I’d been gearing myself up for the 8K all week… I’d had an active weekend helping a friend so had half heartedly bashed out the 4K on Sunday evening, then the 5K slightly more convincingly on Tuesday… but i hadn’t enjoyed them as usual, my heart wasn’t in them and my mind was elsewhere.
The 8K was definitely happening today. I woke up to the sound of our garden gate banging... howling winds and sideways rain hmmm… not exactly inviting out there this morning! I crawled back into my nice warm bed, taking a gamble that this evening would be better. Just as I finished work this evening I received a well timed message from a friend who wished me well with my 8K today… I was now fully rev'd up and ready to go...
My luck was in, it was much better conditions outside this evening, 10 degrees, windy but no rain. I started my jog in Hill Head and planned to run the costal road to Lee, I kept the pace of the first half K low, I felt strong and much more with it today so started to build the pace.
The first hiccup was that only one of my headphones was working, not the end of the world but Ahem… Santa… I’m looking at you 🎅🏻👀 ...Then secondly, a regular occurrence now on most of my evening runs, I find myself running towards the local running club, suddenly becoming engulfed in 30+ runners dressed head to toe in high-vis... running in the opposite direction Aaaaagh! It’s starting to feel like they’re doing it on purpose now, hiding in a bush waiting to mob me!
As I approached the beach the wind grew stronger I’d got into a nice stride on and braced myself tightly for every sideways pummel I received from the Solent wind. Phiew! It was taking up valuable energy! but at least it wasn’t directly in front of me... I’ll be asking Dexy for any windy day tips as I’m sure she has a good technique down for this now! 😆
The 4k came and I headed on back, as I came to the last half a Kilometre of the 8K I started to run faster hoping to build to a sprint but as I tensed up in my arms my phone strap came loose EEEK! I’d like to think it was my bulging bicep that caused it... but it is probably more to do with the poor excuse for velcro that is on the strap… it appears to be made of what can only be described as fuzzy felt!!! The phone dangled precariously from the headphone wire whilst I was in semi-sprint... I whipped the phone up and ran to catch up any vital lost time in the melee… frantically looking like I’d just stolen a phone running fast through the dark village… 8K came and I hit the button, my average pace was 6:07 and the final time was 48:53.
The rain started to pour as I was on my cool down walk a couple of hundred meters from home, so I slowed myself down and enjoyed it! A refreshing finish to an enjoyable run. I feel like I got my mojo back on that final run of the week, despite the mishaps and the running club trying to mob me again...! 🙄😁
I hope you're all having a good week, roll on week 5!!!
Well done ThuderSloth. Wk4 and 8k done and dusted. Fast too.
As you asked for it, my best advice is to run with the wind behind you. 🏃♂️💨 and you’ll probably get a PB, but it will be a long walk home.🏡......🚶♂️
It is difficult and I have to slow down heading into the wind as I find it hard to breathe, but I then try to make up for it on the opposite direction. But the winds over the last few days have been fierce - I’ve stayed in. 🤣🤣
Hahaa! Some great advice there... I'll get the wind behind me for the 10k 💨 and just deal with the long walk back from the other side of Fareham! 😆😂 Thank you Dexy, It has been very fierce the last few days, not looking very good for your Saturday morning Parkrun either...😳😳😳
No parkrun for us this weekend Thunder; pre-Christmas family visits commence. So we’ve decided to go for a run shortly in the sunshine and no wind (there probably will be when we get out the door.
Oh Dear! was there a freak gale the minute you both stepped out?! 😬🌪 It must be your competitive streak Dexy... brings out your best performances obviously 😆 🏃♀️ Have fun on your family visits this weekend 😃⚡️⚡️
Now that’s what I call an 8k TS! Better in every respect than my sucker! 👍👍
Good for you powering through the run, dealing with the wind, operating with one headphone (sure Santa will have heard!) and dealing with your fuzzy felt - yep, I know all about that sub-standard Velcro too! 😅
You’re lovely and speedy, also unlike me! Brilliant run TS, very well done! 👏👏👏👏👏
I did the same as you Cheeky, just reported the enjoyable one! ...the other two runs this week were pretty naff TBH! 😆😂 Oh you've experienced the dodgy velcro too... well it definitely sounds like you earned your stripes and deserve that lovely pressie that Santa has wrapped up for you this Christmas 😃🎁👍
Haha that’s funny TS! I love waffling on (and on .....) about my runs as a rule, but my 8k left me ridiculously cross and I couldn’t bring myself to relive it until now! 😅 Funny how you had some not such great runs too - we can’t have it all!
Oh yes, the Velcro is appalling and takes loads of goes to get it to stick securely! Also the opening at the top of the phone holder gapes nowadays, and I’m always worried it’ll fall out. Cheap tat!
