RHM Blog: Day 33

Sunday 15 February

Today was the day when I WAS going for a run. No more excuses, no more internal chatter about being busy or tired and I WAS going to do 90 minutes.

I’ve dropped out of the last two long runs with Karen and the Butterflies on a Thursday and so my long runs have been few and far between. Today was the day. It was made easier by the fact that Dale was going to head out to squash night and be out for several hours, so the feeling of going out for a 90 minute run felt less selfish.

Don’t get me wrong, he has NO problem with me doing it. He is very supportive of my work hours and now my running time. But I feel guilty and so it was definitely eased by his decision.

I had no idea where I was going to be running to cover 90 minutes of running time, but decided on taking longer routes to places to see if I could up the miles without finding myself in Reading or Bracknell.

I really enjoyed the run. I found the longer I was out the stronger and fitter I felt. And, amusingly my fastest mile was mile 7, my last but one mile over this scheduled long slow run on Karen’s plan.

Today I loved running, I loved being outside, I loved the coolness of the air, I loved saying hello to other runners, to saying thank you for walkers for getting out of my way, to breathing in the biggest waft of cannabis as I ran through Winnersh 🙂

I loved feeling fit and easy with my running, I loved noticing nice houses where I live, to investigating Winnersh Triangle at the weekend when it’s empty and devoid of people and to predicting pretty much to dead on a 90 minute run door to door.

Why was today good?

Because I’d planned it, prepared for it and decided I’d do it. Rather than trying to squeeze it in to a busy day and feeling bad about leaving something else because I had to run. I am going take this as a lesson.

I am also going to take as a lesson that the less I run the stronger I feel. So rather than trying to get all 4 of the planned runs in each week I am going to go for 3 and then make the 4th one a bonus if I do it.

Have a good week, and I’ll be back with you in a day or so!