Over half way

I'm not going to say that it was hard, I've been writing that since I first went over 10 minutes and it's really getting boring now.

I have to say though that yesterday was a beautiful day and there were odd - very odd, fleeting moments when I began to get this running lark, could this be the 'running bug' I have been expecting since last October?.  We set off just after 11 am both of us fiddling with our music as we went and describing the various aches and pains we get at different stages of our runs.  Eventually we both plugged in and I began the process of 'getting inside myself' this is not something I have made up, it is talked about in my book and I do find it quite helpful.  I got in the swing and was quite amazed to find that I had lost Jan, I was way in front.  It's quite funny how you can hear a commentary in your head and there I was, Paula Radcliffe, pulling away from the rest of the pack.  Unlike Paula I didn't have a camera man on a motorbike relaying pictures of me to the world, I had Andrew on a push bike relaying news on 'the pack' . . . her ipod wasn't working so she had fiddled about with it and eventually had to plug in her phone, but it was ok, she was fine now and coming up behind me - Oh goody!!!!... as she came along side the commentary in my head changed and as she went passed and started pulling away I got back inside myself and got on with the only job in hand - to get round.

It was going well, the sun was shining - no wind - yeah!!!!.  Andrew had his work cut out cycling between the two of us with drinks and making sure he was with Jan at every junction to show her the way.  We finished the main part of the run, some ways apart it has to be said, we then had 2 and 1/2 circuits close to home.  This was the point that Andrew went in 'to put the kettle on' and we had decided before we set out that he would leave our drinks at the end of the front garden for us to grab as we went past.  The first circuit went well and I got half way through the second when I began to feel incredibly sick, as I neared home for the second time a man on a bike spoke to me, what he said was 'you need a bike, it's a lot easier' but it was 'raining men' in my ears and I didn't hear him . . .  I cannot begin to tell you just how much effort is required to remove a pair of earplugs and pick the correct moment to heave 'pardon' when you're running your 13th mile, having got what he said I managed to turn the pain on my face into a sort of smile?????.  I gave up on the music, my arms wouldn't reach my ears any more and fatally I stopped running - but it didn't matter!  The last half circuit was a mixture of walking and loping, my joints seemed to be seizing up one by one and I felt soooo sick.  Finally I got home and staggered up the track at the back of our house around 20 minutes behind Jan.

So began the next part of our day, recovery, this is probably the bit that I wasn't expecting to take quite so long when I set out on this little adventure in October, I thought I would have a quick shower or an ice bath and get out and clean the car, who was I kidding, I never clean the car!.

First there's the cold that sets in within minutes of getting back, it's a different cold to normal, it starts from the inside.  Then we were hungry so Andrew, God love him, made us lunch, but it was a little too soon and the result was less than ideal.  There was a lot of resting, a shower, possibly too hot, an ill timed cup of tea, a bit of sleeping and a lot of not being able to get comfortable no matter what bit of me I laid on.  Jan went home, which I thought was miraculous.  Eventually Andrew did dinner and finally I began to feel a little bit more normal.  Today, walking hasn't been easy but I'm hoping that may be temporary, I feel I need to be able to walk properly before I have to go out and run again.

So, 16 miles next week, so much to look forward to.  I do feel this week that I need to concentrate on eating and drinking more all the time, there just seemed to be nothing left towards the end yesterday.  I'm also going to take plain water with me on a run in future, I've been taking those energy drinks and they are so flavoured, I'm sure that's what makes me feel so sick.  See, so long as there are things to try, changes to make then there is still hope.  A couple of days in the office this week which is a great excuse for 2 days rest from running, hopefully by Wednesday the bones will have re-set themselves again.