25.5 more days until I can open my pressie! 👏👏🎁🎁🎄🎄😀😀
Well done for making it out. Specifically after work (always harder I think)
Pleased your mojo is back, shame we can't bottle it and pass around when needed. 🤔 Sorry but I'm laughing at the image of u possibly pinching a phone! 😂
Well done, that's a great time too. I 've borrowed a wireless headphone, from hubby. I haven't tried it on the road yet. But I'm hoping it's going to solve the tangled wires palava. No 8k for me this week, decided to have a bit of a reset week instead .
Thanks Snuffy, I hope you're ok? It sounds like you're resting out of choice though, rather than taking a seat on the IC, hopefully. Enjoy your rest and come back and nail it once you're ready. Yes, some wireless ones that cling on to your ears for dear life would come in very handy indeed... cough! cough! 🎅🏻 👀
Hi ThunderSloth, Just been enjoying my morning tea while reading various posts. These forums never cease to provide advice, encouragement, help, just brilliant in masses of ways. Well done on your 8k! Obstacles overcome, 8k achieved!😊🏃🏻Often when I read a current post I go back and read some earlier posts written by the same runner. So I read your week 1 post. How is it that you already knew what quads were way back then? I feel my body education must have been so inadequate! Ah! Is it all because I chose to take two languages at school and so I was unable to fit biology in to my time-table? Who knows? Anyway I still wonder how you knew where your quads were. All the best for your onward running journey! Looks like you are having a super time😊
Thank you! I'm loving the journey and it looks like from your posts that you are too!
Haha! 😃 Well 61andflying... The burning I felt in my quads on the days following my first few runs was absolutely excruciating, to the point where I was traveling downstairs on my bum! Google was my friend that day and I quickly became and expert on what was hurting me so badly. I do now find it absolutely fascinating the complexity and intricacy of what goes on under our skin, and would love to interrogate a biomechanics expert - hopefully I'll bump into one at a party one day!
No prior experience whatsoever... if you were wondering, I've never played football or any sort of sport for that matter and even shamefully skived off PE for the entire last year of school 😳 my games teacher had completely lost all hope with me 😂😂😂
Woah! What an eventful run, beautifully relayed. So glad you enjoyed it - and look at that pace! Starting slowly really works. (You know I am a massive advocate of the negative split!) Well done on your 8k. You must be able to smell that 10k on the horizon now! 👏👏👏
Thank you Sadie, I've really appreciated all your advice so far you've been a great help - big thanks! 🙌 Negative splits are really working now and definitely make the runs much more satisfying for me, ending with more speed 😃 10K is so close, I can't believe how quickly this plan is going 😱
Aw, glad to have helped in any way I can. I have learned so much from the experienced runners on here, I like to, if I can, pay it forward. Ending with a bit of speed is so exhilarating! Happy running, buddy. x
I like to start slow and achieve negative splits but when I ran the Parkrun course on Friday the wind was behind me for 2.5k and fighting me on the return leg. Negative splits totally impossible!
Fantastic run and account! Times I can only dream about. I have loads of trees to protect me from the wind, but lumps of them tend to come crashing down around me when it gets really bad! Well done on the slow start too. I am really going to try to start my 8k ultra slowly on Monday.......not something I find easy though. 🐌
Thank you Beachcomber that's very kind 😊 Oh my gosh that sounds absolutely lethal! I think I stick with being pummelled by fresh air!!!
It has taken a heck of a lot of effort for me to finally start off slowly, I have really struggled with it. But as soon as I saw the benefit of more energy at the end of the run it became so much easier... I find it makes the run feel more enjoyable ending on a high!
All the best with your 8K let us know how you get on 👍
Made my morning reading this post! I knew you’d tear that 8k up! 👊💥
Amazing time! 🔥👌
Ahh... the Velcro problem🙈🙃 I keep thinking I’m gonna invest in a belt! The ‘fuzzy felt’ is a pain! 🙄😬
Love that your mojo is back!🔥🔥🔥
You’re gonna smash Week 5 💀⚡️👊
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Well mission accomplished then! 😂😆😂 Thank you Dreams! Yes that's exactly the same thing you had wasn't it...we probably bought the same dodgy arm strap from ebay!
Are you getting a bum bag then Dreams... how retro of you!
Yay, well done TS - told you you’d smash it didn’t I? Fast too. So glad you’ve got your mojo back. I’m afraid I’m very retro - bumbag with phone, keys, tissue. Not pretty but practical. Right, sun is out so going to finish week 4 with a little 4K. Have a great weekend!
It does really help when my forum friends cheer me on like that, thank you Sandie!
Oh 80's retro is very cool, I think that officially makes you a Hipster if you wear a bumbag 😁 Oh right - looks lovely outside down here now, sounds like you've got some of the same up there... enjoy your 4K Sandie. Have a nice weekend too! 👍
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Magic Plan - week 4 SMASHED!
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8K and Week 4 complete
