What a performance! - but sadly, not in a good way :D

[Anniemurph]

This week has been crazy and I haven't had any opportunity to run. Although I had an early appointment today, I was up even earlier, so grabbed the chance to get out there even though it would just be for a short run. I thought I'd do Speed - perfect!

Or not. I checked the temperature and it said 3 degrees. 3 degrees? That's flipping freezing! On went the long tights but a short-sleeved shirt. I hurried through the rest of my preparations - wee, Body Glide under the arm band, Ventolin, sunscreen, wee, start the Garmin, start Strava, find the podcast. Oh. Problem. Was it on iTunes? Nope, couldn't find it. Off I went to HU, where it told me that I had already downloaded it - and took me straight there, to the running section. 'No, wait, I'm not ready!' So I paused Laura, faffed with getting my phone into the armband and the headphones through the wossname, laced up and went out of the door.

I was going to be too warm. I walked for a couple of minutes, turned round and went back home to swap my long tights for capris. It's the first time I've ever done that. Back through the door, a quick shuffle, another wee and off again - to find that the Garmin had of course given up and lost the signal. Ack! So I restarted that, to find that I'd now lost Laura - and really couldn't find her again. By this point I was fuming - furious with myself for being so flipping inadequate with the technology. I couldn't manage to press anything through the screen protector on the arm band so had to fumble the entire phone out of the armband and start again. I had to go through the whole process of going back to HU to be told that yes, I'd downloaded the podcast or whatever before and here it was.

Finally - finally! - I started the 5 minute warm-up run and we were off. By the time I got to the intervals I was so annoyed that I aced them , working off all my frustrations at what I thought was a higher pace than usual. I did the final five minutes as a cool-down run and called it a day.

But the adventure didn't end there. Whether it was because it was a bit cooler, whether it's because there's more pollen around at the moment or whether it's because I was running by a busy road this morning I don't know, but as soon as I stopped running I started to cough... and then wheeze... and then I couldn't get my breath... and before I knew it, I was heading for an asthma attack I managed to get it under control with some swift puffs of the inhaler and by sitting on the pavement but it left me feeling quite shaky and with some steep steps to climb to get back home.

I recovered fine and a hot shower always helps but it was not a successful morning! To add insult to injury, although I felt as though I was running much faster, the stats don't show that I was and my overall time for 3k is no faster than I would normally expect. However, I know that intervals are useful and if I can do the next set without having a temper tantrum I'll probably be better off

Hope you're all having a better day - happy running, everyone!

[GoogleMe Graduate10]

Oh bless!

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to GoogleMe]

It was just one of those days! I'll try again tomorrow

[agedsnailspace Graduate10]

Sometimes technology can really ruin a good run! At least you got out there and you got a run, so not all bad!

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to agedsnailspace]

I think if I had just been going for a run, I wouldn't have minded, but because I had decided to do Speed, I needed Laura's dulcet tones in my ear - and I was determined to do Speed! But as you say, it was a run, so I'll take that

[Noaky12 Graduate10]

Oh nightmare, but very well done on getting it done in the end. Well done for catching your asthma too before it turned into a full blown attack which must be scarey as hell.

Take care of yourself xx

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to Noaky12]

It could have been a bit grim, but fortunately it all turned out okay! Thanks for your good wishes - hope you have a great weekend xx

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10]

Horrid. I have to say it sounds very frightening...Thank goodness you are okay... run you did and you made it!

Well done anyway.. and as the Lovely Laura says..all together now... "a bad run is better than no run "

Big hug x

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to Oldfloss]

Thank you! It was all okay in the end And indeed I ran, and put a pound in my shoe bank

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Anniemurph]

Go you x

[poppypug Graduate10]

Flippin' Nora Annie !

You've had a right palaver ! God, that mustve been scary, proper squeaky bum time !

Glad youre okay , lets hope you have a much better time on your next run ! xxx

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to poppypug]

I know! I had to come home and have a cup of Tetley's! Flipping technology, ey? Or rather, flipping technoplonks who don't know what they're up to

Ta for the good wishes, I'm sure it will all be fine tomorrow xxx

[susie_bourne Graduate10]

Bless you, for keeping going. I think the pollen count was for sure high today. After Parkrun I had a full on sneezing fit !!

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to susie_bourne]

I never take much notice of the pollen count because I never think that I suffer from hay fever or anything like it, but I think it does affect my asthma. At least your sneezing fit was after your Parkrun! Hope you had a good time though

[misswobble Graduate10]

That was some fandango AnniMurph! 😊

I'd have needed a lie down in a darkened room after that lot

The next one will go as smooth as silk of course 😃

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to misswobble]

Honestly, what a faff! I shouldn't be let out on my own

[ancientrunner Graduate10]

Good day then!!! Glad you are okay. I come home from speed exhausted and never seem to have run faster - but I think it is because I have to walk the inbetween bits.

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to ancientrunner]

Oh I'm fine, thanks I keep telling myself that Speed must be doing me some good because it is so tiring - but like you, the inbetween bits are possibly a leetle too slow

[Irishprincess Graduate10]

There's a lot of faffage there Annie, but I'm giggling because I identify with it. Sometimes it takes me ages to actually get out the door! That "nearly" asthma attack sounds scary but good news that it didn't come to a full attack.

I've had that thing with not being able to press the buttons on my armband and had to take it off. Right pain that one!

I hope the next run is less hassle for you 😊

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to Irishprincess]

Honestly, IP, I think there are times when it takes me longer to get out of the door than I spend running!

Thanks, I had a great run this morning. The old lungs cooperated nicely and the only technology in play was the Garmin and Mr. Strava, who just did his 'Pausing' thing at the gates

Hope you have a great day

[boptillyoudrop49 Graduate10]

Running sounds like the simplest thing you can do to get fit but you're right, getting out there some days can be a faff. I find it better now though. In winter I had buff, hat, thermo jacket, gloves and high vis harness to get on. Love it now, so much simpler. Do you really wear sunscreen for an early morning run? I never do. Am I getting this wrong?

[Anniemurph Graduate10 in reply to boptillyoudrop49]

A lot of my faffage is around contact lens, inhaler, hanky and other peripheral stuff, never mind just the outfit! Yes, I try to put sunscreen on whenever I go out - a bit paranoid as a couple of friends of mine have died from some sort of skin cancers (I'm not sure what though) and someone on the C25K forum posted about a basal cell melanoma scare on his ear, I think. That one turned out okay fortunately but it doesn't take long to put the sunscreen on before I go