First run in France!!

WOW

I think that is the best way to describe my first run here in Caunes-Minervois. When you watch sports i.e. football and athletics and I guess most outdoor sports, and commentators defend people for lack lustre performances. You always think come on that a poor excuse, or at least I DID. I have a new respect for sports people now.

I decided to go for a run today about 5.30, it had been warm but clouds were gathering and it was cooling down. So I planned a route on google maps cos I don't know the area well, and set off thinking I will see where I am at 2.5km.

I walked down the hill from the house and then set off down the road, at about 1.5km I had to take a road off to the left but I wasn't sure what it was like as it was a small road on the map. When I got there I was a bit confused, my French is not the best at all but I could guess what 'route barree' meant. I carried on down the road wondering what I might find, and soon was met by fencing and a half broken bridge. So rather than turning round I climbed the fence and tippy toed across the downed bridge. I felt a bit naughty and also rather proud of myself like I had accomplished something just by getting across the bridge. All these feeling were soon replaced by exhaustion as the heat and humidity started to hit me hard, as I came to the end of this road and rejoined the main road. I even had to have a 15 second walk, the humidity had zapped my stamina and I was flagging. U started running again and could see the hills I would have to climb before my decent back into Caunes-Minervois, this wasn't a good thing as I had misjudged the steepness of these hill. So once again after another 1km I had to walk again, for another 10-15 seconds this happened again before I reach the summit (as that is what it felt like). The decent down into town a nice feeling an the looks of 'he looks like he's been on a good run' from the locals were uplifting, and I round the final corner to complete 5km.

It was the hardest run I have done in a long time and I think that's a good thing but it still doesn't feel like it. I'm sure it will do but not yet especially as I had to walk up the hill to the house after that run too.

About 10-15 mins after I got back we were hit by an amazing storm with tremendous rain and thunder n lightning. The air is now cool and less humid so should have waited till now to do my run, well you learn from adventures like this.

We had our evening meal under the terrace because of the storm so I added a couple of photos to show the chaos it caused...