I went out this morning aiming to do a 5k or 6k. Running this morning just felt good, so I kept going. I looked at my watch and I was at 8.4k, so I decided to keep going and hit the 10k. I feel so happy with my achievement. My day started off with taking DD to the local forest farm for a school field trip. She got out the car and told me ‘you can go now’. Gee thanks, I tipped my chauffeur’s hat and climbed back into the car. Having been excused until 3pm I headed off.
I got home and pfaffed around for a while getting myself sorted out for my run.
It’s a cool and dry morning with only a slight breeze. I headed out and ran down the street to the bottom of Portview hill. I told myself I was a mountain goat and I chugged my way up the hill, it looked kinda like running only way slower. Passing the horses and cows in the fields. At the top of the hill I stop and take care while crossing Island Road. Heading off down Head Road there are no cows, my milestones that I aim for are 2 cell phone towers and a hay stack. Especially on long runs and when running up hills I set myself milestones to reach and pass. Down a long hill and then up another, at the top I wave to a man mowing his lawn. There are very few houses out here, so anyone walking or running past would be a novelty for him. I hang a right into Ashbridge Road, this road does not have the luxury of ashphalt, and I run this short undulating dirt road. I especially love this Road this time of year. There are trees on either side of the road and the tree branches hang over the road touching overhead. It feels almost like I’m running in a tree tunnel. Some of the trees of still green, while others are red, and orange. Every so often I get a glimpse of the lake between the trees. Ashbridge is a dead end street, at the end there are no trees and I take in the view across the valley with the lake below. I turn to run back now knowing that I have a long downhill ahead of me, a long uphill with a steep incline towards the end, a steep downhill and I finish off by running up and down the street to click up those last few k to get to 10k.
Life has been stressful in the last 6 weeks. Today’s run in conjunction with taking a positive step (the proverbial taking the bull by the horns) is making me feel more positive and in control.
Wishing everyone happy running!
Written by
Goforitmama
Graduate10
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What a perfect run! Nothing beats having everything just fall into place and reaching a great running milestone when you weren't even planning on it. How great is that?!? Well done and a great time as well, especially with the hills you described. You should be super pleased!
Thanks! My fitbit (it’s a toy!) told me that I climbed 119 metres, I don’t know how that fares on a 10k run. It probably fades into insignificance in comparison to your trail runs. I love the climb up the hills, my mantra changes into telling myself that I am going to do this and that it will not beat me. My determination thrashes out any negative feelings. I love the free ride of the downhills, leaning forward into the hill and not holding back while taking in the scenery.
That is a very respectable elevation change. Sounds like some decent hills you’re running. My new goal for the next year is to work on the runnable hills that seem to drag on forever that you *think* you should be able to run non-stop but don’t. I found with the crazy hills that were part of my trail race, they weren’t runnable and it seems to have given my subconscious permission to stop on other hills as well! I went out today for a 6-7 k run, ran on the hilly side of my neighbourhood then hit the mountain bike course they’re building across the street from my house. I got 78m of elevation change in 6.6k and was happy with that. I’ll run more of the course next time I’m out, knowing it is hard packed and ready to run now, unlike a couple weeks ago when it was like running in cement shoes within a few steps because of all the mud and grass in the soles of my shoes 😅
Keep running those hills and loving it! You’re a beast, powering up the hills and punching down all negative thoughts 🤛💪🏃🏽♀️
I recently did a training session at the gym with a friend who is thinking about branching into being a trainer using fitness as a therapy for the mind. His work is interesting. We take all of our problems wherever we go in a backpack, and my backpack weighs me down. He asked me to pull out one negative issue/problem or stressor that I had and to focus on that one thing while working on the exertion. So I’ve had issues with my family in the past, while running up my goat hill I focus on my sister and tell her she is not going to beat me, I’m not going to give up (because it means that she has beaten me). I know this is all sounding a bit ‘love, peace and granola, but it works for me. On the downhill I take in everything positive, I think of my daughter, how she makes me laugh and the scenery of course.
I know this sounds a bit ‘out there’ and you are probably thinking about calling the men in white coats with the yellow van for me. But I’m mentioning it encase it can help you too.
I like it! That sounds like something I was doing in the past when I was going through a really rough patch, but more on a subconscious level. Thanks for sharing! I'll definitely use that when the going gets tough again (which I know it will, but running has helped me to cope so much better!)
Thanks. My original aim was to head out on this route, run 5k or 6k then walk the rest. I even filled my water bottles with tea so that I could have a cuppa on my post run walk.
Well done on your breakthrough run. I'm smiling here because I read a running coach's blog on 'three mistakes runners make' and one of them was, yes you've guessed it, 'not sticking to your pre-run plan and going faster or further leading to an injury'. So well done for confounding his theory!
Guilty as charged mi’lord. I can see how easily we could get an injury from overdoing things before the body is ready though. Thanks for your message and it’s good to get a reminder, we are not invincible. Thanks!
Thankyou. Yes running clears my head. I give it all the energy I have, so I can’t hold onto anything that is stressing me out. I have to let my stressors go.
How are you? Did you try yoga or spinning or something else?
I’ve joined a gym and so far only been for a swim. I’ve got my induction next week where I’ll be properly shown round everything, but will definitely do some of the classes. They’ve got so many I’m a bit spoiled for choice! 😁
Thanks Neil. It was my 1st 10k in about four and a half years. I knew I would be able to do it again sometime, I didn’t think that I was ready, but it happened.
I ran a 5k today and it was stronger than usual, I think that the 10k gave me a confidence boost.
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Demanding 7km road/trail run
10k - nailed
Long, slow 8.5k with rabbits! 
Day off run 
