Now Its Beginning To Tell!

Hi watchers of the blog.

What can I say. It was a good run today. The Old boy used to say to me, 'You don't actually feel any fitter, you just notice that you can do more each time" In my case quicker.

For now I am sticking at running for 3.34 miles, I need to push myself I know, but while I am by myself I need to learn to run the whole way before I move up another notch.

Today, I didn't do it, again, and no doubt I shall get another public slating from Naggy Neighbour via facebook! But the thing that gets me, and in fact, makes me a little happier, is that I again beat my P.B!

I knew I was running well, I could just tell, but I still argue with myself about "walking now?" and just "slow down a bit", etc. And those first 2 minutes of the run, when its not too late to just go home and run another day, still runs around my head untill I get beyond the roundabout.

I love running, or should I say, I love it after its all done. I love the fact that I tell people I go running! I, me, the ex Mrs Couch Potatoe, goes running! That last bit coming down the long road to my road is such a smile maker, I must looked like a demented strawberry by the time I get to that bit!

Anyway, there were a couple of other places that I was going to stop at on todays run, but vanity kept me running. The second pub on this route, well, there were all these people enjoying the sun, supping on long cool pints of lager, mmmmmmmm lager (ooops, had a Homer Simpson moment then) Well, I could see them all looking at me, of course there was no way I was going to stop running and walk in front of that lot. It means running on until I turned the corner! When the corner came there was an oldie ahead. I have invented this game with myself as I am running along, just to keep me focused and running all the time. The game is, if I see an oldie ahead then I have to keep on running till I pass them. And not just in front of them, but far enough so as not to scare the living daylights out of them. So I just had to run on and on.

As far as Greenway I ran this time, because there were walking trackies i.e. people in jog pants or sports gear who were walking. (more 'game pieces' for me to stay focused) I don't remember when I came up with this game, or even why! but I really noticed myself playing this stilly game as a ran past these people today. All the way up Greenway.

Well, almost all the way. I had to stop just for a 20 second walk, just before I got to the hill. I remembered how on Sunday this hill seemed as flat as a pancake. I wanted to get back into that zone, and see the hill as a pancake again, so that I can run up it. I was doing pretty darn good! right up to the top again and then that darn walking stopy thingy that I just can't get out of doing, when I'm by myself, happened again!

I decided from then on that I was going to be pretty hard on myself. I have done this run, I run all the way through, Naggy Neighbour can vouch for that! It was not a dream, I did it. I just can't get over the fact that I am not as hard on myself as Naggy is! There must be quite a bit of stubborn Mrs Couch Potato left inside of me, that feels brave enough to come out when I'm by myself!

So from the last mileI pushed and nagged and shouted and encouraged myself to run all the way! Arrgggggghhhh!! One last walking section, just before the top of the last hill. "Right, Old Girl! You're running all the home from here" And I did! There was no way I was going to walk on this last section. Its a very slight hill going down, its on the way home, its my neighbourhood among friends they will see me! So I had to run, didn't I.

Just before I reached my road I saw my son with his girlfriend and one of the neighbours sproglets, they waved to me, well sons girlfriend and the sproglet did, I'm sure young son wants me to ignore him!

Right, now, on to my road, lets see what is left in the old girl. I pick up the speed, hmmm, not that much left, but I still sped up my path. I'm not sure it was because there were the kids on the green today that put me off running fast, or if I really didn't have anything left, but I didn't run as fast as I normally do on that bit.

I check my IPOD and the time is 40.03 seconds. 7 seconds off my personal best! Very happy with that, but still annoyed at myself for not running the whole round.