I’ve rejoined the group. The informal group of men and women and sometimes the odd dog or baby, we wake up early in the morning and in silent camaraderie take to the pavements, sidewalks and trails; with one foot in front of the other, we run.

I’m glad I took a break; I knew it was a good thing when I stopped feeling guilty for not having ran.

Last Saturday felt like a real spring day – I initially thought of going for a walk but then wondered to myself “why walk when I can run” so I laced up my sneakers and headed out. The initial rush was great; it felt familiar; like I did it everyday.

This is the longest I’ve gone without running since I started running almost seven years ago. Back then it all seemed so focused, I loved discovering new routes and pushing myself.

These days I run the same routes and do as little as possible. I don’t know how to make it be like it used to. Running and I are like an old couple, we just need to figure out how to get the magic back.