That's what I get for missing my last two Saturday runs. I'd set my alarm earlier than I usually do for my weekend runs but although I was up and out by 06.45 and while three weeks ago it was still black as night at that time, this morning it was already getting light. Not good when you're a Dracula runner.
Spring is hurtling towards us eh?
As I arrived at the beachfront the first thing I saw was a streak of light passing before me and heading off to my left. Much to my dismay, rather than Lewis Hamilton out for quick blast in his F1 motor, it was some fecker running like the wind. Here I was, returning to the scene of my great triumph on Thursday (okay it was only a remarkably comfortable 6.3k run but it was a triumph to me) full of confidence and ready to take on anything the run could throw at me and already that balloon was pricked. Ho hum, that's what happens with balloons, I suppose.
Anyway, Laura gave me the nod and off I went, although I'm pretty sure I heard a wee bit of mirth in her voice I'd not noticed previously, as if she just KNEW I was going to head in the opposite direction to The Streak. I mean, who wants to watch a guy as fast as that disappearing into the distance, especially when you've just started your run?
It's just as well the 'music' was playing 90 seconds later when he came flying back past me or she'd have been pissing herself!
It was like been overtaken by a Stealth fighter when you're strapped in a hang glider.
Bastard!
As I regathered myself I soon forgot about him (easily done as he was nowhere to be seen and it being light, I could see for some distance) and it wasn't long before the mocking voice was telling me I was five minutes in. Not long after that I had confirmation that the fiddling I'd done with the settings on the MapMyRun app had worked, previously I'd been unable to get it to talk to me but in my ear I was hearing the first km was done. I'd only intended doing my usual 5k route so in this case I wouldn't need it but it was good to know it was sorted.
The run was turning into a bit of a slog by the time Laura said I was fifteen in, I'd not managed to 'tune out' and I was finding no joy in it at all. Then I spotted a familiar light blue top ahead, this time it was coming towards me and instead of going like Usain Bolt on steroids (ahem!) he was walking! I assumed he'd completely scorched off the soles of his trainers and therefore had no choice.
I passed him, went by the Lagoon, continued to Mills Row and turned for home, still having found no real rhythm, unusual for me at this stage. I resigned myself to it being one of those joyless runs I'd just have to grind out. Then I spotted him again, way ahead but still walking!
This threw me a bit as I had thought he'd finished his run and would have headed off the front to wherever he parked his spaceship by this stage, however thoughts of 'revenge' quickly surfaced. After all, it's all very well bombing up and down at full pelt for ten minutes but here was I still going strong (okay, I'll change that) ......still going, fifteen minutes after I'd last seen him actually running.
He was still some distance ahead but I was consumed with the hope that he didn't move off the front as I really wanted to run by him. I didn't have it in me to up my pace so all I could do was keep going, 250 yards...200...."don't turn off the front"........150.......100....."stay there".....80...."come on".......60......"I'm gonna get him"......50.......
On go the afterburners and he's feckin' gone again!
Double bastard!
Still, at least it distracted me for a bit. The rest of the run was back to slogging it, I was thinking about it all the way to the end and found it difficult to understand given my run on Thursday but that's the way it goes, sometimes there's no explanation for it, some runs are just tougher than others.
Then the MMR voice said I was at 4k and I wasn't paying proper attention but I thought the time he'd given may have suggested a reason I'd had it rough, this was confirmed when I finished because at 35.05 I'd knocked a minute and a half off my best 5k and when I checked the splits later, three minutes off the time I'd passed 5k at in the run I'd been comparing it to!
I really can't understand it, I think I'm almost metronomic in my pacing and if anything, had thought I was as slow as I've ever been, however when I checked the splits, four of the five km's were quicker than any I'd ran before!
Perhaps it was running in daylight that fooled me or even the comparison with The Streak but either way, it gave a pretty happy ending to a quite unpleasant experience.
A couple more 5k's in the week and then I'll try to add on a bit next Saturday by way of my journey to 10k.
I think I'll have a bit of fun making up a playlist for the next few runs, no disrespect to Laura but I've had enough of her tunes and perhaps it's au revoir rather than goodbye as I'm well aware that injury may require me to build up my fitness again at some stage and who better to help with that?
W9, R3 done.
Where's me badge?????
Next time you see that bastard you go kick his ass....that will get you running 10k in no time by the sounds of it! 
Running in the Rain
Running in the rain!
Running in the dark!
W4R1 - Wooohooooo 16mins of running in total and I'm still alive!
B210K W5R2 Running scared
