Out of hibernation ..........

Well today was the day - I had checked my big book of excuses and yup I had definitely exhausted all of them.  There was nowhere else left to hide so the only thing to do was ........run.

Before I knew just had bad it was going to be

So I fuelled up with my raspberry yoghurt and fresh raspberries followed by a mouthful of a cinnamon bun (just for sugar purposes you know).  Took me about half an hour to get ready - honestly I can get ready for a night out quicker than a run.  Perhaps that says more about me than I care to acknowledge; when a night out often involves alcohol so I must be psychologically thinking quick, quick get ready - get out there - let the fun begin.  As opposed to when getting ready for a run thinking - oh man this is going to hurt - why am I doing this again?

Run commando I don't think so

Today I was road testing my new underwear as well - I know you probably don't need to know that but I do like to share 🤣.  Just as well I bought them as they came with special instructions "Don't run commando" - gosh I wasn't planning on doing that!  So I was ready, go faster pants on, leggings on, long sleeved top on - trainers dusted off.  Water bottle filled - headphones (so hoping that they were not flat after lying idle for 3 weeks) and my running belt.  I was ready.  Deliberated a while on what music to go with - decided on my faithful running playlist as I thought this may transport me back to a time when I ran a little bit more than of late 😒.  Surely The Greatest Showman would spur me on.

Next decision - dogs - dog - or no dogs.  Well I am so sorry Lady Lucy Lou this was one mission that was beyond your chubby little legs so you were definitely not coming.  Benji was jumping so high he was actually touching my face so I figured with that much energy he probably needed this run more than I did!  Right - so we were definitely off this time.  Why did I feel so ridiculously nervous and a bit sick.  My head is just saying well you can't run now - you've not run for weeks - what makes you think you can just stick some trainers on and run pah! Then my inner "Rocky" was trumpeting out - yeah you got this - in the bag baby in the bag.   You can run 5k easy - you know you can run 5k so it will be fine,  just get going and you will be away.  You will probably end up running all morning - I had a vision of me breezing back into the house saying "oh yes I just did 10 miles - well I was out and I just kept going".

Benji keen to set a PB 🐕🤣

Yes none of that happened 🤣.  I had my faithful Gymboss with me (man I love that little device) - it was all set run for 1:45 and walk for 30 seconds.   I started off with my little warm up walk. Ah what was I so worried about.......

And beep beep - ok so we are off - run - well what on earth - nobody told me that your legs actually can completely forget how to run.  Jeepers I was thinking, I cannot breathe and my legs will not lift themselves off this pavement.  It was like the pavement had turned into a vat of quick sand and my feet were sticking to the tarmac.  What was going on.  Beep beep - thank goodness for that - walk - phew.  Gosh doesn't 30 seconds go fast!  Right come on now this is ridiculous I tell myself - you can do this.  Oh yeah no maybe you can't mmmmmm I was starting to think "so glad I left the house and put these concrete boots on".  Every step was an effort but I was determined no matter how slow I was plodding along I was not going to stop until that little Gymboss man went beep beep beep.  Oh what a wondrous sound that little beep is. (As wonderful as Carol at running club with her whistle!). Benji was going 100 mph - I am never going to be fast enough for that little beast - he was jumping all over the place - looking back as if to say come on what is taking you sooooooo long.  Alright Benji - I mean I have got a few more years on him, he is not even 2 yet - what is that in dog years - what does that make him - probably about 24.  See he is in his prime -  I am 51!

I powered on - anyone who would have passed me would have thought I was having some sort of episode - I am not really breathing but doing this massive huffing and puffing noise sprinkled with "come on" "come on" "you have got this" "you can do this" "Benji no no slow down"!

I was determined that I was doing 5k no matter what - those thoughts that I had not but a few minutes earlier about breezing through a 10k run were a distant memory, what was I thinking!  Then at about 4k my legs decided they have had enough of feeling like to concrete pillars - no they would now turn to jelly.  Gee whiz were these wobbly bad boys going to get me home, I felt a bit like Bambi.  What was going on.  The whole run was also made more uncomfortable by the fact that the tops of leggings were rolling down - why was this - well that will be due to the expanded muffin top I have spent a month nurturing.  Stern talking to going on in head, pretty much going along the lines of well you sat and eat all those sweets, chocolate and biscuits.  Night after night sprawled out on the sofa the only exercise was something like - lean forward, stretch out arm, slide lid off top of sweetie box, grab sweets (like one of those arcade grabbing claw games), bring arm back and up to face and ram goodies in mouth. Repeat.

So no more - lesson learnt!  I have Cardiff Bay 10k run on 31st March - THIS YEAR - could I have carried on today and done this route again - no!  Finger well and truly pulled out - well I hope!  My top tip today:-


DO NOT GO THREE WEEKS WITH NO RUNNING - YOU WILL PAY THE PRICE FOR IT!

This was the sign back in January

Today the daffodils are in full bloom - I hope they don't ask me to strim here! 

Snowdrops peeping through

On the plus side it was lovely to come home to a nice long soak in the bath (with my epsom salts and lovely bubbly some fab friends bought me - that is bubble bath NOT champers - I am not that rock and roll you know!) and yes Benji felt he had to spectate.  He loves me so much 💌.

Happy Saturday!