Master of Madness- Over the Bridge ๐Ÿ… - Bridge to 10K

Bridge to 10K

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Master of Madness- Over the Bridge ๐Ÿ…

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10
โ€ข25 Replies

Well I have to admit that week 8 started off pretty well. A seasonโ€™s best Parkrun ๐Ÿƒโ€โ™‚๏ธon Saturday was followed by a gentle 4k jog ๐Ÿƒโ€โ™‚๏ธaround IBMโ€™s lake at Portsmouth North Harbour with Dexy5 on Monday. Wednesday was ridiculous weather-wise so Graduation Day was postponed, and logically it should have been again today, with 20+ mph winds forecast and a 20%+ chance of rain. Did I mention Iโ€™m a fair-weather runner? However, there was Ju-Juโ€™s schedule to maintain and the Billy Trail is partially sheltered, so the cunning plan was to start running south, into the wind, for 4k, then do 1k north, 1k south and be blown home for the last 4k. Thinking was if I could maintain 6 mins/k for the first 6k, mostly into the wind, I should be able to hang on over the last bit.

So off we went, with me leaving Dexy to her own devices from the start for once.๐Ÿƒโ€โ™‚๏ธ๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿฝโ€โ™€๏ธ Mr Garminโ€™s instantaneous pace readouts were all over the place to begin with, as per, but settled down to around 5โ€™50โ€ to give the first 2k in 11โ€™39โ€. The next 3ks were a bit quicker, though not deliberately, around 5โ€™42โ€, and the 6th, back into wind but mostly sheltered 5โ€™45โ€, so at the last turn, with 4k to go downwind, I was a minute and a half ahead of target at 34โ€™31โ€.๐Ÿ‘

Now my brain is going โ€œdonโ€™t push yet, donโ€™t push yetโ€, knowing I havenโ€™t cantered further than 7k at a stretch yet, having had spells of trotting in all previous runs, but my legs donโ€™t appear to be listeningโ˜น๏ธ. 7th k 5โ€™31โ€ (โ€œsteady on nowโ€), 8th 5โ€™23โ€ (โ€œlook out for the wall you idiotโ€), 9th 5โ€™18โ€ (oh whatโ€™s the useโ€) and the last k 4โ€™54โ€ if my watch is to be believed, which I find more than a bit difficult. 10k in 55โ€™38โ€, thanks very much โ€ฆโ€ฆ now whereโ€™s Dexy gone? Weโ€™d crossed after my first turn, as expected, me having gone 4.6k to her 3.4k. We should have crossed again after my second turn and her first and only, around 5.7 for me against 4.3 for her. But I get to my final turn at 6k and thereโ€™s neither sight nor sign ๐Ÿ‘€โ€ฆโ€ฆ.. a mystery to be solved when she posts perhaps โ€ฆโ€ฆ.

While Iโ€™m celebrating, I should perhaps remind people that I started this โ€œBridge to Madnessโ€ from the position of being disappointed if a Parkrun took over 26โ€™, which means it just doesnโ€™t compare with the efforts of those of you who have done it, or are still doing it, as an extension of C25K. And I now find, thanks to some swine ๐Ÿ‘น providing a link to Jack Danielsโ€™ calculator, that although 55โ€™38โ€ is inside the target I set myself, given my starting point of 26โ€™ Parkruns I should be able to manage 53โ€™59โ€. So perhaps the madness will have to continue โ€ฆโ€ฆ. and all because the lady loves C25K. I never thought when Dexy got off the Couch in March that it would lead to me running 10k again. And now sheโ€™s mumbling โ€œGreat South Runโ€ ๐Ÿ™„โ€ฆโ€ฆ behave yourself, woman!

We are off for a gourmet dinner with excessive wine this evening to celebrate. And weโ€™ll raise a glass ๐Ÿพ to Ju-Juโ€™s magic plan, and everyone on the forum eyeing up the Bridge, part way across it, or collapsed next to me on the far side. May the Plan be with you all!

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UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanley
Graduate10
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25 Replies
โ€ข
Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10

Well done hubby; the boyโ€™s done good. Step up on that podium ๐Ÿƒโ€โ™‚๏ธ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ…๐ŸŽ‰๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐ŸŽ“๐Ÿท๐Ÿพ๐Ÿฅ‚โฑ๐ŸŽŠโค๏ธ

Dizzysmum17 profile image
Dizzysmum17Graduate10

Well done you! Sounds like you were flying - amazing! And a fantastic time too! ๐ŸŽ“ ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐ŸŽ“ enjoy your celebration ๐Ÿพ ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿƒ๐ŸŽ“

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10โ€ข in reply toDizzysmum17

Thank you - we did!

