Another grey day but not so cold so I got my *rse out the door in the end and decided to do around 4 miles. The back/leg/hip was still stiff but not painfull and after the first couple of miles eased off so that my stride lengthened out a bit and I felt a bit more "flowing". It began to feel so much better that I kept going, the sciatic ache only making itself felt very occasionaly and I ended the session at 8 miles, still feeling like I could have done some more.
I didn't mind the rain and the music helps so much. I seem to be able to keep up a better pace when I listen to it, although I don't take it when I am doing shorter runs as there are times when I just want to be able to be at one with the surroundings and listen to what the wildlife is up to.
I saw herons, egrets, a flock of chaffinches, swans, a barn owl, a sparrow hawk, green woodpeckers, seagulls and the usual array of songbirds, pheasants, partridges, hares and rabbits.
I am very pleased with my pace as I hadn't thought I'd done as well as that, with the struggle to get going in the first couple of miles. Things are definately getting better.
Wooohoo!!

8 miles
1 hour 25 mins
Average HR 148
Peak HR 170
Average pace 10.62