I went for a little run today. To be fair it was about time. The ‘I’ve just run a marathon’ excuse was really only good for one week. Then I managed all sorts of excuses – Monday I decided I’d still stick with the marathon excuse, Tuesday Kath was back quite late and we convinced ourselves we were way too  hungry to run and then eat and then it would be too late to run, Wednesday we went to Leeds, went shopping (I may or may not have ordered a MacBook and bought some new trainers) and out for tea and of course couldn’t possibly run when we got back and as for running in the morning, well no, just no.

In fact we were meant to run this morning but I couldn’t be bothered to get up, so didn’t until just gone 7am and then it was too late…bla bla. We could’ve gone. I vaguely entertained the idea of running at lunch time but then walked to the polling station and voted instead (I could have run there!). So this afternoon, I’d actually finally had enough of excuses and was happy to pull my trainers on and run. I got changed and we put a 10 minute yoga for runners on during which Kath informed me I had a hole in my pants – right on my hip, looks like a moth got at them or maybe I caught them when I zipped up my bag or something. Annoying because I’ve ony worn them once before and I don’t think it’ll stitch – anyway…

We walked to feed our sheep (we were carrying a bottle for the lamb we’re still feeding and you can’t run without it squirting everywhere) and then set off from the sheep field just to finish out little loop. We ran maybe a mile and a half, a little less maybe. We had two little walk breaks along the canal – I don’t think we really needed them but we wanted them and they coincided with looking at ducklings and lambs. As it turned out it was quite a fast pace for us (11.5 ish minutes per mile) and it felt really nice to be out and stretching my legs. My right hip is a little niggly now but nothing major. Bizzarely my feet were quite sore running, never had that before and they are fine again now.

I think I’d fallen out with running a bit before the marathon – since Dopey it has all felt a bit pressured and it’s been another thing I had to do and fit it. It didn’t feel like I was doing it for me anymore and it didn’t feel like me time. Because of that I think I’ve not really had the clarity that running can bring and I don’t think I really realised that until I got back today. Today I had it. Even though it was just a very short little run I came back feeling positive and energised and my brain worked almost in the way that I know it can when I am fully functioning. I’m not going to push it, I’m turning off shortly and having a bath before reading a little and getting an early night.

I think I’m relieved, yes I think that’s it. I think I’ve been worrying that I wouldn’t be able to put the pixie dust back into running, that it had all got a little bit serious and that it would end up being just a thing I have to do to keep vaguely healthy. Don’t get me wrong, I still mostly hate running – the actually doing it – but today I just disliked the actual running and not everything around it. I loved being out, I loved seeing wildlife and nature, I loved the sense of ‘oh my legs do actually still move’ and I sort of enjoyed pushing to the top of the hill and not stopping and I certianly enjoyed having done it. It’s not all rainbows and unicorns but I think there may be a little pixie dust.