Training: riverside 4K

While my knees and toe probably would've preferred more bike work, I was working in the office today, so went out for a short run at lunch instead. Given I didn't want to aggravate the toe too much in advance of Sunday's orienteering, I went for a fairly flat route. I also just wanted to get away from people and be somewhere calmer than the centre of Newcastle on the run-up to Christmas.

Today's route took me past the Black Gate, then under the railway line and onto Forth Street behind the station. It was around this point that the gentle rain turned into a downpour and I was glad I'd put my fleece on. 😂

The rain continued on and off as I jogged past the Centre for Life and onwards to the Arena. The new phone wasn't giving me announcements of my progress (yet another thing to set up), but a quick check showed I'd been going about 7 minutes.

From the Arena, it was rapidly downhill to the Tyne before turning upriver. The tide must've been in, as the river was looking fuller than I've seen it for a long time, recent rain no doubt helping that. In fact, hearing the sloshing and breaking of little wavelets alongside me was a really nice change, making it feel more like I was at sea or on a lakeshore.

And then it was just a matter of his far upriver I went (not far) before doing a U-turn and heading back to a finish at the Guildhall. Just over 4km in total, which is exactly what I was aiming for. It didn't feel fast — and wasn't, at 5:25/km — but it was faster than I've been since the toe injury, I think. And, looking back, I don't remember the knees feeling too much like fenceposts slamming together. Which is good; it'd be nice to get bouncy again sometime. Let's just hope I'm feeling good on Sunday now; bring on the nerd-running! 😁