W9R1 without Laura

[ArthurJG]

Feeling quite pleased with myself. After taking a week off because I was feeling my knees, and having my confidence knocked due to not completing my first run after my break, I got back on track but left myself with four runs to do on holiday. Gorgeous routes here (Sirmione, Lake Garda) but busy with cyclists and pedestrians so it would be irresponsible to wear headphones. So I’ve just had to manage with a timer on my Fitbit and no auditory stimulus at all.

I got through W8R3, no fun but I got there. But today I was feeling good and I knew the route. I’d been thinking all day that I might even go a bit faster as every run seems to be slower than the one before and I was suddenly feeling confident.

So no Laura. No music. A naggging doubt that the good restaurants might be closed by the time I finish but I’m not going to run any earlier in this heat, nor am I going to run on a full stomach. 27 degrees at 7.30 p.m. and 23000 walking steps on my Fitbit before I went out to run...

I was probably right that I could go faster than I have recently but I overestimated. Strava gave me a PB for the first kilometre but I was struggling so eased off. Still faster than my last few runs though, a bit over 4k in the thirty minutes actual running, and on target to graduate next week in Florence of all places.

Not feeling the knees quite as much after a run now and certainly not for anything like as long. After the jolt of my ‘practice run’ that caused me to repeat W8R2 I really feel I’m back on track. Didn’t feel great during the run but on a real high afterwards.

And once I’d showered and changed, guess what? The best restaurant was still open after all.

[BaddieThePirate Graduate]

4+ km in 30 mins is great! Florence! Wow. Restaurant still open must have been a relief. Well done, back on track 😎

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate]

Phew...you did really well Arthur. I admire you for your dedication, doing these runs on holiday, and a Graduation Run in Florence will be amazing...piccys please.

the best bit you saved til last...you still got into your favourite restaurant!

Hope you enjoyed a lovely supper..you earned it.

[Lylagrace Graduate]

Well done you, enjoy the sights, and store those memories

[Dizzysmum17 Graduate]

Wow - graduating in Florence! Amazing - have the best time! Good luck 🍀

[ArthurJG Graduate in reply to Dizzysmum17]

Not at all guaranteed: weather forecast may yet have an influence. Going to get even hotter and stay hot till late. For it to work it’ll need a 6 am start and I don’t normally do those. I’ll see how I feel. Graduating on my regular route at Easthaven or at a Montrose Parkrun will suit me just as well if that’s how it works out. But the runs this week were important as I might have had to go back a bit had I stopped for three weeks. Now, at most it’ll be two and they usually say up to two weeks off doesn’t set you back much. So I won’t be doing kamikaze runs if it’s still pushing 30 late at night, but if I get an opportunity on a cool morning after a good sleep then I’ll take it.