Kirk Broadfoot believes it will take several more weeks to catch up with his new St Mirren team-mates' fitness despite making his debut at Dingwall.
The defender came on four minutes into the second half of St Mirren's 2-1 defeat by Ross County after Gary MacKenzie suffered a head knock.
Broadfoot had started six games for Kilmarnock this season before returning to the club where he made his name, but he previously claimed that Rugby Park boss Angelo Alessio's tactics-based training methods had left him short of fitness.
The 35-year-old told St Mirren's BuddieVision service: "It's nice to be back but I wasn't expecting to get chucked on so early to be honest.
"It took me a good 10-15 minutes to get up to speed and get my range back and get the timing of the game.
"The conditions were horrible. It probably helped them in the second half as the wind picked up. With the chances we created, I thought we could at least have got a draw, maybe win the whole game.
"It's been a difficult couple of weeks to be honest. It's been like a mini pre-season for myself.
"I was a wee bit off the pace and it's going to take another couple of weeks. If I can get in the team then games will help me get back up to speed."
Saints midfielder Kyle Magennis twice struck the frame of the goal and Jon Obika had a goal ruled out for offside just before the interval.
Ross Stewart volleyed County ahead in the 62nd minute before Ross Laidlaw let Tony Andreu's free-kick slip through his legs 10 minutes later.
But County won it in stoppage-time when captain Marcus Fraser converted a cross from close range.
"It's disappointing, the goal is meant to be onside but the guys (match officials) are only human and are trying their best," Broadfoot said.
"It can hurt but over the course of the season you'd like to think we'd get our own turn at that.
"It's still early doors, there are a lot of positives to take from the chances we are creating.
"We just need to work at being harder to beat as a team and getting into shape and I think we will be OK."
County co-manager Steven Ferguson was delighted his players had picked themselves up to ensure Laidlaw's blunder was not costly.
"We are all human, humans make mistakes, and Ross made one," Ferguson said. "He has held his hands up.
"What Stuart (Kettlewell) and I have said previously when there's been mistakes is you can't keep putting your hand up, you can't keep saying sorry, we will give you the one sorry but don't make the same mistake again.
"I'm sure Ross will be going all out not to make that mistake again.
"He knows himself, he's an honest enough pro, works so hard with (goalkeeping coach) Scott Thomson and the other goalkeepers. He made a mistake, we have all made them.
"We lose games together and win games together, so we share that win, from the guys that played, the guys that came off the bench and the guys that didn't get on the pitch."
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