So my run was a little later than usual for a number of reasons but that actually worked out better so I may reconsider how I do this.
Anyway I’ve said it before and I really hope I get to say it again but this is my best run yet. Zero difficulties, minimal pain, a nicer route and a big (for me) finish. Not even the rain could ruin it for me.
So I was in no mood for this run when I finally had my chance. I’d had a long day at work, a difficult four year old in one of his classic “how far can I push my parents” moods (he is simultaneously one of the most infuriating and absolute best things in my life) and a nauseating car journey so when he was finally in bed and I was free to run, I was stressed, feeling sick and my head was pounding so I was in no mood for this.
But I didn’t want to miss a day, I’d feel bad about it and it would hinder my progress so I put my headphones on and headed out.
I don’t know how you feel about KT Tunstall but she is my go-to singer for de-stressing. I mostly listen to rock, metal or indie (last few sessions my soundtrack has been a mix of Kaiser Chiefs and the Fratellis, really good running beat) but sometimes nothing else will do and when I’m ill, stressed or can’t sleep I listen to Invisible Empire/Crescent Moon, I highly recommend it when you need something soothing. Before I started the run proper I put it on and after the first song I was more relaxed and ready to go.
Like a genius I headed out on what had been a mostly rainy day in just a tshirt so of course the rain started to fall again. Fortunately I wasn’t far from home and I managed to incorporate a hoody retrieval into one of the walks. I walked in, grabbed it, said “Can’t stop” to my partner who was on the sofa and left, just in time to start the next run.
I don’t know what it was about this run but everything just clicked. It turns out starting on my route home from work is not my best option since people and cars keep getting in my way and RUINING EVERYTHING.
Where I live there’s a good circuit where a footpath behind the houses joins the pavement in front of them. I usually spend the second half of my runs here. Today I started here and decided to do something a little different so I left the path and ran down some steps that lead to a field and small park with a gravelly path running through them. The path was covered in slugs so I half ran, half danced around them and then enjoyed a little jog around the small lake there before heading back up.
But what really surprised me was how well I handled it all. Even by the last run I was in minimal pain and not too out of breath. I don’t know how much of the last run was left, probably not as much as it felt like, but as the music rose I just went for it and full on ran (not a sprint, I don’t have anything near that in me yet). I ran and I loved it and it felt great and as it got harder I just told myself, “you can slow down anytime you want to” but I didn’t and then perfectly on cue as the song ended, Jo Whiley told me I was done.
I’ve had some good runs but nothing like this. My stress was all gone, I felt more alive and I almost sort of felt like I could do more but I’ll save that for Monday when I start week 3.
I think going forwards though I’ll wait until I’m home and do my full runs here. It’s perfect, apart from the kids that play around here, but they’re small and can easily be shoved out the way.
Rubbish week, repeating W2R3
This running lark is very frustrating 😖 W2r3
W2R3 tomorrow
Consolidation W2R3
