I have a horrible running partner that joins me from time to time, you might know her as self-doubt, or tiredness. I call her Moaning Myrtle [yes, the same pet name I give my Boss ;-))]. Myrtle has run with me in 2 of my 5 runs in Feb and last night she ran close to me through the whole 10k. The problem with Myrtle is she knows exactly what angles to try to get me to stall or falter, that nagging voice in my head said three things on loop yesterday ‘you can walk now Lucinda, you're far enough away from work, no one will see’, ‘ooh that leg hurts, you don’t want to damage it for life, best stop’ but the one sentence she uttered more than the others, ‘Justine isn’t here, she wouldn’t know if you didn’t run today’. Ignoring these voices is impossible in the first 4km, damn tough during the next 4km and easy on the home straight, the final 2km.
It’s happened before and I know I need to lower my enthusiasm down a notch, but in true Britney style I’ve done it again. I’ve jumped on Justine’s bandwagon and become her wingman/woman. I’m a pretender to the throne, Goose to Justine’s Maverick, Destiny’s Child to her Beyonce or my fav Samwise Gamgee to her Frodo (you have a lot of time to think on runs!) I’m not doing the whole 28 days instead I’m doing a saner 10k 5days a week in February.
All because I felt a bit guilty voting for this challenge. I felt Justine’s confidence just needed boosting and that if she honestly did run 10k 28 times in one month, then she would have no choice and would have to see herself for what she is, an athletic, motivated powerhouse. Then after I voted, I felt that maybe she would like someone to do it with, 10k isn’t so boring or tough if you’ve got someone inanely chattering away at you (well that’s what my running partners politely tell me). So I signed up, and 50k in (70k for Justine) I have run 0 times with her!! I am the worse wingman. I shall endeavour to amend this by my next update!
Aside from the leg pain, and yes there is oh so much of that, I’m not finding this challenge too bad, for me like most things in life, it’s the sticking to it that’s tough. When it comes to fitness, I’m Darren Day, Ashley Cole and Elizabeth Taylor rolled into one. Yes I have commitment issues, there, I’ve said it. This challenge is the running equivalent of the Priory for my ways. Saying that, I’ve taken to the program well. I quite like a getting up early & running into work (if this were the 1600s I know you’d be shouting she’s a witch!), I like it when a quicker runner catches up to me and I just peg it to the nearest lamppost / traffic lights / corner with a childish grin like we were playing ‘tag’. Of course they just roll their eyes and pass me 10 meters later, but that’s half the fun of running solo. Yesterday I ran for the first time after work. I have to say DJ Lucinda’s ipod was on form! Who knew I had so many jogging tracks ‘Running up that hill’ ‘Run this town’ ‘No distance left to run’ ‘Run it.’ Fortunately London provided a better sound track; the swans in Hyde Park the bells of Westminster Cathedral and the sirens of Elephant & Castle (ahhhh home).
My goals for week two of the challenge are:
1. To get even more sleep, I’m talking the 9 hours variety
2. Get through a sports massage on Wednesday (alive)
3. Run with Justine once [the Love(heart) Run on Saturday doesn’t count]
I hope that this winning combo will push me on to finish each run quicker and leave Myrtle eating dust.
