Corra

Nico wanted to run to Corra half an hour later than usual. I was relieved as I immediately thought of the half hour of sleep debt that I could recover. I accepted instantly.

We set off at 9:00am in front of the house and took it easy up to the edge of the forest. I had envisaged an easy run all of the way around and this pace suited me fine. We ran that first kilometre in 5:06 but it stopped there. Second kilometre in 4:19 and that set the tone for the rest of the route. We can't run easily together with Nico. Whenever I pull alongside him, I think he takes this as a sign that I'm finding it too easy so he pushes on a little. I try and keep up and accelerate and so it goes on. Before long, we're running at 3:57 pace alongside the Corra pond and I have to call a break.

What is good is that with both of us having improved so much since last year, we're now still able to hold a conversation while running at 4:10 pace. By 4:00 pace though my conversation has run dry and I'm nearing the red line. We ease off for a couple of kilometres but the pace gradually creeps up again. This time we were running up towards Pavillon de la Muette when Nico had obviously caught his second wind. I'm praying now that he's going to need his habitual toilet stop so that I can grab a breather, but nothing doing. 4:12 up the hill - he's on form and I'm just holding on. I catch up on the flatter section but he's soon off again.

In fact that 4:12 section up towards the house in the forest section is the slowest kilometre we run until we finish the circuit. Even the sandy uphill section is completed at breakneck speed and even a slip from Nico on the sandy path doesn't stop us running this kilometre in under 4 minutes.

14.9 km all up in 1:02 and one of the fastest runs we've done around Corra in a while. Average pace 4:11 and it's a relief to get back, have a cup of tea and to talk about the amourous adventures of our clubmates. Plenty of gossip shared with Laurence when she gets back from her run with the girls. A long run tomorrow and then I'll wind down before the half marathon in Rambouillet next Sunday.