here are many things I love. An autumn day when the leaves are crisp, the sky brilliant, and my camera is in hand. A beautifully made chai. Being able to write the words “I had a wonderful run today”. Sadly, I have to wait for the first (and second!), and would be lying if I’d written the last.
Yesterday, after two and a half weeks off, I laced up my sneaks and joined Paul** at the Running Room’s regular Wednesday night run. They’re building up to a 5k, which is perfect for me as I’m determined to run the full 5k of the Run For The Cure this year.
At first I thought things were going quite well, and although I was part of the ‘back pack’ I really wasn’t worried – I’m more penguin than hare.
Then we took our first walk break, and the pain set in, as did some random panic. I still had another 10-minute run to do! But my aching calf muscle was having none of this, and forced me down to a goofy looking not-quite-a-walk, most-definitely-not-a-run.
Paul was intensely supportive. He kept telling me I was doing well, but really, I wasn’t running, so how well could I be doing? Eventually our sweetheart of a run leader came to walk with me, as she too is suffering from an injury. For a while all three of us walked together, and then I heard
““Is it okay if I run ahead?”
Is it okay? This from the guy who a scant few months ago wouldn’t go for a walk round the neighbourhood with me? He wanted to run?
I’d told him before we started that if I lagged, he was to go ahead without me, so the fact that he wouldn’t leave me behind without my say-so was rather sweet. Even though I was actually sweating from the pain, I had to smile.
As for me, I walked the rest of the route with Rachel, casullay chatting about how we would deal with our injuries , had a looooong stretch, and headed home to a well deserved dinner. Looks like I won’t be running for the next 4 – 5 days; Rachel and I agreed that lots of stretching, as well as some gentle cycling and swimming would probably help me more than running on my injured ankle. Keep your fingers crossed!
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**Who’s Paul? That would be the guy previously known as Lunchtruck. Lunchtruck is dead. Where have you been?
