5k PB!

Hello running chums, I hope you are all well and as injury-free as possible

Yes I'm still here. Since my epic amazing 12.5k last Friday, I did a recovery run on the Sunday, basically just to stop everything seizing up, only 2.5k but it was enjoyable nontheless.

Today is a day off for me, and I decided to go for a 5K PB. Given Sadie-runs ' recent successes with speed, I was of course aiming too high and trying for a sub 30 minute 5k which realistically I was never going to manage, but I did my normal canal route, an easy out and back 5k.

I had to laugh, I was later out than I wanted, largely because I was tired and a bit headachey, and the bed was soooo snuggly, so by the time I headed out the towpath was a bit of an obstacle course. People with two walking poles, people with two walking sticks, many many dogs mostly accompanied by owners, and the funniest thing a lady with a pushchair, and the biggest dog you ever saw. No idea what breed it was, but it was taking up most of the width of the towpath! She very kindly moved the pushchair and the dog aside so that I could run past, but the dog was the friendly type, and wanted to say hello, so I still had to play dodge-the-dog. Still - it amused me, and spurred me on a bit.

I turned round at 2.5k, feeling a little tired, but realising I had probably paced myself about right, and could probably manage the rest of the run at the same pace. So on I skipped.

Of course, when you overtake people on the towpath, you then have to pass them again on the return leg, once again I had to pass the oversized dog, no less enthusiastic about it's love of people, and the stick-and-pole brigade, as well as several other dog walkers, but I didn't care. It was getting hard, but I was, strangely still enjoying it.

I think my wall came just past 4k. This was way faster than my pace for the long runs to which I have become so accustomed and love so much, but I was nearly back now, and there was no way I was stopping or slowing down. So I just ignored the wall, pretended it wasn't there, and smashed through it, calculating that these walls are usually mental, initially anyway, so I'd be OK.

And I was! I have to say I was quite out of breath and red in the face when I completed the 5k, but I did it in a personal best of 32:11, at an average pace of 6'26" per km, which I'm really pleased with.

I'm really starting to enjoy this, and guess what? I have a week off next week, so I'm *really* looking forward to some longer runs without any time pressure.

See you all soon, run safe

[Goforitmama Graduate10]

Thanks for your post, your talk about pole people and the super friendly oversized dog (possibly a mammoth?) made me smile. Great PB 5k time and it sounds like it was fun. Keep smiling!

[Hidden in reply to Goforitmama]

Yup. Mammoth, that's it! Thank you, yes it was fun. I think the dog avoiding helped keep my mind off the pace, so I just got on with it. I'm glad this was fun actually, pace runs were becoming not so fun. I guess when you are trying to push yourself though, it's not necessarily going to be enjoyable every single time. This one was though

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10]

Good run for you Neil, you never can say that you will never run a sub 30 minute 5k, even if it was 29.59, that is sub 30 and this morning's run was not far off that. This morning I ran week 1 run 1 because I have not been able to run recently due to a sore hip, that is no longer sore and this morning's run went without any pain at all.

[Hidden in reply to AlMorr]

Oh I'm sure I'll manage a sub 30 minute 5k eventually, I would ideally like to manage it in the next few weeks before the last of the summer is finally over, but hey - I'm running regularly and loving it, that's more than I can say for just over a year ago.

I'm so glad your hip has recovered too, it's a joy to run pain-free isn't it? All the best for getting back into it.

[mountaindreamer Graduate10]

Well done on your PB Neil! 😃❤️🏃‍♂️

Had to laugh at your description of the tow path obstacle course. I only ran down a local towpath once. It was a lovely route, but even occasionally passing bikes and walkers on the narrower bits had me fearing I’d land in the canal! 💦💦😂

[Hidden in reply to mountaindreamer]

Thank you! Canal running is great in many ways, but you're right about the fear of landing in the canal. If I pass people I usually keep to the other side, but sometimes crossing on the canal side of the path is necessary and I do wonder sometimes if I'll end up running IN the canal rather than BESIDE it

[mountaindreamer Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Ours has a bit of a dodgy edge too - so you can’t quite tell if what looks like grass has any land beneath it or just water! 😳❤️

[Saartjie Graduate10]

Well done Neil!

[Hidden in reply to Saartjie]

Why thank you Saartjie , t'was surpringly fun

[Sadie-runs Graduate10]

LOVE this post, thanks Neil. Kept me thoroughly entertained all the way through! The joy of outdoor running, eh? You never know what you are going to come across. Dog in a pram is a new one to me.

Well done on that great time! Sub-30 min 5k is once in a blue moon for me, and certainly not something I will be aiming for every time. It is good to push a wee bit harder every now and then though, I think. My most pleasurable 5k runs normally take me around 34-36 minutes, and I choose pleasure over ego most of the time now.

Hope you have a lovely week off! (How funny that now we equate a week off with the pleasure of planning some lovely long runs.) So nice to just have time to do stuff on your own schedule.

Enjoy the rest of your day off, lovely running buddy. xxx

[Hidden in reply to Sadie-runs]

Hahaha thanks Sadie No no, the dog wasn't in the pram, the dog and the pram were taking up the entire towpath Still funny though. I did have a good giggle, which was great for keeping my preoccupied from the gremlins!!

I think the conclusion I have come to now is that I need a healthy dose of pleasure, but every few runs it's worth throwing a tricky one in, as I also get pleasure from seeing myself and you!) progress.

I'm really looking forward to my week off actually. I would go and visit friends, but where would I go? I don't really have many these days, so I shall occupy myself with the joys of running when I can. I've got the time to do a bit of everything. Push myself a bit, go on nice lovely long runs, and recover from it all. I'm planning to check out the Lyme Park parkrun course too, but without the pressure of having a bazillion runners to contend with.

Talk to you soon my lovely, thanks for your support as ever!

[Sadie-runs Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Lorks. What does that say about me that I assumed the dog was in the pram?! 🐕👶

[Hidden in reply to Sadie-runs]

Oh Sadie. You are just AWESOME!! 😂

[SlowLoris]

I think that sub 30 5K is not far off Neil.

[Hidden in reply to SlowLoris]

Thank you! I certainly think it's a possibility now, but I know that last couple of minutes is going to be challenging. I'll get there though, I know

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

That sounds like a fun run neil. I think now the kids are back at school everyone else have decided to enjoy the warm days of September. 🏃‍♂️🐕🚶‍♀️🐩🚶‍♂️🐈

[Hidden in reply to Dexy5]

Completely agree And I have next week off, which is great. Peace and quiet. And running too!

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Enjoy those long runs

[Hidden]

Well done on the PB a good time to have in your pocket 😊 always wonder what they think when you pass peep's twice on an out and back.. hmmm I don't dwell on it haha

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Haha thanks Rob I'm very happy to report that my initial self consciousness whilst running is no more, and I really couldn't give two hoots what they think!!