Getting back in the habit

When I was on teaching practice I used to pass people running as I drove too and from work. It was too dark in the mornings before I left for work only just light enough towards the end of my teaching practice for me to run. So, while I envied these people their morning/evening runs I rapidly fell out of the 'habit' of running. I still tried to get out once during the week and at the weekends, but is stopped being an automatic part of my life as I couldn't see how to fit it in around everything else that needed doing.

Since I have been at home again I find myself planning my day around when will be a good time to run! I am really enjoying not having to get up early as the children are on holiday, so an early morning run is out of the question! The last couple of days have been very warm (it was about 28C here this afternoon), lovely for sitting outside eating lunch in, but not so great for running in when one is not quite as fit as one should be and is possibly/probably carrying about 20lbs more weight than one would like to carry! I've fallen into a routine of giving the children there supper and heading out for a run at around 6.30/7pm. It is cooler (marginally) and I have seen some spectacular sunsets - the kind that make you wish you had a camera with you, but that you realise an iPhone camera won't do justice to, and I am not going to start running with my DSLR on the off chance I see something that I want to photograph! The only downside is that I miss the 6.30pm comedy slot on Radio 4 and The Archers! But this is easily rectified by using 'Listen again' and means that I get to listen to the programmes without the children interrupting me to ask silly questions!

I've run 3.5 miles for each of the last three days, getting slightly faster each day. Ran a new route today, around King's Pond, down an alley way I didn't know existed. Heck - I've only lived here for 17 years! You can't expect me to know my way around yet! My aim for the week is to run 6 miles, or slightly more, on Sunday. I do feel as though I have started from scratch again, but I am getting there!