Double the Something: [Shuffles sheepishly in... - Bridge to 10K

Bridge to 10K

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Double the Something

notoutofbreath profile image
notoutofbreathGraduate10
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[Shuffles sheepishly in] Hi Bridge to 10Kers and 10K Graduates. Finally daring to make myself known here (not that I'm exactly a prolific poster on C25K [snorts at the understatement], but I do reply a fair bit on there). There's a Part One to this on the C25K forum:

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

I never thought I would want to run 10K. Was quite happy with half an hour/5K. Just the small flaw that I started this with certain routes in mind. I like solitude and the idea of being able to easily get to some beautiful bits of countryside and blow off some steam was most tempting. Except that loch is more than 5K there and back again. :( So eventually I armed myself with Sami Murphy and have been working up to 10K with her programme.

I'm often saying that this running lark is more mental than physical. I'm totally biased though. I knew starting up with C25K that though my physical abilities are not the best :D my mental game is strong. Oh yeah my PE reports were all "NOOB is rubbish and has absolutely no abilities whatsoever. Really, we can't find a single sport she doesn't suck at. However if we could grade her for effort she'd be an A/A*. She relentlessly tries (but still fails), she will happily ritually humilate herself for the good of the team. Her cheerfulness in the face of epic ineptitude is to be applauded"... I MIGHT have paraphrased slightly. I should probably note here that cheerfulness is I'm sure easier when you're aren't always the one picked last for everything. It was for everything except netball. I was 2 feet taller than everyone else (I'm tall and moved to an area where everyone is short before you think I'm a giant!), so I'd get picked for Goal Keeper because heck, my face was going to stop that ball if nothing else :P

Perhaps unsurprisingly I'm not a competitive person. Also my beloved older brother is quite competitive (and extremely sporty) so he gave me the greatest gift you can give a kid, he taught me how to lose! ROFL. I still don't know how to play chess, I could never get far enough in the game before he'd wiped me out! :D (To his credit he also spent HOURS and HOURS, day after day, trying to teach me some kind of hand eye coordination. Not the kind of thing most guys in their 20s can be bothered to do with their 5/7 year old kid sister. Any catching ability I have is down to his terrifying patience. Mainly though it taught me how best to shield my glasses from being broken :P ) So I've never suffered from the "run too fast, run becomes a practice run" (whispers, I've actually never not completed a planned run. I know, very lucky. I would have at least expected to have run into a lamppost by now. As a teenager I walked into a few. As a child I cycled into the back of several stationery cars. Have I mentioned I'm not good at the physical stuff?!? :D ). My mindset for a programme is very much, I'm going to complete the steps as laid out. That is my goal, not a distance, not a pace.

It would be fair then to say that I perhaps don't push my pace to my full capability, because I'm focussing on making sure I can FINISH. I wasn't running 5K in 30 minutes when I graduated 5K. I actually deliberately slowed down when consolidating that, because I wanted it to become comfortable. I wasn't too far off 5K, so it did occur to me that it would be a bit niggly if I almost managed 10K in hour. I'd much rather be nowhere near, lol! ;)

So today, Saturday 21st April, 20:30 (I like night running) was time for my Week6Run1, my first ever non-stop run for an hour. Now my Week 5 Runs had not been the best for the mental game side of things. I'm a comfort girl, form and function over pretty EVERY time. I run hot, I knew this would be the case for running itself as well. Indeed I ran the Winter, in Scotland, without a jacket (I had a gilet before you think I'm proper insane, but only one layer of long sleeves). So this last week's weather, has not been NOOB's friend. I get too hot, I fixate, my brain panics I'm not going to make it through, repeat for however long there is left to run :(

People in England prepare to laugh at me. Here I am running at the coolest part of the day and I'm doing it where the heatwave, is considerably LESS heatwave. Yep, my Thursday run was in 15C and I was not a fan. I believe some of you were out there in DOUBLE that. I'm embarrassed for myself as well. Sorry. (Right now I'm in denial about Summer, I don't know how I'm going to be cool enough :( ). Had even cracked out new gear for Week5 Run3 to make it bearable (I may or may not have stripped down to my bra on Run2 because utter humiliation was better than heat exhaustion. No-one must ever know of this. Shudder). New gear does have me looking a bit ridiculous. I live on the coast so it's not quite warm enough yet for only a vest at the start. Hence I've bought some cycling "sleeves" so I can whip them off when warmed up. Fluro yellow sleeves, with a random skin gap before the colour clashing vest, it's a very subtle look. Had absolutely NO second glances from confused people. Cough.

