Time: 7.55am Weather: 12°C, broken cloud, breezy, damp, recent rain.
It's not over. It's just starting.
This is it. Graduation run. Paul's going to be a naughty boy today. He's going to try for the 5km.
The loo gremlin visited before I went out, and I dithered a fair bit. I also forgot to have a drink. The weather radar said it was torrential rain outside but a look through the window said otherwise.
No big hills today. I'm going to do the mostly downhill/flat course I did two Saturdays ago (W8R1).
It's damp out again and the slugs are out in force on the pavements.
Past the post office, along the straight turnpike road, round the motorway roundabout, past the fire station, a left turn, slight incline past the park...
Left again, still on a slight climb, crested that... mostly downhill from now on. Past the old HMSO depot, past the hotel that looks closed, under the motorway. Nearly there! Keep going. Skirt a nasty puddle.
Jo says I'm nearly done. A glance at the watch. The distance is tantalisingly close to 5km. Keep going!
And Jo says the time's up. The watch vibrates for a km lap. I keep going for another 40 seconds to the next junction just in case the watch didn't record things properly.
And it's done! Slightly knackered but satisfied.
Now to get home which takes another half an hour, through parkland and residential back streets. In the park I make a wrong turn and end up on a very wet and muddy path, whereas I could have stayed on the tarred "road" and got to the same exit. I'm making a habit of this. About halfway home the rain starts. Thankfully it never progressed beyond more than a drizzle.
Once home I check the timing splits. 5km in 30'04.7". I'll take that!
My left shin is twinging a little now, probably because I was silly in pushing to keep up the pace. Definitely an extra recovery day is needed before I start on the consolidation runs, and I promise I'll go slower on those.
Stats:
Distance: 5.09km (running, 30'39"), 8.21km including walks
Pace (running): 6'01"/km. Splits (by km): 5'51", 6'03", 6'16", 5'57", 5'58"/km (and 6'12" on the overrun)
Top speed: 10.9km/h, 5'30"/km
~~~
Today I was again listening to Marty in the Morning on RTÉ Lyric FM:
07:50 Shania Twain - Forever And For Always
07:55 John Scott Orchestra - Sailing By (Binge)
08:00 David Saul - Don't Give Up On Us
08:04 Offenbach - Gaite Parisienne - Valse Lente
08:10 Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor & Debbie Reynolds - Good Mornin' (from Singing in the Rain)
08:16 The Divine Comedy - Father Ted Theme (An Post, the Irish Post Office, are issuing Father Ted themed stamps today)
08:17 Herb Alpert - Casino Royale
08:22 Eddi Reader - Dragonflies
08:33 Frank Sinatra - Strangers in the Night
Thanks for sharing your journey I've enjoyed it very much x
The End of the beginning...
W9R3 -- ending on a high
W9R3 Finally! Got there in the end 😊
It’s not the end but the beginning 
WK9 R1 The end of the beginning 
