Saturday evening run

I've been quite disheartened by my running abilities.  Never seem to get any faster... always seems to hurt etc. etc.  Since when did I ever thing running became easy???

Anyway, it's taken me all day to drag myself out for a run tonight.  I was aiming to do 10 miles.  I was also so annoyed with myself for leaving it until the last minute that I went out with the specific intention to do myself some damage or die trying.  Clearly that attitude wasn't going to last but I did give it my all for the first few miles although it got pretty annoying stopping myself every time I wanted to faff.  It's been some time since I ran fast so I had no idea how warm I would get.

I finally settled into a rhythm after the last of the sun had disapeared so I had to start picking my way in the light of the headtorch, along the top of the Rivelin crags.  It felt tediously slow.

Running above the water treatment works, my light began to flicker to tell me that the batteries were running out.  I set it to it's weakest beam, adjusted my eyes to the low level light and did quite a lot of walking until I reached the gravel and then paved trail.  I admit to a sigh-of-relief upon reaching the car park.

As soon as I met the road, I turned my head torch off and ran in the road - recently resurfaced so I know there are no potholes.

I continued without a light along the A57, still running in the road which was catching more of whatever light was available than the pavement.  I moved on to the pavement when a car came and only turned my light on when the car was oncoming - more so that they wouldn't dazzle me than to improve my own vision.

Down, finally, into the Rivelin valley where I continued my slow pace.  I could see enough to dodge most of the puddles, rocks and tree roots but I didn't want to be caught out whilst travelling at speed.

Finally, back on the Rivelin Valley Road I decided not to risk the last stretch of uneven ground under my still-fading light and to stick to the road.  The pavement, to be fair, along here is pretty soft on the feet so I kept my light on and hopped over tree-roots and leaves.  My shoes probably stink of poop!

As soon as I engaged, finally!, with the streetlights, I turned off up 'our road' pretty fuckin pleased with the performance of my light.

I thought a lot about my friends who run a lot and run fast and my own long-distance, off-road, heavily hillied runs and I started to stabilise my thoughts.  There's no way, with all the stop-starts of running up steep slopes, hopping from rock to rock and avoiding tripping over brambles that I will ever run a sub 20 minute 5k... or whatever it is the kids are doing nowadays.

What I can do is look at my own history and it just so happens that 12 days ago, I did a very flat run to work (still offroad) 7:16 faster (granted) but what price 162m of climbing?  According to tonight's scores - around 20 minutes.

So I can go to bed (as soon as I've done the dishes) just a little happier that I am, despite my misconceptions, getting faster.