Today was my first Long Slow Distance run since starting back after my lay-off through injury. I've done several short runs these past couple of weeks, but wanted to try to get back to my routine. It was a return to running with music too; in this case a random shuffle on my mp3 player.
Most of the route was on the single-track roads and I went the first 5km without passing one vehicle. It was a lovely crisp morning with wee odd flakes of snow once or twice, but it didn't come to anything. The surface was not so icy today, except for a couple of 100m long stretches between the mature trees in Belladrum Estate, where I had to 'ca canny' on the icy grass verge. I had a short bit of off-road section in Belladrum when I ran along the edge of the Italian Garden where the Tartan Heart Music festival is held each August.
After 8km trouble-free, I had a wee tumble in my final 50m of running! Just before going into the village Post Office to collect the newspaper, I took a small detour on a footpath at the edge of the woods. I usually use the wooden footbridge across the burn as my turn-around point on this short extension, but today I thought I'd like to finish with a fast dash by running up the steps on the other side of the burn. Instead of finishing with a flourish, I finished with a fall as I landed on my bum as soon as I stepped on the bridge! Luckily there was nobody about to see me making a fool of myself.
However, I think my neighbours will have spotted me acting like a total bampot later on my cool down walk home. I use the 'excuse' of walking back from the PO with my paper to avoid running up the 80m in 1km incline back to the house. I'd kept my mp3 player on, playing the cheesy 70s and 80s rock and pop music. When Big Country came on singing 'One Great Thing' I felt compelled to dance about, waving my paper in the air - in the style of the baton-twirlers in the Tenants ad:
youtube.com/watch?v=D-IhhSf...
As you may have gathered I really enjoyed this morning's run! 
However, I didn't run slow enough according to the pace calculator I use. I went on average 30 secs/km faster for the 8.5km than I should for my lsd run. I think I'll try with a Heart Rate monitor next week and see if I can run at the right pace.
Glad you are ok following your tumble, there's nothing like a bit of hurt pride, lucky nobody was looking!
Pi*sing down with rain - would you?
To run or not to run... 
Consolidation Run No.3 - night running
Icy roads but want to run!
Running foreign climes!