Worried about being too hot. Check. Self-conscious about looking unusual. Check. Then add in some extra fun experiences. W5R1 running through unexpected fog (damn you coast) and realising I couldn't see through my glasses as they also fogged up and wouldn't unfog. W5R2's oops, there's less light than I would have liked at this location miscalculation. This timed perfectly for me to discover... a black car, with no lights on, almost entirely filling the path I was on. A path that is exactly that, 3 miles of leisure path topped and bottomed with those cycle overlapping gate things. I STILL can't work out HOW the car got on there. It must have come through a field?!? Meant for a mile worth of terror running away from it hoping that if they decided to drive off, they would at least put the lights on and maybe NOT mow me down! :D Then my favourite, that I've already ranted to @Sarararara about, W5R3, when I came across a 1 inch thick, black, electric cable, 10cm off the ground, straight across the pavement! Some genius had fed it through their closed front door, to charge their electric car.

Add that altogether, plus not the ideal music in my ears and I'd not managed 10K in my 30 min run 1 min walk 30 min run, means I had little expectation of running a full 10K in an hour. Out I went, sole goal being to run nonstop for an hour for the first time. Surprised to find a second wind at the 45 minute mark, I knew I would make the hour and decided that for the first time I'd actually run on after the time I'd set. Just to get the 10K bagged.

Knowing I was on the last minute of the hour, timed perfectly to have to swerve out of the way of a pair of neds who deliberately moved into my path (nice ladies, nice), knew I would be WELL astray of the 10K as I usually sprint the last minute and I can't sprint while weaving! :D Dodge a dog walker, hear the "You've finished", I grab my phone out of my pocket, just so I can see what I DID manage in the hour before I continue to the 10k...

IT SAYS 10.33KM.

WHAT

THAT'S OVER 10K

ISN'T IT?

AM I LOOKING AT THE WRONG FIGURE?

NO. I'VE DONE OVER 10K.

WHY AM I STILL RUNNING? :O

Somehow, I did the double. I'm still in shock. The first time I ran for a full hour, was also the first time I ran a full 10K.

Heck, I actually did the 10K in 58m 19s! :O My second 5K was faster than the first, at 28m32s. Not bad for a 40 year old female who's new at this thing! I am so confused. Ridiculously pleased, but mostly flabbergasted.

Guess my running shoes knew better... ;)

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notoutofbreath profile image
notoutofbreath
Graduate10
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22 Replies
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Millsie-J profile image
Millsie-J

I have loved reading this and the prior (part 1) post on C25k!

Congratulations on that very speedy 10k, you are indeed a very sporty person at that pace, forget what your teachers may have presumed!

Embrace that spotlight of success, grab your 10k badge, and begin to prepare your next plan for your journey, you are a runner!

πŸƒπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸƒπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸƒπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸƒπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸƒπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸƒπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸƒπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸƒπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸƒπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸƒπŸ»β€β™€οΈ

notoutofbreath profile image
notoutofbreathGraduate10β€’ in reply toMillsie-J

You know when you write a post at silly o'clock in the morning, still fuelled with adrenaline, and then you look back at it later and realise you've just outdone yourself on the verbose?! :O So I am much relieved that you loved reading not one, but BOTH of the posts.

Thank you for the congrats. I'm just going to sit here laughing at "very sporty person" though, cos, just no. :D I'll accept that maybe, perhaps, possibly, I've got a niche no-one knew about. :) A niche that involves being on my own, yay says inner miserable hermit! :P

Oh wait, hang on, yeah you're right, I need a new plan. Eeek. Mastering trails then I guess and getting to that loch. Gulp.

notoutofbreath profile image
notoutofbreathGraduate10β€’ in reply toMillsie-J

^^^^ Bloomin, heck - how good does that badge LOOK!!! Oh sorry hubby, I'm going to be unbearable today... [dance of glee]

Wizziewood profile image
WizziewoodGraduate10

Lovely shoes!

Well done! ... Congratulations on your achievement, that's brilliant.

... and thank you so much for such an entertaining post. I usually skip the really long posts for fear of boredom but yours kept me reading to the very end!

It made me think about my own attitude/aptitude to running and I can definitely empathise with some of your 'qualities'.

