Day 72-74 15 minutes!! A new breakthrough!

A couple of rest days - then off to see what would happen. To be honest, I was very tired. I even had a nap before heading out. I am not sleeping well. The nightly aftershocks and the memeories of the earthquake have my nerves all jangled up and the more recent events in Japan have my fears of tsunamis at a new level (we live on the coast).  I also spent this morning at "The Club" - the Day Centre for people with dementia where I was when the big 6.3 struck 3 weeks ago. I drove around in the van picking up people and saw parts of the stricken city that I hadn't seen before. The roads were often like a war zone - and we kept having to find ways around the worst hit areas. It was very distressing for me. Seeing the devastation - I kept wanting to cry. My shoulders and neck tighter than I have ever felt them.

So after I was home for awhile and had a nap - let's see what a run will do.  I was not very optomistic but I thought even just getting out for a brisk walk would help. However, after my usual 10 minute walk warm-up I started running and reminded myself of the goal I had set last time - to run to a new milestone - the start of the Estauary Walkway. 10 minutes went by and I said to myself - just keep on going and see what happens. I reached the milestone and decided to keep on going. Why not carry on to the 15 minute mark. So I did!! Another breakthrough!!

A bit of a setback happened when I tried to do my usual circuit and a big orange sign blocked my way and said that the Eastuary walkway was closed and to take an alternate route. When Bruce and I had run along this walkway by the Avon River the last couple of times we had seen the huge cracks and displacement of earth and were prepared to move quickly away from the river if there was a sizable aftershock. Much of the riverbank in other areas through the city have fallen into the river, I guess they must have decided it was actually a danger - and hopefully they are working on repairing it.

Judy's Thoughts: I have made progress. Running for a 15 minute stretch. And what really excites me - I was breathing well and know I could have carried on. And chose not to. Again, pacing and chunking the effort to be safe and injury free.

I am feeling devastated by recent events. My heart  is very much with all the people who have lost loved ones in Christchurch and Japan. This running effort has become a coping mechanism to help me get through this terrible time.