Just run!

Today I ran. I just ran for the hell of it. Ran for the fun of it. No panic about split times or average pace. No constantly checking my watch to see if I’m on target. Today I just ran. 

My marathon training is going well for the majority of the time. There are some hiccups with runs falling on the wrong type of shift day or being tired from our #torturetuesday nights of Fight Fx followed by Kettlecise but on the whole it’s going good. 

And then Friday came! 

Friday morning I got up early for my morning Kettlecise class at the local gym. It’s a good mix of people, all ages & abilities with a great instructor who makes the class fun even when your muscles are burning! It’s a 45min class and due to work & rain I hadn’t ran since last Sunday when we did our 1st long run of the training program (11miles). So my plan was to do Thursday’s 6.5mile run after Kettlecise on Friday morning, then home, walk the dogs, little nap, then an 1700-0300hr afternoon shift at work. 

So with some encouragement from class participants I set off running. I don’t normally run from the gym so my usual routes went out the window. I had in my head a rough area to go but was just going to wing it. I felt like if been running forever & I’d not even hit the 1mile mark. 2.3miles & I had nothing in the tank. My legs were gone. My lungs were hurting & only at 11min mile pace. I hung my head in defeat & walked back to the car, gutted that I’d been beaten by such a relatively short distance compared to 5 days earlier!  

 

Needless to say I went home & got in bed with the pups & napped away by disappointment. A cheeky 5hr early finish at work meant I had a decent nights sleep & got up Saturday morning feeling fresh. Frankie had gone on a blogging event with @ukrunfitblogger team ran by our friend Hayley at the Spin Factory in Manchester (blog to come!). The rain was in full flow but that didn’t curb my determination. I needed a confidence run. I put on my trainers & jacket & ran. I got soaked feet & had to ring out my socks & hat but I felt great. No pressure. Just me, the road & my music. 11miles later & 2mins faster than last Sunday I felt strong as I did those last few steps up our close to the house.  

Through the door & dived on by 2 loving hounds. What more could I ask for! 

Run for the freedom. Run for the pleasure. No games. No times. Just run. 

Jacqui x