Today I found my stride :o)

At long last, today I found my stride. I revved up to 11km/h and suddenly I could step out and take longer strides. I guess over the past few weeks I’ve been building up my stamina and strength and finally I am comfortable.

It was a wonderful feeling to open up and start bounding along taking full advantage of my two long legs ) Until now I’ve felt I was sort of shuffling. Not able to reach out and take long strides. I’m sure it’s down to fitness. Still it was strange how it crept up on me.

One of the best things I learnt through Aikido practice was not to push things unnaturally. You have to relax and let things happen. This always sounds confusing. How can you expect to achieve anything if you’re relaxed!? Well, like most things in Aikido it’s not how it seems. You have to put in full effort and not strain, be utterly focused and not lose your awareness. Words fail to explain the feeling, but I’ve had it drilled into me so I really enjoyed the moment when suddenly I just started to stride – without anticipation.

I ran 4km in 22 minutes 38 seconds (10.6km/h). By far my best time on 4km yet and I did it at 1% incline. I was really pleased with myself. And what a feeling it was to open up and find my stride. I ran the 1st kilometre at 10km/h then up to 11km/h for 2km. Then I dropped back to 10km/h for the final kilometre, but couldn’t wait to finish so pushed up to 11km/h for the final half kilometre – I had to finish with my new stride!