My first run in Cyprus

I have been trying to make sure I get at least one run in whilst being on holiday but Richard has been convincing me not to go out in the Cypriot heat. It is very hot with an average of 32 degrees and with a coastal path or busy road it’s not that easy.

Richard had a valid point about the heat as we took a 2K walk to the Amathos Ruins down the road and in 32 degree heat we came back hot and soaked in sweat. A run in this heat would be rather mental.

I therefore ended up at the hotel gym and had my first session since I started running on the dreadmill.

Not sure what I was expecting but it did feel like I was plodding along for a while. It took me a while to get into running on the spot. It feels so different from running outside. Anyway I eventually got into it and even the uninspiring view of the hotel car park wasn’t enough to demotivate me.

I did manage to focus on a glimpse of the sea and just picked up the pace.

The gym was hotter than I expected as the mid afternoon sun was focused right into the gym so even in an air conditioned gym it was very humid.

10 minutes in and the sweat was pouring off me but I kept going. The distance recorded by the treadmill and iSmoothRun were slightly different but I focused on my usual trusty app and kept going.

Time seemed to go very quickly on the treadmill once I got going and the other gym users around me seemed to give me some motivation to keep going. For once I felt like I belonged in a gym!

I amazingly finished with a better pace than I do on the road at home and I felt great.

I achieved a fantastic pace of 6:03 /km today which is better than my road running at home.

I was absolutely sweating like crazy but I felt great. I am not sure the German hotel residents who got in the lift were not quite ready for my near see through top thanks to my top ringing in sweat.

I am glad I didn’t run out along the coast (although I still want to) but am really pleased I got a run in on holiday. We have plenty more days to go so I will fit in some more runs whilst here.

Oh and did I mention that as well as a 5K run, the walk to and around the ruins, I also did several laps of the pool today.

Who’d have thunk it eh? Me!

Fastest song of today’s run was Together Again by Janet Jackson.