16km - longest run since gold coast!

Well, I was more than a bit nervous this morning, it was the first time I had joined the group since I became injured before the GC. The target was 1.40, but I had already decided I would be happy with a comfortable 90mins. I chatted to a couple of other girls who were working to the same times/distances and we all headed out in a big group together.

My leg was not a happy leg this morning, I looked at my watch almost every minute for the first 20mins wondering if it was justifiable to turn back so early, or if I should keep going and try and run through it. After about 25mins we all stopped for water and to collect back together again. A couple of people who were just out for an hour turned back at this point, I was really tempted to join them. I felt slow and my legs felt like lead, I was NOT having much fun at all, and despite chatting to Suze about everthing and anything the time really felt like it was dragging.
A decision was made that one group was going to do the Riverloop (about 22km) and a few others were going to head down to St Lucia Golf Course before turning back. I actually really like the hills around St Lucia, so decided to go for broke and head off that way. It was like something lifted at about the 30min mark and I could run again!! We stopped at one point to wait for traffic, and I gave my leg a good stretch then, then again at St Lucia for water… stretch stretch stretch!! I found it a bit tough starting up again, straight back up the hill to the main road, but I got to the top without losing too much speed and was good to go for the run back down towards the river and home to the Ship Inn via the Goodwill Bridge. 87mins and 16km later and I was done. Not too bad for my first proper long run in a while. My leg came up a bit sore, but nothing that staying off it for most of the rest of the day and a decent stretch didn’t solve.

That light is getting closer!