First 10km of 2011

Today I didn't want to get out of bed.  It was another miserable day outside with constant rain.  Saturday is my morning to lie in as my wife looks after our son, her lie in is on a Sunday, so I really wanted to stay in bed.  I knew I had to get up and do the run as I needed to get more kilometres in if I was to attempt to finish the Lisbon half, which is now only 6 weeks away.  I also told myself that once I started running I would be happy to be out and it was only 8km.  I got up at 9am got my running gear together, had a glass of water and a banana and then left the house.

It was up to the Éire Óg clubhouse again.  I had set the workout on my Garmin Forerunner 305 to make sure that I didn't go at too fast a pace, set it for 10km just in case I felt I was happy to do a little more and off I went.  1km into the run I stopped to stretch as I usually do.  Since I hurt the IT band, stretching has become a really important part of my routine and I don't fly through it as I did before.  I begin at the head and stretch down until I reach the feet, making sure that I stretch properly.  Then it was back into the run.

What I told myself earlier "You'll be happy to be out once you start" didn't materialise.  The day was horrible and the track was waterlogged.  I spent a lot of the time trying, unsuccessfully to avoid all the puddles.  After 8km had been run I stretched a little again and thought I can go a little longer.  So after the stretch off I went again and clocked another 2km, my first 10km of the year in 1 hour and 15 seconds.  It wasn't my fastest pace and I did find it tough but I happy the knee was able for it.  Another full stretch and off home.  I'm getting there.