OK… so the title of this post reveals a little bit of this weeks’ story.

It started much the same as many other Saturdays have started over recent weeks… my Garmin clearly knows what’s coming up.

Less than one hour before a gaggle of ParkRunner’s are set loose for two laps around Stanley Park.

The 15 minute drive to Stanley Park was pretty bleak. Rain was forecast but what accompanied me on the drive was torrential and left me thinking “Should I just drive to JD instead and do my work on the treadmill and in the gym instead?” But I continued on my way and the rain did ease off as I parked up at the Blackpool Sports Centre car park and walked the familiar walk to the Clock Tower meeting point.

Following the pre-run briefing at 9.06am we were on our way.

The plan… two laps around Stanley Park, 5km.

The usual congestion from the start through to the woodland and beyond. It felt like the woodland section was particularly bunched up this week and it wasn’t long before my mind started to try and convince me that this weeks’ run wasn’t a good idea. It presented a powerful case. It reminded me that I hadn’t prepared on the treadmill during the week as much as I normally would. It was complaining that it was cold and wet. It was drawing my attention to the risks of slipping and the possibility of injury. It was telling me I had a niggle in my knee, in my ankle. It was trying to convince to me to drop out of this weeks’ run.

As I approached the Clock Tower ahead of starting on my second lap I took the decision to stop but I was still fighting my mind, fighting the decision to quit, to drop out. But as I watched others pass by, I gave in and started the slow walk back to the car park. I wasn’t happy with “giving in”. It isn’t what I do but for whatever reason, my mind had won the battle.

I sat in my car reflecting on things, messaging Coach Ken and my best mate, and eventually decided “OK, so if I’m not going to complete the full 5km in the park today I’m not just going home to sit around on my backside for the rest of the day”. I had to nip back home and pick up my gym bag but then drove straight to JD Gym. I was going to put the work in one way or another.

And so I put in a steady 90 minute stint on the treadmill covering 11km. Not a full run on the treadmill, but it was a good session following on from the 2.6km I had run a couple of hours earlier.

So, ParkRun #18, officially, didn’t happen. No finish means it doesn’t get logged. So next Saturday it will be ParkRun #18, again!