Wednesday 25th March

I nearly didn't make todays planned 5 mile walk. I was working from home today as I was waiting for our new sofa to be delivered (after 2 weeks without one) so was chained to the house for most of the day (8-6 delivery - how helpful). The sofa came just after 2, but up until then it had alternated between brief sunny spells and prolonged periods of absolutely chucking it down, oh and a quick hail storm for good luck. I decided I would finish work at 4 and go for a walk, but it was raining again at 4, my feet were sore, and I just couldn't be bothered. I decided to watch ER instead. But then ER finished and my husband still hadn't left work - we have a 2 hour commute and I knew it wouldn't take me that long to walk 5 miles. I looked out the window, and apart from the sun going down, it looked like a lovely evening. And although I'd already talked myself out of it, I decided to get walking. I think I must be ill or something, if I can find an excuse, I usually do.

So I togged up and set off. I realised that this is the first walk I have done since 'official training' started that I have done on my own. I've usually been walking at someone else's pace, or having a conversation on the way round. It's boring on your own isn't it? Thank god for Scott Mills podcasts, although laughing out loud when walking through residential streets is like, so like, not cool. I headed through Great Chart whilst it was still light (it's quite country lanish) and then back on to the main road. Then I turned left into Godinton housing estate. I'd never been past the chinese or the pub before, but it goes miles back and there were some of the biggest new build houses I have even seen up there (this is Ashford, all the houses are new build). By this time it was pitch black and absolutely freezing so I think that made me walk a bit faster. I then headed back to the main road on a big loop and headed home down a longer main road, and back to mine. I walked 5.4 miles in 1 hour and 18 minutes, which makes about a 14.5 minute mile. How pleased am I? Not sure I could keep it up for 26, but it's fastest I've walked so far.

My feet are covered in lots of little blisters, with particularly sore ones on my right little toe and one right between my big toe and the one next to it. Surprisingly the huge blister on the bottom of my foot isn't giving me too much trouble, and seems to be healing ok.

I got in the bath when I got home, just as my husband got home. Then as it was so late and I hadn't cooked tea (bad wife) we got a takeaway and settled on our new sofa to watch The Apprentice.