13 Sep 04 - 19 Sep 04

[Mid Life Crisis Marathon Man]

Monday 13th Sept

SP's words of advice were well timed (see last week's entry). My intention this morning was to head to the local sports club and run 8km on their grass track. When I got there however the rain had set in and I discovered they had used the ground for football. I did only one desultory lap which confirmed that it was way too boggy for running, so I headed home, and there began some serious soul-searching. The rain had well and truly set in by then and it was cold as well. The thought of a cooked breakfast and coffee was terribly appealing. But Monday is generally a long day for me, and if I don't run in the morning, it is very difficult to run at all.

Figuring you only live life once, I headed out for a wet 8km on the streets. (The fact that right at that moment Lleyton Hewitt was being creamed by Roger Federer in the US Open final had absolutely nothing to do with my decision).

As it turned out, the run wasn't too bad. I ran the first 5km at what I thought was a gentle plod, but turned out to be 27:47 - very fast for me, but that only ensured I hit the wall and so got home in a very ordinary time indeed, and not without a couple of walk breaks. But I did manage a decent last kilometre of which 80% is uphill, so I wasn't displeased (thanks to coach SP's words of wisdom).

Ordinary performances, but I feel I am running again.

YEA!