5km

Today I ran 5km.  

A few years ago I could do that in 25 minutes (at least on a good day), but today it took me just over 33 minutes. 

I used to run 5km 2-3 times a week, but the last time I did it was over 2 years ago in January 2018 (in just over 29 minutes).  I had a few chest infections in 2018 which I never really got properly over - I did some running but never got as far as 5km.  2019 I lost as far as running is concerned, due again to a long term chest infection, which I am now 10 months into a 24 month course of treatment for.  Finally it seems to be clearing up enough that I can get running again, and with a little help from the present situation (no travel, no commute) I've had the time and focus to build myself up.

Couch to 5k has done the trick again, and although it may take another few weeks (or months) I'm going to try to get my time back under 30 minutes.  I think I'll need to lose a bit of weight to get to that outcome, but the running should help with that.

The medication I'm on has some side effects that make me feel tired and sometimes a bit dizzy, so it's been hard work, mentally more than physically.  I'm OK once I get out there and run the first few minutes, but getting started isn't easy...

But I've got there.

I'm being very careful when out running to keep as far from others as possible, which is easier here in suburbia than many places - I'm very fortunate to live near lots of open spaces with few people around.  I think the overall benefits to my health (especially my respiratory health) from running far outweigh any minuscule chances of transmission of the virus.  I'm much stronger for it.

Now I'm wabbit, so I'll be off to bed very shortly.  Just a couple of bites from my Easter Egg and a few pages of my book first...