With a little help from my friends

I think I actually had a successful run this morning :)

It definitely is a mental thing, this slowing down to walk. And when you're following a programme that says run x mins and walk y mins it's hard to get out of the habit. This morning's outing didn't start well when after only 5 mins of running I had to walk a bit. I wasn't out of breath and wasn't running fast (actually Ian can walk as fast as I run!) so I knew it was all in my head. I remembered Davie's advice (thanks Davie!) about not slowing to walk and trying to just ease off the pace before running faster again.

So I started running again and lasted 3 mins! I started greeting like the big girl I am and tried to give myself a pep talk as I walked. I asked myself why am I doing this? And to my horror I realised that I'd fallen back into my old way of thinking. I was comparing myself with other runners again and worrying what they might be thinking about me and my pathetic attempts to be a runner.

I reached the point on the route where there is a commemorative bench. Now usually where there's a bench there's a view. And hand on heart I heard a very familiar voice in my head tell me to look round. So I did and I saw the view of the rolling fields and the distant Ochils. And I remembered why I want to do this. I'm doing this because I can.

I looked at my watch and noted the time. I started to run. And I kept running. I swallowed a fly but I kept running. I choked on my drink of water but I kept running. I ran without walking for 14 and a half minutes. I only stopped running because I reached the main road and needed to put Lucydog back on her lead for the 2 minute walk back to the car. I was only slightly out of breath but I felt good. Tired but good.