I'm baaaa-ack !!

Tuesday 15/05/07:
Awake bright and early this morning, excited about going out for a short, slow run - yes, I am a total sado...! Hit the street at 6am, my weather predition was totally wrong - it was dry, calm and mild out... even better!

Brisk walk warmup: 5mins
Easy paced run: 32.34mins, 6.13kms, Ave 5.17min/kms.
Brisk walk cooldown: 5mins

I am very pleased to report that I didn't feel even so much as any discomfort from my lower leg. Everything else felt good too, including the occassionally niggly hip. So all up it was a most satisfying first run back after 11 straight days off... As advised by the physio, I iced it for a good 10mins straight after I got back, regardless.

Its amazing how fast you can get in - or out, of a routine too... It actually felt almost odd to be laying out the running gear last night, making sure the iPod and the Polar were handy, etc, etc...

I won't be getting carried away, I have vowed to only run a maximum of every second day for the next week or so at least and will be keeping my distances below 10km for a while... then gradually building back to where I was. I don't think my fitness has suffered too much - even tho I've been very lazy, and with no firm event plans on the agenda, theres no need to try rushing back into it... last thing I want is a set-back and I have to keep reminding myself that I am not out of the woods yet - the area is still damaged and needs more treatment and lots of TLC to get it back to its best...

Tonight my thoughts are with my grandfather, Stu. He's three days away from his 93rd birthday and right now, not looking like making it there. He's been sick off and on for the past few months and especially bad the last few weeks. He lives a couple of hours south of Auckland in the Waikato. My Mum, Courtney and I went and visited him in Thames Hospital the weekend before last and fortunately on the day we were there he was doing pretty good and was so happy to see us. He has always adored Courtney, his first great-granddaughter. Since then he has improved and been sent home, only to deteriorate and last night he took a fall and was rushed back into hospital this morning, having great difficulty breathing even with help and barely conscious. Right now his three surviving children - including my Mum, and my step-grandmother - his second wife, are at his bedside keeping a vigil.