Quick trot

Increasing gradually the number of runs I fit in during the week so planned another early morning session for this morning. Since Laurence has been busy this week, she asked if I wouldn't mind accompanying her for the first couple of kilometres down by the river where it is still very dark at 6:00 am.

It was cooler than yesterday but still dry. I was still trying to catch my satellites on the Garmin when Laurence sprinted off trying to build a headstart from the beginning. 30 seconds later, I was still standing beside the road looking desperately at my watch waiting for the little black bar to reach the right-hand side of the screen. Lord knows what the passing motorists think, seeing a guy in short shorts and a fluorescent orange top, standing on the pavement, looking intently at his watch at 6:00am in the dark. Anyway, the timer screen flickered into view and I pressed the start button and took off after my wife.

I caught Laurence after 500 metres and ran down to the river with her and along the lane beside the Seine. We were running at about 5:15 - 5:20 pace and I felt very easy. The dawn was just breaking and I felt very easy running in the quiet here with only the birds to break the silence. At the roundabout in front of Maisons Laffitte castle, I left Laurence and started running at my usual training pace (well probably just a little faster to begin with just to impress her - don't know why I still do this as after almost 17 years of marriage very little still impresses her !). I ran at 4:23 pace for the next kilometres and finished fast at just over 15km/h.

7.6km all up in 35:36 or an average speed of 4:39. Not bad for a quick run. Ankle slightly sore after the run but only a slight twinge while I was outside.