Week 5 Run 2 That was hard!

[Bluerockdragon]

This was the hardest run I've done in ages. Everything conspired against me but most of all I did a completely new route along road and back again. Boring. However safety comes first. A woman got raped this week near where I live and they haven't caught the scumbag yet so I am avoiding places with no people about. This means my usual routes through the deserted wooded lokes (Norfolk for paths) and cycle ways worry me slightly.

I realised this morning that running along the pavement next a busy road is also fraught with dangers I've never come across before. First there was the pride of mothers and babies in pushchairs. Scary bunch! They don't move for anybody. To be fair, I kind of admire them. They all had their exercise gear on and looked like they were about to break into a run. Thankfully I got through them before they mowed me down.

Then there was the two young (17 or so) lads on push bikes, on the pavement. Instead of stopping or moving to the side to let me, a pedestrian, go past, they carried on towards me. That was their mistake. The lead one hit me but I managed to bump him off me so he staggered into a parked car. Then I let rip with a couple of choice four letter words suggesting that he might like to use the road and not the pavement! The pair of them did look shocked but certainly didn't apologise.

Lastly, there was my own brain conspiring against me. For some reason I thought that the total run should be 45 minutes. It was hot, I had a stitch and I was ready to stop at 45 minutes. But my TomTom watch didn't buzz. Hmmm. Then I realised I'd forgotten about the 1 minute walk. Should be 46 minutes. No problem, just a little bit of the hill to run up. At 46 minutes and a few seconds there was still no buzz on my wrist. I started thinking the watch might be broken. Then it started to dawn on me. This run is two lots of 25 minutes, 25 + 25 + 1 = 51 minutes. I'd got another 5 minutes to go, up the hill!

I did make it but it was hard, really hard. I seemed to be tired before completing the first 25 minutes, and I used to be able to run for 30 minutes, I've got the C25k graduate badge to prove it. What gives? Why is it now really hard work to run for 25 minutes?

[IannodaTruffe Graduate10]

If you could predict when a smooth, loose, flowing, ground covering run was going to happen you could be a top coach. there are so many variables it is virtually impossible to analyse, but worth giving some thought to.

It sounds as if you might have been too locked into your technology, instead of just running.

When did you last have more than two days off from running? A break might be very productive if you are getting tired early in the run.

Have you increased pace?

Were you well fuelled and hydrated? Once you get beyond 10k you will need to rehydrate on your run, but if you are running in hot weather then you may need it earlier.

How did you sleep last night?

I could go on........

[Bluerockdragon Graduate10 in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Yeh, probably too much going on. I rarely have only a day gap between runs. It's usually between 3 and 4 days. Got to fit them in-between traveling for work and online meetings and stuff. I've noticed that I can't do long runs the day after a day sitting on trains and in meetings in London.

Had one of those nice loose flowing runs last week, covered 9km and still finished with a smile on my face.

Tuesday will be the next run so will see how it goes. Thanks for being so reassuring

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate10]

You are doing brilliantly Bluerockdragon... as lannodatruffe says, cut yourself some slack... shorter runs more rest.

You must be getting close to that 10k.😊😎

[Bluerockdragon Graduate10]

Getting closer to 10km. Should hit the "run for 1 hour" mark next week. 1 hour seems a very long time!