PWR! I'm Back!

Hi blog readers,

Today I ran with the PWR (first one with them this year!). I knew they would take me out of my comfort zone. I still ran at my pace, but I kept going, they kept me going. I did do some stops, but only for a very short time, and fewer I think.

In the begining I tried to stay with the front runners. Well that was easy as it's a slow warm up for five or ten minutes. But then after that, they said they would be running at 11 min miles. I don't think I have ever ran at 11 min miles, and I'm sure I am not up to that just yet.

Oh dear, maybe I am still not ready to be a proper runner, a proper member of a proper club. But I got to persevere, I need to keep on going. I need to stop being a pathetic whimp and I need to stop making excuses. Get out that, you lazy mare.

So I plodded on. The rest of the 'Improvers' group gradually passed me by, one by one. It's a bit demoralising, but I kept thinking at least I'm here, they have not told me not to come back, so I'm still in with a chance.

The route was up hill in the beginnging, so a slower second mile. It seems I always do my second miles slower> I think I must do something about that. I was running with on of the back markers, they usually appoint two back runners to make sure we don't lose any on route, but I became on of the back markers and saw the group get further and further away. I slowed down to a walking pace, and then my running partner said that they had stopped just up ahead for the first 'official' stop. That got me running again until I caught up with them.

The leader of the group offered to 'swap' with the back marker and run with me, but the girl was quite happy to to keep pace with me, but eventually further on in the run then they did swap, and the young girl just took off! I could see her running off in the distance. She said that she is a slow runner, just plods along, but to me, she was definitely a fast runner. I don't expect it was too long before she caught up to the main group.

Pettswood road was all down hill. I kept a good pace, and even the run leader said that my running was doing well here. But then those down hills are fabulous to run down. Its then that I can concentrate on my breathing, the hill just does all the work for me, and I can get that whole breathing thing working for me as well.

I heard the run leader tell me that it was only a couple more hundred metres, just up the road. We crossed over and I could see the sign pointing to the recreation ground. There is no way that I can walk now. Have to keep on running. "Just this last tiny hill to do" Says the run leader "Keep it going"

Oh it felt good running up to the building, knowing that I ran most of the way. But I did check out the three mile mark. There was no PB for a three miler, but then again, going an extra .76 of a mile was pretty good for me!

On another note, the Old Boy went on his 20 mile ride today, obviously with out me, and he did pretty well. He didn't beat his PB either, he said there was a headwind which kept him almost stationary in some places. But, he did have a first. And that was his first accident. He wasn't injured, and no one else was involved, but while he was avoiding a pot hole in the road, he chose the inside route as there was a car coming up on the outside of him, and he hit the kerb. He went flying over the handle bars of his bike and landed on the grass. He laid there for a few minutes, laughed and then checked over his bike. No damaged done. But do you know that the car driver that over took him didn't even stop to see if he was ok!!

So geeky stats, (only mine though, as the Old Boy hasn't got a Garmin)