Well a busy weekend disrupted my usual plans to run Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday so as variety is the spice of life after a little bit of juggling around a revised plan of Monday, Wednesday, Friday was hatched - ingenious! No two day break between any runs so hopefully all ok as I start the week.
Monday morning came and after making sure I had done a few "Dad's Cabs" journeys I set off leaving a very unhappy dog on his own on my first run of postgrad week 4. It had clearly been raining, the puddles along the canal towpath gave it away. After last week's soggy sock run I decided to try and dodge the puddles. I am sure that this resulted in a much longer run than was recorded by my watch.
Wednesday morning's run was cold but no puddles this time. I felt good at the end that my times were a bit better and after the 30 minutes and a brief 1 or 2 minutes rest I ran to the end of my 4k marker.
Friday was the run that nearly didn't happen. Having checked the weather forecast the night before I was already thinking that it might be dodgy - still alarm was set so decided to see what the morning held in store. As predicted 1' outside. Looking at the ground it was clearly icy. Decided on a hot bowl of cereal rather than the usual banana and stepped outside. Pleasantly surprised to find it was not feeling too bad. As I trudged along the icy path I wondered about the wisdom of my actions. Would this end with me on the floor or hobbling back home! I feared the worst and therefore tried to dodge the icy patches as much as possible - choosing the grassy verges on the way towards my usual canal towpath. The canal never ceases to amaze me - it seems to have its own climate sometimes, whilst there were visible signs of frost there was no ice. The ice was really only on the paths to and from the canal.
So this morning I completed my week 4 postgrad runs and was pleased to have done so vertical with no slips or falls. I could have so easily not have bothered today and just done 2 runs this week - in the past I would have remained tucked up in bed for as long as possible on such a morning. But running has got me doing some strange things. To echo another post I read this week, I am not enjoying or in love with running - but I am in love with what it is doing for me. Hopefully as my strength improves and some of the aches and twinges disappear or subside I will enjoy it more but for now I am content to have a love hate relationship with it. I am beginning to realise that I need to work on more than just the running and I think those "CORE" exercises are beckoning.
So - whatever your reason for running is - keep at it and don’t give up - it doesn't matter if you love it or if you have a love/hate like me. Just believe in yourselves and know that you will be healthier than sitting on the couch ever did for you.
W9R2 - done, and new route!
