Well this blogging thing is going about as well as the running is. I have been struggling with all sorts and the running just hasn’t really happened and you know, when you’ve basically sat on your substantially sized arse for 3 weeks getting out the door is just too hard. I have over the last few months – well since London Marathon really, made various attempts at getting back into running and every now and again I think it’s falling back into place and then I stop again. No reason – well no good reason, I just can’t be bothered to hurl my wibbly wobbly bits about in public, or at all.

So I needed a serious reboot. Well luckily a while ago there was a Too Fat to Run? Clubhouse post on Facebook about a reboot run. The idea is that the first one back is always the toughest and the one you’re most likely to put off and therefore you need something manageable to get you out the door. The suggestion is 10 minutes out and 10 minutes back. Doesn’t have to be all running, can be run walk or just walk – just going and doing it is the important bit. So last Saturday I rebooted – run to the sheep  – it’s a little less than a mile to our first field where our boys are currently. It means I could run for however long it takes me to get there (didn’t take a watch), have a little rest while feeding the sheep and then run back. Sounds simple and actually once I got out the door it was – relatively. Running there felt pretty good. Running back, yes well, there was the small matter of Ilkley Road to negotiate and I’ve only ever managed to run from the bottom of it to our road two or three times before. It’s not steep as such, it’s just a steady pull and it really gets me. But I made it to our road and it only took 45 minutes or so for my legs to function again and stop shaking.

So, is this going to be just another reboot run that actually doesn’t reboot anything?  Well, we’ll see but so far so good. We went out again on Sunday for a 45 minute run/walk session. I was back to hating every single step but as I was still swearing under my breath I figured I was doing fine. During the 3rd or 4th running interval everything was screaming for me to stop, lungs, legs, hips, back, shoulders… so I just slowed right down but kept running forcing myself to put one foot in front of the other.  It was only that one interval that was truly horrendous but the others didn’t feel great. I felt a bit dejected because I was sure that I had been really slow and found it soooooo hard but it turned out not to be that slow (for me) – about 12.40 minutes per mile pace and it was hot.

Monday was, well Monday, a story for another day and Tuesday I didn’t wake up till 8.30 and it was already far too hot to move never mind run. I did go for a walk mid morning though and I was dripping with sweat just from that. Lovely. It didn’t seem to cool down at all so we didn’t run. Instead we decided to go this morning. 6am came and had I not really needed a pee I doubt I would have got up. I got my running gear on – I even wore a vest. It seems I no longer really care what people think of me when I’m running. I just care about not being too hot! We walked down to the canal bank to do 6 x 800 metre runs with 3 minute breaks in between. This is what went on in my head throughout

1 – 800 metre run: I’m ok, I’m ok, I’m ok, oh look ducklings, I’m ok, I’m ok. Nearly there now, I think; what if I’m not? Oh I am. Good.

2- 3 minute walk – breathe

3 – 800 metre run: I’m ok, this is fine, maybe a bit faster? No! Don’t be silly. Breathe, I’m ok. Oh look heron. Nearly there. Done? Please? Ok done. Good

4 – 3 minute walk – breathe

5 – 800 metre run – oh look 2 herons, I’m ok, slow down? No keep pushing, 800 metres is a long way, not really, yes – it -is, I can do this, I’m ok, ouch, oh look proper runners, breathe, I’m ok, how much further (about 400 metres), fuck, more runners, ducklings, breathe, I’m ok, nearly there, breathe, if I go faster I’ll get there quicker, go, done? Yes? Good.

6 – 3 minute walk – breathe, no really breathe. Oh goodness that sun’s hot, breathe, it’s hot, just breathe

7 – 800 metres – fuck it’s hot. Heron, fuck it’s hot, ducklings, heron, too hot, breathe, just put one foot in front of the other, how hard can it be. 800 metres is getting longer, bit dizzy now, too hot, slow down? No, getting there will take longer, ok slow down, too hot, dizzy, nearly there, few more steps, done.

8 – 3 minute walk – can’t breathe, too hot, breathe, just breathe.

We decided to stop there. We had 4 really positive runs which were hard but good and we both maintained good form and we think a decent pace (haven’t checked yet) and it had got noticeably warmer just in the time we were out. We walked home for breakfast.

I daren’t say we’re back on track or that I’ve got my mojo back but it did feel good to get out this morning