Today was 56 minute run day, with the hope of achieving 8k. I was a bit apprehensive as it seemed a long time to be running, but I've seen others overcome their 'black dogs' and 'gremlins' and things that go bump in the night, so I figured I could too. I had planned my route out on Strava last night so I knew where to go and roughly the right timing, got it downloaded onto my iPod along with my tunes, I'd set the countdown timer on my digital watch to 56 minutes so I'd always know how long I had left, so I felt well prepared. I started the route I'd planned on Strava on my iPod as I left the house. It was set to announce times and direct me so I didn't get lost. It was damp and mirky but not too cold as I started my warmup walk. At the start of my run, I started Strava on my phone...you can never trust tech stuff to work if I'm using it, so best to have both going. My toxic 10 is always uphill no matter which direction I go, so I always take it really slowly. About 10 mins into my run I realised that my iPod hadn't told me anything at all yet, and I must have done at least half a mile. I checked my watch to see how long I'd been running...oh no, I'd forgotten to start it!! 😧 I pressed a couple of buttons to see what the time was...8.21am...at least I'd have a rough idea. I got to my furthest and highest point and turned into the new part of my route. I'd driven it last Sunday so I'd know where to go and what to look out for, so I figured that even without Strava, I could find my way okay. As I turned a corner I was met with a view of how far I'd climbed and my home town shrouded in mist. Not a bad view I thought as I started my downhill run. I knew I had one more fairly long, steep uphill bit to do and all the rest was back down towards home. The route was going well, and rather than run up the hill I'd planned up a fairly busy road, I thought I'd take the turning before it...same hill, but less on show and I'd taken my friend to her doctor's surgery at the top a good few times so I knew how to get back onto my route from there. The hill was a challenge, so I was really pleased with myself when slow, slowly I made it to the top and turned the corner. I saw the park, and turned right towards home. I kept running...but slowly got the feeling I wasn't as familiar as I should be with the road. Oh, now what? I kept running until I came across a road name that was familiar. I asked a lady at the bus stop if it was the way back to Halesowen and the dual carriageway. She said Halesowen was back the way I'd come, but that carrying on would get me there the long way round. I figured long wasn't great, but at least I'd know where I was! The road took me up another great hill...and as I ran up it, I realised it was the one I had taken a picture from the top of on the way down. I was only meant to run down it, not up it!!! I got to the top, and arrived back at what was supposed to be the furthest, highest point of my run. I figured that since it was literally all downhill from here, I may as well run all the way home, or as much as I could manage. I did the lot. I was so glad to be back where I knew and I began to wonder how far I'd run. I got home and checked Strava on my iPod to find...it hadn't worked. I'd bee out for over an hour; it had recorded only 28 minutes and had drawn huge, perfectly straight lines going through people's houses and other buildings. I deleted the recording. No wonder it wasn't telling me where I was, how far I'd run and where to go next!! I checked Strava on my phone, which I've checked on Parkruns and have been pretty accurate. It said I had run 6.6 miles (10.6k) in an hour and 19 minutes. REALLY???!! Wow!
So, I've accidentally achieved 10k. I have to say, I do feel like a bit of a fraud, because my only intention was to get home. But hey, how amazing is that?!?! I might just go out for lunch to celebrate. 😀
Final Australian Run
10K face!!
Sunday sort of commute run 👍😊
I just ran 15k! I didn't know I had it in me.
Sunday Long Run 😊🏃♀️👍
