Good Enough...
We have just come back from a perfect lunch at Cafe de la Concha... The beach is called Playa de la Concha, meaning shell, because it curves around like a shell... We have since discovered that it is one of the most popular urban beaches in Europe...
Our waiter who was from Puerto Rica, and strongly led us to the most delicious dessert ever - a very light bread and butter pudding, dusted in cinnamon with home made cinnamon ice cream - told us that the area where the cafe is situated, is called 'the pearl' nestling in the shell of this beautiful beach...
The sun shone brightly this afternoon, the temperature had risen from a chilly start this morning to around 16 degrees, and we wandered along the sand watching the waves crash, and the brave few diving through them, energetically, enthusiastically, not appearing to feel the cold at all....
'It looks very appealing in theory' I laughed, keeping resolutely wrapped up!
I ran my 10k this morning in slightly shell shocked fashion, both at the hour and the temperature... I am not acclimatised to racing at the hour of 8 or the temperature of 8!
Both unfamiliar to me, only a week ago I was in hot sun and even had an extra hour of day in the bank...
However I ran to form, across this new line in the sand that has been drawn...
The form I have demonstrated in the 5k's I ran in over the last couple of weeks, indicated that I am currently worth around 45 minutes for a 10k... True to 'a runners mentality', I wondered if I might dip below the 45 Mark...! But was happy to finish in 45.13...
With the whole day stretching ahead!
I really like having set off on a journey with a whole year ahead' I said to Anadi as we sat immediately after the race, in the cafe next to our hotel, jam packed full of runners...
'I like that I am not going to 'get off the track' and that I will find things out as I go...
It's a long time since I've stretched out my running pace, and by doing a significant amount of it in the last three weeks, I am under no illusion as to my current form...
In truth I am delighted with my performance today...
I heard from my friend Cecilia that I came 213th overall... (Anadi counted me in the top twenty women)
The wonders of technology, that Cecilia can find out in Sussex England the result of a race I have just run In Spain, she also discovered that my average pace was 4.31 per kilometre...
Just three weeks ago when I set off and raced 5k, my average pace was 4.28...
In just three weeks my body has adjusted to almost hold the same pace for double the distance...
I celebrate my running body and the challenge, learning and joy this simple act of one foot in front of the other has brought me over the past fifty years!
On reflection I have spent much of my running career wishing I was faster, feeling slightly apologetic for my times...
'Could do better', 'not good enough' lodged in my being, limiting my joy and holding me back from total self acceptance...
I smile inwardly at the journey of the soul and that I am now putting myself on the start line, the klaxon sounds and I run from A to B as fast as possible, recording slower times than ever in my life....
And I find that I am proud and happy with my achievements....
Knowing I have done my best, and that this is good enough !