Full of Beans

The Power of Exercise

Friday 6.30 p.m. - I retire to bed. I am exhausted after a full week of babysitting, shopping, cooking, running and socialising. I cannot do another thing. My body refuses to move and my head needs to sleep.

Friday 10.00 p.m. - Lights out, although I have not watched a whole program all evening. Nor have I played my word game or checked social media. All evening I have been dozing. Except for a quick dash downstairs for a piece of toast and a cup of tea.

Saturday 8.00 a.m. - I wake late. I'm dizzy. My head is fuzzy. It looks cold outside. I could skip park run, Vicki has gone on a long run so nobody will know if I don't go. Don't think I can go. I feel terrible.  If I don't go Vicki will shoot ahead of me on our Nike Leader Table. I stumble out of bed and dress in the appropriate cold weather running kit. Actually it was the first kit that came to hand and my bottoms don't meet my ankles, brrrr. I grab gloves, hat and a few gulps of water. No breakfast, no second cuppa. This might not be good but I'm going to give it a go.

Saturday 9.00 a.m. I'm lined up alongside all the others. I'm waiting in the correct place, the finish after 30 minutes place. I wonder if I will ever move in front of that sign. It's bitter cold, my bare legs are fine but I'm now wishing I was wearing the gloves instead of leaving them in the car. I'm joined by the lovely Jan and Lolly, a quick hello to Kath and at last the hooter sounds and off we go. The usual leg aches begin and I hope that it will soon pass and that I move into the actually this feels OK phase. Loose lace, almost every run, I must tie doubles, I must tie doubles. Jan and Lolly creep ahead and I spend the next 1/4 of the run trying hard to catch them, every person they pass I manage to also. I'm nearly there but once onto the second lap I just can't and they steadily pull away from me. Today I have my ear phones with me and I decide to listen in and hope that it will help me relax. It does. The second lap is always hard but I plough on, determined to not walk, I don't. A small burst towards the end, I will not be overtaken on the line and I manage to pass three more runners. And breathe. And, I manage to remember to turn my iPod off, this usually happens several minutes after stopping, so today my time might be somewhat nearer the official time. I am delighted to see I might be as much as three minutes quicker than a fortnight ago, which was my first park run for months.

Saturday 10.10 a.m. - I do usually shower and change before having breakfast after running but today my bread is toasting on the Aga and the beans are in the microwave before I've even taken my trainers off or plugged my Nike chip into the computer. I am starving and my first mug of tea doesn't touch the sides. On checking my stats I am so happy to see I've recorded my fastest pace since my new year day run and it's an OK one. I'm getting back, slowly, slowly but surely.

Saturday 1.30 - I am feeling great, my fuggy head and aching body has gone. I feel bright eyed and I am literally full of beans. The chores are done, I've spent some time taking photographs and caught up with emails. I've loads to do this afternoon and I'm also wondering if running every day is a sensible option, I can't wait to get my trainers on again. The power of exercise never ceases to amaze me.