I haven't posted since I snook furtively across from the C25K site a while ago, so I thought I'd inflict a bit of an update on you. I have been pottering on quietly doing three runs a week: one around 5k, one short ( quicker) one of 3 or 3.5 k and one longer one...6.5 k being longest. I am really enjoying it and concentrating on slow, steady runs. My breathing is fine and I rarely get out of breath, possibly a hangover from my swimming. However, I am very aware that my old undercarriage isn't up to the job yet and so I am building them up slowly: well i need strong undercarriage as my build is more Lancaster bomber than Spitfire. My target is to reach 10k by March ( hopefully, this March!).
Anyway, back to today's obstacle course. To carry on the pantomime imagery: at least it is behind me.
I started very gingerly today owing to a bit of a stiff knee. No, not overtraining or anything like that: nothing to do with running but more to do with trying to clamber over a footstool occupied by an enormous black dog -and failing. The balletic and highly original fall into the doorframe would probably have got a good mark on Strictly. As it was I got a good mark on my head and a sore knee: to be fair, Jethro did open one eye in passing interest before yawning and resuming his slumber.
As it happens, the knee was fine and I anticipated a nice little trot in the sunshine.
I didn't anticipate the sideways sleet and strong wind but hey ho, on we went...actually feeling pretty good .
It is interesting -and understandable-to read about people sometimes feeling intimidated or nervous running in front of strangers. Out here in Rural Nowhereland we get the opposite problem: everyone knows you and wants to chat. I chose to run on a track today- not my usual choice as a) going up and down in shuttles is boring as b) the wind whips down it something mental c) it is concrete for much of its length and pretty unforgiving d) pretty much everyone in our little hamlet walk their dogs down there...not all of them having heard that there actually is no dog poo fairy. But, all my other routes are pretty much flooded or dangerously mudbound so it was Hobson's Choice.
Oldfloss, you will be pleased with how 'slow and steady' I was: I didn't get a choice.
First of all, my neighbour's lad was walking Charlie, their Beagle: Charlie thinks I am pretty damned ace -dogs seem to, people invariably don't-and howls like a banshee when he sees me until I go and tickle his belly for him. I passed them 4 times and had to stop and administer 4 belly tickles. Then I saw Paul walking his little Scotty ...more belly tickles (the dog, not Paul)-twice. Then as I was running past the sheep in the bottom field I saw Giles checking them: I pulled a young hoggett out of a fence in a bad way on Sunday and marked it. So, did I stop and check he'd found it or just jog on? ...nope, as a former sheep farmer I couldn't. More delay as the traditional sheep farming banter was exchanged: prices-bad; weather-bad; prospects-bad; foxes-bad; Brexit-bad/good (depending on what they have read in Farmers Weekly this week); Townies-bad; planning permission for barn conversions-good; life: 'Don't talk to me about life'.
And so it continued: up and down the yellow concrete road, over the electric fencing and back over it again, over styles and through kissing gates, listening to 'Inside Health' on Radio 4 : possibly not the best idea as I convinced myself I had every malady they talked about. Then 'Thinking Aloud' ...with frequent swaps to Radio Shropshire to check if Shrewsbury Town have made any signings before the transfer deadline.
Time flew by and by the time I thought to check Gary the Garmin I was over 7 k, so I trudged on to 8-be rude not to-knocked off and walked home wondering if I was that depressed when I was farming? Probably.
But now I am a runner and all is well....ish.
My first dark run of the season...
Run my first 10k..and frightened the dog.
A Kind of “Jeffing” 8k
