Three Times Around The Park?!

Hi Blog lovers.

A lovely evening, not too hot, slight breeze, just right for sitting on your patio enjoying a glass of wine or chilled beer. But Naggy Neighbour texts me while I was still working saying that she was just getting changed! So much for any sympathy from her, Are you ok Old girl, are you up for a run, do you think you will at least be able to run just once around the park? Oh no, I get "I'm nearly changed!"

So as soon as I had finished work, I rushed up stairs to get my joggers on, cook a bit of rice for my dinner for when I get back, and if I had time, try and do a bit of stretching in between!

I was nearly ready when there was a knock at the door, you guessed it, Naggy Neighbour with all her gizmos, "Three times around the park, no excuse, I know you can do it" I didn't have the heart to tell that I didn't feel as if I could do twice around the park, let along three.

We set off, Naggy Neighbour telling me not to rush things, just take it nice and easy, its not about time, its about jogging non stop for the whole three rounds of the park. At first I am talking to her, my breathing is not so bad after the abuse I gave it over the weekend, and my muscles are not even complaining at the moment. But when we get to the park I just start to feel it, it could be psychological knowing that I have to run around three times, or it could be that I just had a blinding weekend and yucky cold to cope with.

The sun is shining right in my eyes, I have forgotten my peak cap, so my head instinctively drops to look at the ground, Naggy Neighbour starts with the encouragement, "Head up, shoulders back, take deep lung fulls of air" My face is going to be wrinkled now, as I squint ahead of me!

We get the first lap over and done with, a car full of young adults cheering, whistling and encouraging us as we go past, at least that is what I hope they are doing! The second lap well and truly on the way, naggy neighbour is telling me that I'm doing really well, and just to keep the pace going, no stopping, slow down if necessary! Oh yes, I expect I will slow down, but now I am determined not to stop. I'm still not quite sure that I can make the whole three laps of the park, but I am going to have a darn good try.


Before I could even think about it we are going past the car full of young adults again, "Don't worry about them" says Naggy Neighbour "They are sitting in a car just watching you run" I am still hoping that they are cheering me on as I go past, I think I deserve it. Yeah look at this old girl running. The thrird lap begins.

And here it is. I have to switch of thinking about anything, just get this underway. Lap number three, the very thing that I thought I wouldn't be doing today and yet here I am. Ok, I may be looking across the field thinking that maybe we should just cut half this lap and going maybe from 'A' to 'C' cutting off 'B', but nagging neighbour was encouraging all the way 'You're doing really well, keep it going' How can I let her down! How can I let myself down. I just got to do it, 'Every step you take now is a step closer to home, to a nice choccy bar!" says Naggy Neighbour. "Its all in your mind now, just keep it going, You're having fun after all"

Well if I wasn't concentrating on keeping my lungs on the inside of my body then I would probably have come up with some smart assed reply instead of "Oh yes, this is fun!" Apparently though, I was doing a good job on the whole breathing thing, so concentrating on that must be paying off!

The last time going past the youths, "I gotta look good going past them" I said to naggy neighbour "Take no notice of them, they couldn't run once around the park, you are here doing it, they can't even think about doing it" I was just glad this is the last time I'm running past them, this is the last time of running past the gate that leads home.

Through the kissing gate, the last stretch home, all the time, Naggy Neighbour is encouraging me, I am just going to have to tape her for when I have to run this far by myself. I need a running buddy, or I shall just have to ring her up and she can talk to me all the way!

On to the first road now, and I am sure Naggy said something about saving a bit for a sprint Well, we shall see, I am not sure if I have a bit left in me. Turning right now on to our road "Ok, you ready, sprint" Oh my word! Oh my word, it's like I have been hypnotised or something, because here I am, sprinting off up our road, "That's it, go on, you can do it, choccy bar just up there" says naggy neighbour. Turn to run up our path keep going, keep going!! Yes, Flippin Nora!! I did it. We did it! Naggy Neighbour successfully got the old girl to jog 2.7 miles non stop!! 31.10 minutes! Not Olympic record breaking time but for me, jogging 2.7 miles non stop its my personal best.

Next time it has to be my route, 3.24 run it non stop!