So I’m sat here determined tonight I will go out and stretch the legs having not run in a week and that was a pathetic attempt on the treadmill I so need to get back out there.
Waiting for stu to come home from work and s I look outside I can see the clouds getting darker overhead, I have made that commitment and a little rain isn’t going to stop me after all come October or April the weather could be just as bad and in fairness when I first started c25k there were some bad weather days and I didn’t even think twice about not going out then.
Five minutes later the thunder starts followed by a heavy down pour and Suzie stood at the door informing me ‘there’s a storm coming cheers for that Suzie, am I really mad going out in this!
Maybe it will pass in the next half hour I really hope so or I am getting in the car and off to the gym to use my membership for the first time since signing up on Monday.
I never thought I would be having exercise withdrawals! It’s strange how your mindset changes once you start running. I am also concerned I am m veering off my training track which is worrying as I know the weeks are getting nearer and if I don’t stick to my plan things are going to get harder.
After half an hour of watching the down pour from the dry inside there was a gap and a blazing session of sunshine. So running gear quickly pulled on as quick as you can pull running on that is, and off I went with the aim of a gentle 5k to get back into things after 6 days of no running.
I knew the trail and Rothervalley would be wet with puddles so instead of trying to dodge them I embraced them, took my usual rout off down the track and onto Rothervalley then turned right for a change, I like to mix it up sometimes.
Just as I turned onto the country park the heavens opened again, It actually felt so refreshing and didn’t slow my pace at all. About 3.5k I could feel my muscles in my legs and calf’s working and firming up and as much as I knew I would know about it this evening and in the morning I knew I needed to push through and keep my 5k commitment. It sounds strange to anyone who hasn’t run before but I knew this was a good ache, this meant I was strengthening my muscles again after they had rested all week. It’s scary to think it took me originally 9 weeks to build up my stamina and strength to run 5k and yet 1 week of not running and doing very little really can set you back, today’s lesson is consistency really is a key component of training. I just hope there is some where to run in Holland in a few weeks time as I know how much even a few shorter runs in France helped.
The rain didnt last too long, which is a shame really as it felt really good. I decided to do just the one lake today and veered off round past the park and ice cream van, surprisingly the ice cream van was open! Not sure who he was open for as apart from a couple of cyclists and a few mad runnes like myself the park was empty.
I ran around and decided to exit via where I had entered as I knew the wooded trail bit would be boggy underfoot. My wrist buzzed and I looked down I had hit my 5k, yay! My training voice kicked in at this point asking myself if I had anymore to give, my legs did ache but you know what I had to go home one way or another so why not plod back jogging it would also be great to go back with 6k now I’d started running past 5k, before I knew it I was up and under the bridge back o the trail and my wrist had buzzed again to tell me 6k had gone, I couldn’t stop now it was mainly flat to the railway bridge including a bit of a down hill I could do this! Up and over the bridge, I did walk up the stony hill bit to the horses fields wet and stones just looked a recipe for disaster and the last thing I need is an injury.
I always like the last bit of the trail along the horses field it feels like that last stretch when you know the finish line to a race is just round the corner, I did wimp out running up the hill today, I had set out to do 5k and so pleased I had pushed myself further and did over 7k it just shows sometimes asking your self if you have more to give really does work! I am now starving and looking forward to my beef Stroganough. (I have no idea if that’s spelt right)
