Lots of signs of Spring around now.. little hints of things to come
How is it all going for everyone... are we keeping on target...as the days stretch out before us
On Sunday, I am just a week away from my HM, and... still managing to get the runs in here and there...with my last long run this Sunday
What the Quest is;
The Quest takes one calendar month . You can at join any point during that time.
The aim of the Quest is to help you find a focus or goal that you would like to achieve by the end of the Quest period.
I ask that you will be a Graduate to join the Quest. The main reason I ask this is that while you are completing the programme, your plan is very structured so I wouldn't want the Quest to interfere with that.
Most popular goals are:-
To run three times a week
To slowly increase distance
To train for a specific race
To add In Stretch and Strength exercises
As you can see they are personal to yourself and it's totally your own choice. So if you want to join, all you have to do is put;
I would like to join the Quest, or, count me in and then, I would like to. ..............
Each week in March I shall put up a new post...it is important that we get together and we can chat, support and encourage each other, and generally just see how we are all doing.
At the end of the Quest, there will be a certificate that you can download to keep should you wish to.
Stay safe, stay healthy and stay running x!
Oldfloss, Realfoodieclub, Millsie-J, Ju-Ju and Roseabi x
Written by
Oldfloss
Administrator
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
60 Replies
•
I tried a trail run today. It was very muddy, very slippery with tree branches across pathways and lots of holes and stones. I was slow as an escargot and was grumpy muttering to myself about why my partner told me to run there as he obviously didn't have a clue about running etc. etc. I ran 6km having intended to do 8km. However, I think I like it if i don't worry about my speed! I had to concentrate on my footing and I was listening to the very noisy birds and listening out for potential axe murderers as there was nobody on the trail. I'm going to try 8km on Sunday in the opposite direction - more hilly trails. I don't like running on roads even though I plan to do a 10km road race next weekend. Think I'll do some research on trail running instead.
I bet you'll love the trail runs Floss. Nature, nice surfaces to run on, peace and solitude. Not TOO many axe murderers out and about I'm finding so far.
I love my fields and tracks around me at home... but the weather has hampered a lot of those lovely runs..and I have had to try and get my HM training runs in.. a tad too much pavement pounding..but I will be back out there after the 24th!
Haha Floss 😂 I actually ran the axe murderers road this morning but funny enough there are axeman there...... cutting trees 😭 as long as they stay away from me I'm happy.
Not long to go now for your HM! So exciting, I can't wait and I'm not running it 😂😂 You'll be fabulous as usual xxx
Well done Paula, thats a very respectable distance, quite tricky underfoot by the sound of it, but also lovely with the birdsong and out on the trail....Saturday may be wet, Sunday should be fine but take care in the mud... again.
That sounds like all my runs with the addition of a dog dropping a ball at my feet trying to trip me up or zooming past splattering me head to toe in mud
I'll be so glad when its dry again! I use minimalist running shoes as I like to feel the ground.
Huge well done to you... I love those longer runs... Sunday is my long runday...and it is those runs that build the stamina, strength and the distance... all whilst we enjoy ourselves
Thanks for your good wishes... I am excited just about being part of the experience
Hello Oldfloss, sounds like you are all prepared for your HM. Well done. I’ve managed 3 runs in my week back in windy Southsea. There’s nothing like the prom to blow away the cobwebs. As promised, I’ve checked out 10k runs and signed up for the Saint George’s Day evening run with UpTheStanley . Mr & Mrs Coddfish will be doing it too. That will give me something to aim for, and by then it should be mainly in daylight, unlike St David’s Day. We are away for the weekend so no windy Parkrun this time. Enjoy your weekend everyone, and don’t get blown away.
What a weekend to chose for our getaway with my sister and hubby! Luckily, the rain didn’t come till 6ish. We had to cancel our coastal walk as it would have been too dangerous in the 44mph winds, but drove down to the Bill and it was incredible to watch the waves battling against each other. So much energy.
I've managed 3 runs this week, including 14k today trying out my new Salomon hydration vest today - super comfy but drinking from the soft flasks may take a bit of practice to not look so odd 😄. I even managed a workout day on the elliptical and some lunges/squats etc. I had hoped to get to the lake for a hike this weekend but it sounds like the trails may still be very icy so may need to wait until next week.
