I heard a rumble of thunder. I was a little startled, so I slowed to a walk and took my earpieces out to listen. It seemed quite close. The rain was not relenting. I was only 3km into my run, but I decided it was probably for the best for me to return home. Fortunately, as I had taken the shorter deviation from the usual route, I was a 3 minute walk away from my flat. I made it back before I got too soaked, although I rather enjoyed peeling off my damp clothes and then jumping straight into the shower.
I have little to do now before my flight tomorrow evening, save packing a few last-minute things and then actually getting to Heathrow airport. Whilst I am very excited for tomorrow (not to mention a little nervous - over 4 months away from the boyf is making me a little jittery!!), I hope that my shorter-than-anticipated run will let me sleep restfully tonight. Although I only really ran for about 20 minutes, I enjoyed the run and it was better than not having ran at all.
I will possibly be able to post updates on me using the treadmill in Hong Kong, so watch this space! But if I don't post, I will speak to you all again in 2 weeks =] Good luck to those of you about to graduate, and those of you about to embark on your Couch25K journey!! =]
Week 4 Run 3: a new path
running, raining and me
This is how to return to running!
25 minutes, it's a miracle!
