This afternoon I went for a run rather than blog because:

• the sun peaked through the clouds
• I had journalled to point that I realised there was nothing left for a glass of wine
• I actually felt like exercise. (Please don’t get excited – this doesn’t happen very often)
• Or the right planets aligned.

Because I did a long (for me) 4.5 miles yesterday, I decided that a quick 2 miles would be enough today.  I trotted off out the front door with 2 goals for this particular jaunt:

• To do the 12 minute fitness test.  I only just figured out yesterday that my ipod has a stopwatch so I thought I’d give it a go.  I managed (according to gmaps pedometer) to cover 1.84 km (1840 metres) in 12 minutes which puts me at the top end of “average” for my age.  I’m happy with that.  If I can cover just another 60 meters, I’ll be at the bottom of “above average”.  That’s a reasonable  short-term goal, I think.

• To run as far as I felt I could – then keep running to the next lamppost or other suitable landmark. It hurt but I did it whether I’d been running for 5 minutes or 1 minute.  One day, I’d like to run for a whole 30 minutes without needing to walk but for now I just want to learn how to push myself when I’m working out.  I’m a wimpy exerciser and find it hard to go that bit further or faster at the gym but somehow it was easier when there was something physical to aim for.

I used to be too self-conscious to run on my own outside but I’ve discovered a wonderful secret.  Ready?…….wearing a baseball cap.  Because no one will recognise me wearing a baseball cap, right?

Don’t answer that.  It’s helping so I’m going to keep doing it. Sunglasses make it even better. Plug in the ipod and it’s like a full-on cloak of invisibility.