My first 'long' run

This morning I had my first 'long' run with the Jog Squad. The members who are training for a half marathon were meeting at 7.40a.m. to run for twenty minutes before meeting the 10k runners. I'm only planning on running the 10k in June, but a couple of the girls in the squad who run at my speed were going to be there for the early start and I decided I'd join them. I had no idea how well I'd do, as I haven't run for much more than half an hour in around eight months.

I had a couple of glasses of wine last night at work, but stuck to water once I got home. However I did eat a rather large serving of Dal Makhani for dinner and wasn't sure how my stomach would feel this morning. I've always been a notoriously bad morning runner, and have had a lot of early morning stomach issues.

I lay in bed all night listening to a steady downpour of rain, and it was still dark and damp when the alarm went off at 6.30. I lay there wondering what the heck I was doing! However sheer stubbornness got me out of bed. I made a small bowl of porridge and let that digest before heading out to meet everyone at Te Papa.

To my horror the two girls I was to run with didn't show. As Duck took off with the three 'speedy' runners I told them I'd just hang back. However all went well. I had no stomach issues and, after a creaky first few minutes, I found myself running at their speed and only about ten metres behind.

It was a good morning for running. The rain held off, there was a slight northerly and it was pleasantly mild. I ran with my windbreaker on in the wind, and took it off when it was sheltered. We really have been lucky with the weather so far this winter.

Our little group of runners headed up Kent Terrace and into the Basin Reserve. Duck sent the other girls on and she and I turned back slightly earlier. I realised I was feeling really good. I kept feeling good all the way back to Te Papa, where we picked up the rest of the group. It was a flat run this morning and we headed off round the bays. We ran twenty minutes out then headed back.

On the way back I got a second wind around Fisherman's Table and picked the pace up to pick off some other runners. By the time we were back at Te Papa I was ecstatic. We'd run around 10k and I could easily have kept going.

We headed off to Mojo for tea and coffee then I did a bit of grocery shopping before heading home. Hamish was just getting ready to head off on a job, so it felt like old times. After a shower and (for old time's sake) a pie and cider I spent the rest of the day alternating between reading and doing housework. At around 3.00 I curled up in bed and slept for a blissful hour or so.

I'm really happy with how quickly my fitness level is returning. It's tempting to sign up for the half marathon but my track record with the Harbour Capital event is not the best. I'd rather put in a good, solid 10k and focus on the Wairarapa Country Half later this year. It's good to be back though!

And now, for your viewing pleasure, the first of Gaffer's cat cam videos. Here he hangs out in the hallway before heading down the side of the house, into a neighbour's property, back across the bottom of our garden, into the neighbour's property on the other side of our house, and then heads up our stairs. In future installments he will wander widely through a range of strange backyards.