Happily Ever After

Life in The Rural Retreat with a beautiful wife, three cats, garden wildlife, a camera, a computer – and increasing amounts about running

Earlier posts can be found on Adventures of a Lone Bass Player, where this blog began life. Recent entries can be found here.

Keeping It Steady

by Russell Turner - 17:42 on 15 May 2021

Today was my debut as a half marathon pacer, which went remarkably well. I wasn’t there to keep Squirrel James up to the mark, ahead of his virtual marathon in two weeks, but down to the mark. He admits a tendency to run too fast, so pootling around with me was just what he needed.

At the end of our 2:20 HM he confessed that he’d thought the first mile was too slow; by the time we finished he appreciated all I’d told him about not setting off too fast and had more miles still in his legs. Shame I can’t always follow my own advice.

For me, running while talking was something new, forcing me to maintain an easy pace if my speech was to be more than muttered gasps. James, it must be admitted, chatted merrily all the way (apart from Mile 12); I was a little less talkative.

Mile 12 was where, just for fun and without warning, I gradually wound up the pace from 10:45 to climax at 7:42. Suddenly James was very silent, apart from some impressively heavy breathing. I was forgiven when we returned to 10:45 for the final mile.

So, a good morning, both of us having learned something. By the afternoon, the sun was beating down on a lawn begging to be cut by a newly repaired and serviced mower. Maybe tomorrow.

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