My Running Buddies

Today's run was with Michelle, Shayne's sister, and Cheryl, our good friend. Unlike myself they are following a training program and they are a few weeks into their training. We agreed to do this week's run together, or at least start together. I am grateful for this as once I have made a commitment to run with someone I will ensure that I go. That way I can't talk myself out of going and I don't have time to procrastinate.

We left at 9:00am and headed up to Titirangi. Last week this run was quite hard and I was tired. This week I felt ok but I was perhaps a bit heavy footed. I got up the hill ok although the pain in my shin was back but nothing too major and so I carried on. I'm not sure where I lost Michelle and Cheryl, somewhere on the hill but I didn't look behind to see if they were ok, just kept going. I reached 8kms which is the turn around point and headed back down the Pipe Line. I met Michelle and Cheryl running towards me and they looked good and strong.

I tried to run faster all the way home but my running seemed awkward and I didn't feel like I was running fast enough no matter how hard I tried. Apart from the pain in my shin, which at this stage of the run had practically gone, I was breathing ok and I wasn't too tired. I was mindful about making my legs go faster and I longed to be able to relax into run mode and let gravity take me all the way home but today it wasn't to be. I worked all the way. I guess another test...

I reached home about 10 minutes before Michelle and Cheryl and they did the run in 1hr 36mins and so I had to be happy with today's efforts as it has been years since I have run that route in under 1hr 30mins. I don't know, running is very confusing. I don't understand how my awkward, heavy footed run could be one of my fastest runs in a long time...

Thursday marks the 1st day of my 4th week of marathon training and that's when I want to build on the ks. I have planned the next 2 Sunday runs, next week will be with Sharon, my OXFAM buddy and we're doing the waterfront (18kms) and the following Sunday will be with Michelle and Cheryl and we're doing the Cathay Pacific half marathon route (21kms).

I have to do 2 more small runs before Thursday to stay on track so will probably be Tuesday and Wednesday, 6 or 7kms.