Saturday
It's 8am, it's frosty (or 'only minus three' as Fit Mark happily puts it) and we're off for our second proper training run. We're starting at Ice Cream Sian's house this time as, according to our route planner (Fit Mark) it's 1.5k nearer 'the fun stuff'. Because it's so frosty there really isn't much mud around. But the hills are still there... This time we're uphill, then uphill, then uphill a bit more, through some spectacular woods, down a bit, then uphill again.
This photo shows (a) what fantastic scenery we have and (b) just how far Fit Mark was ahead after we appointed him Official Photographer. I'm the pink dot, and Ice Cream Sian is the blue dot...
And here's one where we actually got within range. As we approached and the shutter clicked, Fit Mark yelled 'that's great you look like you're actually moving!' which we thought was pretty good. Then he said he'd tell everyone he PhotoShopped it... He also pointed out that we had only done 2 miles in the first 30 minutes, which he called 'the walking pace of a toddler'. I'm sure we were quicker than that...
I was oddly struggling for the first 5.5k - I blame it on a shop-bought oven-ready meal and the sloe gin the night before - Guy had been out and I thought I'd have a lazy evening. That'll teach me... chronic indigestion overnight and a distinct sluggishness until my digestive system gave up fighting (at about 5.5k) and running became fun again.
As it was a different route, Ice Cream Sian and I spent most of the way saying 'is that the back of Caroline's farm?' or (more often) 'where are we again?' We named many of the places we passed so that we could plan future routes - The Rudry Dung Heap (it steams), The See-Saw Stile (it wobbles), Wuthering Heights (high rocky bit, obviously) and The Cricket Field. This last one so named because when I went out with Guy last week we were in this field and I said I was getting cold - he kindly said not to worry about walking with him and to run on home and keep warm. As I was about to disappear from view over the brow of the hill I looked back to see him happily engrossed in the World Cup Cricket commentary on his portable radio... Consideration, pah!
After the woody bits and the fieldy bits there were more foresty bits - quite wiggly and, er, foresty. And this is Ice Cream Sian and me at the end - oddly we've both adopted the Posh Spice On Red Carpet One Hip Dropped pose. Seems we went to the same finishing school or something...
Brilliant run (well, after the first 5.5k) and not too worn out afterwards. I do, however, have a teensy problem. I must have hit a bramble somewhere as this is what my legs looked like after our run...
Which is fine, but on Friday of this week I have to wear my poshest frock to a posh frock dinner. With bare legs. And a slit at the back. Eek! But it's ok, I'll have had a bath by then...Sunday
Just for added punishment, this morning I completed the British Military Fitness St Davids Day 5k run for charity in Bute Park, behind Cardiff Castle. You'll remember that the last 5k run I did there was actually 4.4k, but I was pretty sure this one would measure 5k, being military and all that. And yep, it did! The plan had been that Ice Cream Sian and I would run it together, but she had to open the parlour, so it was just me - and no Guy to hold my jumper as he was off playing melodeon for Morris dancers, so really really just me. I put my phone and a credit card in my back pocket with my car key, and that was it.
I ran the whole way, not stopping at all, which is pretty much the first time that's happened, so I must be improving. If only a bit. I was still beaten by a bloke in a large furry red dragon outfit. He beat me by so much that when I gasped my way over the line he had already removed his head, drunk his bottle of water and given a few interviews.
Still, I was pleased with my time - 33.12. Personal Best! Yay! And my last kilometre was sub-6 minutes for the first time ever. Not by much. Well, only by one second to tell the truth, but that still counts as sub-6 minutes. Hooray!
As I passed the finish line I was asked for my number, my safety pins and my ankle strap timing device. I presume the bloke who asked for them was something to do with the race, but I'm not entirely sure... Having been given my goody bag (T shirt, water, medal, lollipop and one of those slightly odd rubber bracelet thingies) I realised there was no reason to hang around, so I set off on Stage Two of Sunday - a quick trip to John Lewis. So I ran there (1.5k). Well, I was dressed for it... I arrived before 11am and had to hang around, lowering the tone nicely in my slightly hot and sticky running stuff. I was, by this time, wearing my St Davids Day 5k Fun Run T-shirt very proudly.
I also bought some perfume (it'll be nice to smell of something other than Deep Heat for Friday night) and a suitcase. Then I ran back to the car - another kilometre.
When I got home I took Rubbish Running Dog out for a walk (4k) and went to the ice cream parlour to show Ice Cream Sian my T shirt and medal, just to prove I did it.
It was only when I got home that I realised the T shirt doesn't have today's date on it, so rather than showing off proudly to shoppers in town that I had already done a Fun Run this morning, I probably just looked 5 days out of date....
So a really really sporty day. And do my legs hurt?
Yep. Lots.
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