Redemption with 16 Miles.

My intention was to run 15 miles on Saturday or Sunday last.  But I didn't.  In fact, I only ran four.  It was slightly demoralising - I have signed up to do a marathon in Barcelona at the end of March and yet I hadn't run more than 8 miles since the half marathon of December, until tonight.  So today I brought my shoes and shorts to work and headed off from the Spanish Arch when the day was done.  I had no fixed idea on how long I would run tonight, I simply ran on a whim.  The night was beautiful - still and dry after a long day's rain.  On I went, out past Nimmo's pier, around South Park, down to Mutton Island and then out onto the prom.  I was feeling very confident at this stage - running a steady pace, certainly no more than 8.30mins.  I ran to the end of the prom and turned left down onto the gravely path that hugs the diving board at Blackrock.  There weren't any lights along this path and the way was now lit from the main road a couple of hundred yards away - but it was still clear enough to see directly ahead of me, and to my left the waves were crashing up against the shore.  At end of that section of the run I turned left, heading down towards Knocknacarra cross, and then on out towards Barna village.  It was a steady pace, and I felt good enough to determine to run on past Barna and keep going!  I would actually have gone further but for the fact that there were no streetlights past Superrvalue and things were getting a bit dodgy!  The way back was just as nice - I felt good all the way and probably could have run another few miles.  So I've done wonders for my confidence - I now feel that I'm back in marathon mode - and I've done wonders for my motivation too.  Real redemption.