Run For Running Sake

Hello readers

On my way home this evening, sat on the train, battery on the phone down to 10%  I could have quite easily just played my game on the phone but I decided to save it just in case I get a phone call before I get home!  And indeed that very scenario happened, it was Naggy, "I am on my way home, not far now, where are you?"
"I am on my way home too, near at Petts Wood" I informed her.
"How about as soon as you get home, you get your running gear on and we go for a run?"
"Well, that sounds like a brilliant plan, I could do with a run"
"Just about 3 miles, nice and easy, your pace" Said Naggy
"Perfect" I said and then I couldn't wait to pull into Petts Wood to get off the train!  Just to get out and run with your mate is all you need......well, sometimes chocolate, a pint and maybe a packet of pork scratchings will help as well, but deffo the the run! 

I did exactly that, I picked my car home and drove home, I went straight in doors and said "Hi" to the Old Boy and the went up stairs to get changed into my running gear!  No need to think about anything, no need to plan where to go, we know exactly how far 3 miles is, we have several routes that we could use.  I knocked on her door and she was almost ready, what she had been doing I don't know, Naggy was home before me!  But there I was waiting while she put on her socks! She also put one of her lights on my arm!  I couldn't understand why, and then I realised, I was all in black!  Although it was still quite light out I knew it would get dark before we got home! That done we just left the house.  "Right then," she said "Come on" And the we started running.  We ran towards the ally, the one that leads to Turn Around Lamppost!  Now there's a blast from the past!  We were stopped in our path though, just before we turned left towards the beginning of the path.  My Middle Child was there walking her doggies.  Little Dexter and Chico!  Oh they love their nanny!  But after a quick pet and cuddle we were off again. 

Naggy kept to my pace as we ran up the path, we didn't go as far as Turn Around Lamppost, we cut through the park.  I wasn't going to go through the park as I had my good trainers on!  But she reminded me that there was a path that cuts through the middle.  We ran through there, running side by side!  Just like the the first time we ran together.  Naggy is a much faster runner than I am, and she doesn't like to stop either!  I know some where along our route she will start nagging.  But for now, I am feeling quite comfortable keeping pace with her, or at least she was keeping pace with me! 

Running over the very uneven ground towards at the end, by the exit gate, is a challenge.  the challenge is to make it without twisting your ankles!  I wonder if doing things like that strengthens your ankles?  I made it through, ankles totally fine, thank goodness, because I was not ready to stop running!  We chatted and chatted and put the worlds to right as we ran along side by side.  I wonder if she thought that it was a really, really, really slow run!?  For me, I was trying my hardest not to be too slow!  I kept an eye on my Garmin, it felt like I was running faster than it was showing on my watch.  So I decided not to look at it until after my run!  As long as I can keep up with Naggy, without her nagging too much, then I maybe it wasn't too slow for her.

We ran along the A21, Naggy giving me little goals to get to.  "Run to that lamppost, then you can have a rest" and "ok, walk to that post and you're running after that" Most of the time I was doing exactly what she said, there was a couple of little walks that I snuck in when she wasn't looking.  All the way along to Crown Lane and then we turned right.  On the way home now.  We were still chatting away, about this and that! Mind you most of the time by then I was just answering, with a 'Hhhu" or a "Yeah"   

We ran through our local park, again Naggy gave me goals to get too.  With about .75 mile (give or take a couple of fee!) after a little walk she said, "now we run all the way home, no stopping!"  She kept an eye or an ear I should say, on my breathing.  She was telling met to concentrate on my breathing, make sure I am being steady, constant, proper breathing!  I know I tell the beginners to do exactly that, but I was kind of losing it a bit, getting out of whack with my own steady breathing, a reminder is exactly what I needed.  I did manage to run the whole way, no cheeky little walks behind her back.  We ran side by side all the way to her door!

Here's my geeky stats.  Not speedy, by not ultra slow either!