I was awake as usual on Saturday morning so I decided to jump on my bike and head along to the Glasgow parkrun in Pollok Park. I wasn't early enough to offer my services as a volunteer but I had my yellow cycling top on and discreetly joined the back of the runners, where that tail runner should be. Fellow injured runner, John Haggenmeiser arrived on his bike and commented on how good it was to see me back running. "I'm not!" I stated but he rightly pointed out that I had my running shoes on. As the race started I assumed my place at the tail and walked down the hill chatting with the other walkers. We reached the bottom where another long term injured runner, Catriona Gourley, joined us. She had volunteered to be the tail runner and had waited for the masses to pass her before assuming her duties. I passed over responsibilties to her and we chatted as we made our way past the woodpecker and up the first hill to the glade. It wasn't long until the first tyhree runners had lapped us and then after a gap the others started appearing at regular intervals. I increased the pace to a fast walk and as the glade statred it's descent I started a very cagey jog. Leading heavily with my right foot, I kept up the jog until the next uphill section. I was jogging down the other side when Stuart McBeath lapped me and congratulated me for being back running. I, of course, denied it. I continued my jog for the rest of the first lap and for the entirety of the second. I must have overtaken quite a few others, as I finished 267th out of 304, with a time of 33:04.
My ankle felt tender and my knees a little bit sore but it was so good to be back running, albeit extremely tentatively.
Although I enjoyed my post race soya cappuccino and chat back at the Burrell, I refrained from the temptation to have an unearned bacon roll.
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