Up and running again! by gloshawk

..or at least the marvellously named Crudwell.  Today I finally managed to do something that I was supposed to do according to the programme.  So, I may yet, like Saul to Paul, be converted into a Gloshawk capable of doing himself vaguely proud 6 weeks today!

Anyway, my last posting was the awful thresholds on Wednesday.  I should only have done 2 30 min recovery runs since then; with Anna being away so much, I only managed one, but did at least make that 38 mins, and just over 4 miles at 8.52 pace.  So, not bad, but I was still grumbling to myself about missing a couple of sessions.  Help came, though, in the form of Runner's World - an article in March's edition was written by Nick Anderson, who wrote the programme that I am following.  So, from the horse's mouth, the word is that it doesn't matter if you miss a session here or there - acheive 90% of the programme, and you should be fine apparently.  That'll do!

I also went for a short run in the afternoon, accompanying Elisabeth on a bike ride.  I felt very brave to not wear my Garmin, and so I have no idea how far I ran; not far, but they're miles below the radar.  How exciting!

Over to Crudwell in the evening, for lara's 40th birthday party.  What a fab night; lovely food, and a real laugh.  Your man O'Brien was very good - yes, I did have some wine (and an obligatory vodka jelly!), but I had so much water that I thought I would burst.  Maybe at last I am starting to get my game head on.  I just knew that nothing could stop me doing a decent run this morning.

So, after only 5 hours sleep, I got up just after 6 this morning (just like last year for VLM, doing all those early mornings - I actually like them.  I know Anna does as well; if I get up and get out, it stops me moping around the house all day, stressing about when I am actually going to do the run), had some brekkie, and managed to be on the road at 7.00

I had to run to Crudwell, as the car was there, and so was a daughter (very importantly!).  So, it was familiar territory for me to run along for most of the time, but the first time I had actually run much of it (normally, it's the car).  The one thing that I was worried about was that it was more of a main road than I am used to - fortunately, though, getting out early meant I missed whatever traffic there would normally be.

It was a lovely morning, and I was soon ticking off the miles, and some lush countryside as well - Didmarton, Knockdown, willesley, westonbirt, Doughton (and at running speed for once, rather than driving speed, managed to see HRH's pad - keep moving, we don't want to be shot at!), tetbury.

I had a good time with the ipod playlist for a while, but again ditched it with about 5 miles to go - lovely to hear the birds, cows and the rest of the rural splendour that I have the fortune to call my county.

All told, 15 miles on the nail, including one circuit of the sports field to finish!  Could I have gone on?  yes.  Another 11 miles?  Not yet, but I feel a whole lot more confident now than I did previously.  I did have to have a couple of stops (including one at didmarton garage - they were kind enough to let me use the loos before they had even opened!), and the watch got stopped for them as well.  Running pace, though, was 8.43 per mile.  Happy with that indeed.

Home to cook lunch; Rick Stein's (well, Charles Fontaine's, in Rick's book) fish pie; well lush!

A bit of work, and now a sit down for Wild at heart.

Come on Glos, we may just start believing again!

Cheers