Tinker5393 profile image
Tinker5393Graduate10

Wowzas that is fantastic well done . Enjoy your celebration .๐Ÿฅ‚๐Ÿฅ‚๐Ÿƒโ€โ™‚๏ธ๐Ÿƒโ€โ™‚๏ธ

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10โ€ข in reply toTinker5393

Many thanks, we did - tomorrow might have to pay๐Ÿ™„

Fabulous450 profile image
Fabulous450Graduate10

Huge congratulations UTS!! What a brilliant run. Great photos too. ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿฝโค๏ธ

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10โ€ข in reply toFabulous450

Thanks, I am a little chuffed - and now a little p*****

Coddfish profile image
CoddfishGraduate10

Enjoy your gourmet dinner, very well deserved! We will be doing a spot of parkrun tourism again this weekend (Whitstable, having tried Clapham Common last Saturday), back to lovely Southsea parkrun on the 28th. Hope to see you both there.

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10โ€ข in reply toCoddfish

Look forward to hearing about your travels - weโ€™re entertaining Parkrun tourists this weekend.

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10โ€ข in reply toCoddfish

Hope you are having great hols M r & Mrs C.

Jelon profile image
Jelon

Congratulations- amazing time especially in this wind. ๐ŸŒช๐Ÿƒ๐Ÿปโ€โ™‚๏ธ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป๐Ÿพ

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10โ€ข in reply toJelon

Many thanks - actually the wind was less of an issue than I expected (Iโ€™ll put it down to cunning planning)๐Ÿคญ

over61andstilltrying profile image
over61andstilltryingGraduate10

Wow! Wow! Wonderful! And did I say wow!? Congratulations to you! And I hope that your dinner was lovely. ๐Ÿพ๐Ÿฅ‚๐ŸŽ“๐ŸŽ‰๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10โ€ข in reply toover61andstilltrying

You did say โ€œwowโ€ and the dinner was gorgeous - and the wine was indeed excessive ๐Ÿฅ‚

Macmac profile image
MacmacGraduate10

Well done - amazing time there!! ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10โ€ข in reply toMacmac

Youโ€™re too kind ๐Ÿ˜€

mountaindreamer profile image
mountaindreamerGraduate10

Yay!! Well done UTS!!! ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป๐Ÿ˜ƒ๐Ÿƒโ€โ™‚๏ธโค๏ธ๐Ÿ…๐Ÿพ๐Ÿฅ‚๐Ÿ˜Ž You may not have come straight from C25k, but youโ€™ve still done brilliantly. And the Great South Run next for the 2 of you perhaps? Wow! (Sorry, Iโ€™m a bit behind on forum things at the moment.)

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10โ€ข in reply tomountaindreamer

The GSR definitely feels a step too far MD, but who knows what a year might bring. This time last year I couldnโ€™t run upstairs without puffing! But definitely within UTS capabilities, if only heโ€™d slow down .......

mountaindreamer profile image
mountaindreamerGraduate10โ€ข in reply toDexy5

Who knows what youโ€™ll say next year, Eileen... You werenโ€™t following UTS to 10k, but youโ€™re nearly there now! ๐Ÿ˜ƒ๐Ÿƒโ€โ™€๏ธโค๏ธ

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10โ€ข in reply tomountaindreamer

๐Ÿ˜

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10โ€ข in reply tomountaindreamer

My reply to myself a few posts down was meant for you MD .....

mountaindreamer profile image
mountaindreamerGraduate10โ€ข in reply toUpTheStanley

Thanks UTS - spotted it when I replied to Dexy5! ๐Ÿ˜Šโค๏ธ

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10

Thank you โ€ฆ.. I don't think Dexy's GSR mumblings envisage her actually running it too, but you never know ;-)

ju-ju- profile image
ju-ju-Graduate10

Yay I love this post and that fabulous pic of you.... so so fast, you are a rocket!!! I hope you enjoyed your meal, and Thankyou so so much ๐Ÿฅ‚๐Ÿฅ‚

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10โ€ข in reply toju-ju-

Thanks Ju-Ju, the rocket was a bit under-powered for Parkrun this morning with 10k and ๐Ÿบ๐Ÿท๐Ÿฝ still in my legs ๐Ÿ˜›

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