Good luck with your future runs. Happy running!

notoutofbreath profile image
notoutofbreathGraduate10β€’ in reply toWizziewood

Thank for the shoes' comment. I love my shoes and have chanted "I will, Just Watch Me" quite a few times of a run. :) I've got clips on the back that light up (a matching blue, because, I'm OCD like that) and hilariously they decided this was the night they would finally run out. Clearly in shock at the distance too! :D Now I have to break it to them that I'm going to two-time them with some trail shoes. Proper, posh brand trail shoes. Eek. The trainer tags on them were my gift to myself for doing my first 30 minute 5K, so I guess I'll need to get some for the trail shoes :)

Glad to hear some of it hit a cord with you. Really nice comment and I appreciate your time in making it (and reading my post). Yes, a NOOB post: boring no, sane/comprehensible? Not so much! :D

AndG profile image
AndGGraduate10

Brilliant! Loved reading this! πŸ˜€ Great achievement

notoutofbreath profile image
notoutofbreathGraduate10β€’ in reply toAndG

Thank you! Much appreciated. I'm laughing at the fact that some folk are using the word "love" about reading my post, because when I re-read it this afternoon I did wonder what I'd just inflicted on everyone! :D

Bluebirdrunner profile image
BluebirdrunnerGraduate10

Congratulations on running your first 10k! NOOB😊... a fantastic time too...🌟

I have found the second half is quicker too, but nowhere near as quick as you😊xx Great post...

notoutofbreath profile image
notoutofbreathGraduate10β€’ in reply toBluebirdrunner

Thank you muchly! :) I'm really still grinning like a Cheshire Cat here. I suddenly thought with horror that I might have come off as obnoxious there with pace and that, it's more just shock and disbelief. If I type it does it make it real, kind of thing?! :D I just find that time hard to associate with ME!

That's really useful to know about the second half. I am quite intrigued if there's a methodology to how you're supposed to pace yourself for 10K. I was busy just trying to get to it before, but I think some time this week I might be pouring through the forum to find out more. Wow, I sound like a runner or something?! :D

SaskAlliecat profile image
SaskAlliecatGraduate10

Great posts NOOB and a cracking good time πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ’ͺπŸŽ‰. I really enjoyed reading them. You paint quite the picture πŸ˜†, you 10k runner you 😁

notoutofbreath profile image
notoutofbreathGraduate10β€’ in reply toSaskAlliecat

OK, I'm beginning to wonder if there is a link between people who have run the longer 10K distance and the masochism of "enjoying" my incredibly brief and succinct posts! :D Thank you for the congrats and the reassurance that I haven't just tortured a load of people with words.

"you 10k runner you" Gawd, I'm going to have to stop just hiding in Couch 2 5K and chill with the Bridge to 10Kers as well now Gulp. Gonna need some more brave for that, I still feel a complete noob (oh I'm so well named there) around you guys! :O I have problems enough saying "I'm a runner" without a disclaimer. Sticking a "10k" in front of it?! :D Methinks a good hubby eyeroll may be required! :)

SaskAlliecat profile image
SaskAlliecatGraduate10β€’ in reply tonotoutofbreath

You definitely need to chill with us here, we're quite a friendly group and really enjoy reading about everybody's adventures. Your posts are very entertaining and many of us could relate to parts of it, i'm sure. I can't wait to hear about your foray into the loch. What surprises will find you there? I'm sure you'll love it!

SueKen profile image
SueKenGraduate10

Wow - that’s fantastic!

notoutofbreath profile image
notoutofbreathGraduate10β€’ in reply toSueKen

Thank you muchly! I'm really stoked. :)

ju-ju- profile image
ju-ju-Graduate10

Brilliant, and a natural at that.... enjoy your newfound longer adventures 😎

notoutofbreath profile image
notoutofbreathGraduate10β€’ in reply toju-ju-

Thank you. Eeek, I guess I must be a natural then, that concept is going to take SOME getting used to! :)

Next up, proper trail shoes and getting out to that loch!!! :D :O

Boxergo profile image
BoxergoGraduate10

Really enjoyed reading this! Well done on achieving PB times! Now........what’s your next goal? πŸ˜œπŸ˜‰

notoutofbreath profile image
notoutofbreathGraduate10β€’ in reply toBoxergo

Getting proper trail shoes and getting on out to the loch! :) Only run a trail once, so need to adapt to that as well

Mcdon profile image
Mcdon

Brilliant x

notoutofbreath profile image
notoutofbreathGraduate10β€’ in reply toMcdon

Thank you! :)

CatMo13 profile image
CatMo13

How have you not got hundreds of followers?! Or a running blogπŸ€” well done on the run 😊

notoutofbreath profile image
notoutofbreathGraduate10β€’ in reply toCatMo13

Thank you, that was kind of you! :) No running blog? I'd never have the time to run after the marathon of writing! :P

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