First run since we arrived in Cornwall. I was planning to go out yesterday, but owing to over indulging father in laws wine cabinet, my frail body refused to move further than a few inches at a time!! SO this morning was the day. I did my usual hip strengthening exercises and core stuff before chewing on a couple of dates and having two glasses of water. Then I was ready for the country lanes.
I realised quite quickly that having AC/DC thrashing on your headphones whilst tonking down narrow country lanes is not the safest thing to do. I couldn't hear the traffic coming up behind me so I took them off, thereby instantly saving my life! The first half of this run is ALL down hill. Easy peasy. My times were going to be good on this section and I breezed along with ease bidding "good morning" to a few locals who clearly thought "Who the bloody hell is this bozo dressed in electric orange???".
My halfway point was a dead end - the banks of the River Tamar - and as I ran down this long narrow country lane I was looking forward to having a sit down on the one and only bench. I'd been here before (last Xmas) and this bench is amazing. It's probably one of the most peaceful places in the entire UK!! The tide was out, and all there was to look at was the muddy flats and water channels and loads of birds pootling about looking for tasty grubs to eat! I stretched my leg muscles and then sat down to take in "all the nature maaaan!!". It was gorgeously quiet and quite lovely and once my heart rate had got back to normal levels I pressed START on Gertie Garmin and set off towards home.
I was not fast on this return leg. I suddenly realised how lucky I am to live in a place where everywhere is flat, because frankly, it makes me look better than I really am in terms of pace. Football managers do say "You can only play the team in front of you" - and I suppose our running times are based on the terrain where we live. Which means if I lived in Cornwall my pace would be a hell of a lot slower!! This return leg was tough going and I was determined NOT to stop - but to keep pushing on. Digging in. Gritting my teeth. Showing some STEEL!!!!!
I stopped for a walk. I was knackered! But I only stopped for about a minute, just to tell my heart "Please don;'t explode on me!". I eventually hear my Garmin squeal the 30 minutes noise, followed 23 seconds later by the 5K noise. I'd done it and I was still in one piece.
Back home to shower and then hit the shops of Plymouth, where Mrs Dan made some rather nice clothes purchases in her favourite shops, including a pair of orange strappy stillettos!! YES!
Hope you all had good runs today. Keep at it and don't let the hills beat you!
Yer pal
Dan.
5k on the walls of beautiful Lucca
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