Recovery Run

I could get to like this running lark!!! After yesterdays race, and a day with my books, I went the gym and managed a recovery run in 14:53 for 3Km on the treads... Is this a sign that I am a runner again - two days in a row :)......

Hey - I'm a Runner Again! I ran a RACE!

I know there hasn't been a lot to read, two steps forward. then one point nine steps back - But, finally I managed to get myself into some form of shape that I could actually line up on the start line of an actual race.

I checked - it's been almost a year to the day since I last crossed a finish line, and I could be forgiven for thinking I might never bother doing it again, but despite all the setbacks, and the aches and pains of mellowing age, tonight I made it to the start of the Docklands 8Km road race. Well, I had little excuse for not getting to the start, seeing as it started 100 yards from my front door, so along with over 1000 others, I lined up for the race around Dublin Docklands.

Given its been so long, and my training (if you can call it that!) has been sporadic, I had no idea what would happen, or what time I might run. I had a figure of 45 minutes in my head as a worse case scenario, that's nine minute miles, and knowing the course was measured in kilometres, I sort of had 44 mins, 5:30 pace in my head. I haven't run farther than 5 Km in 6 months, so this was going to be a shock to the system.

It's a flat course, through the Docklands, as it's name suggests, with only two little climbs over water, and to be honest, there is not a lot to write about. I ran the first couple of Km's inside my target time, hit 5Km in 26:02, then felt a littler sick, so took a walk break, and picked it up at the end to finish with a sort of kick, clocking 43:09, not my best ever race, but not bad given where I have been.

I'll let you know how I feel in the morning, but at least I have raced again, and I can but improve from this, and I know I can do it again...... I had begun to doubt that.....