I was wondering how you were getting on with the vest and was going to put up a post about it but my Runkeeper wasn't saving my run so by the time I figured out how to export a run from my Garmin, I was done with computers 😂. I'm glad I was able to remind you of it and I'll be curious to see what you think about using the soft flasks. The website shows just pushing on the flask and bending down to drink - looks and feels a little gropey/suckling when on a public path given it sitting just over the breast but it won't matter when I'm on my trails. It is amazing that you don't really notice the flasks are there though when running. I'll probably reserve using the bladder I bought to go with it until my hot summer trail runs. I was very impressed with it's comfort even when I had to peel off my jacket, toque, and gloves to stow in the back pocket. I can't wait to get my poles out and put it through it's full test though on the trails.
It looks like we're in for some very nice weather over the next couple weeks so hopefully all the ice should melt. Then it 'll just be mud and flooded paths to contend with and detour around. Yay.
I have not got the bladder... but I am going to try the thing out on Monday...I did try the sucking action when I had it and thought it a tad tricky I had to really bend my neck!.. I suppose you get used to it!
I have reduced flexibility in my neck due to a spinal fusion of 2 vertebrae and spondylosis of the neighbouring vertebrae and bulging disks so I have to lift the bottles up a bit to avoid torquing my neck too much. I hadn’t really thought of it before I bought it. I had tried a different one where the water bottles sat above the breasts (it was a women’s specific vest) but I didn’t like how the bottles were in my face. It’s all about just figuring out what works for you and, for me, getting over the fact that it looks like i’m groping myself in public 😂. I love how you don’t even feel like you’re wearing it.
Mud and floods is so much nicer than ice and snow after the last 2 months we’ve been enduring. A lovely sign of what is to come ☀️🌧🌺🌻🐞🦆🦟🕷🐍⛰🏃🏽♀️🏃🏽♀️
Ouch... that sound very tricky! I have reduced movement after a car crash years ago... and inappropriate treatment! !
I never thought of how it would look groping around my boobs!!!
It is so, so, light and with room to carry a lightweight waterproof jacket too! Blinking chill here.. not as chilly as where you are but we have had gale force winds and torrential rain all day today! I really hope it is tad pleasanter next week, else I will have to carry soup!
Lots of room to carry stuff for sure....even soup if you needed it 😂, but hopefully your weather will improve too. Wind and rain can get as tiring as snow, icy and frigid temps!
Let me know how your first run with your vest goes!
Knackered still from the house move - can't seem to get the long runs in (and I have that 15k race next month - eek!). My VO2 Max has taken a nose dive and my resting heart rate has risen, so I know I'm under par. So my goal is to gently get back into regular runs after hardly running during the moving house process, then try to get the longer runs in. This constant wind doesn't help - it's like running with a ball and chain, and the fallen branches and twigs everywhere are a trap for the unwary.
Flick, house moving is so draining! You are doing well to even get out!
But... you are strong and you do know how to pace yourself... and believe me, even after all the setbacks of wind and weather you will be able to do that 15K. I think this is, most definitely, where the hilly running pays dividends for us.
After my horrid choice of a hilly,12K route.. I knew then, I could still do more and another wet cold and windy. up and down 10 miler...again.. I knew I could do a longer distance.
In my case it won't be speedy... not my style as you well know...and I feel you will be the same... you will do it and enjoy it, which is the whole point?
Take it gently, keep doing the runs, as and when you can...relax and grow strong in the lovely new locations. Every single run we do, however long or short.. add miles to the legs.. and you added such a lot of miles last December. You know all this and me telling you this, is a bit of a cheek.. but I just know you will do the run
I'm still running 3 runs and have managed my longer run each week with another 10 & 11k Slower times as I'm a bit anaemic so trying to sort that out.
I've not managed to get down to the pool to swim yet, I think getting soaked with rain most days is putting me off spending time in a wet cold pool, but I have done yoga on my non run days instead so my back is happy!
Getting a bit fed up of the rain & wind now - dog collects so much dirt and sand in his wet furr every day I feel like I might as well be brining back shovel fulls of dirt from the woods to throw round the house.
March has been much like February. Getting out there has been challenging, but I’m still getting the odd run in. I’m not beating myself up about it and I’m not giving in! I just keep going out as much as I can for now. I’m hoping a routine kicks back in when both myself and spring is in full flow! My VRBs are always encouraging and as I now consider myself a runner for life, I’m sure that will happen eventually! 😉❤️
I’ve had a couple of horrible runs in the wind so this week it was an excuse not to run 😏. I did plan to go but what with a bad back for two days and my friend not being able to do Parkrun last week it’s not been good. But today we decided that whatever the weather we were going and amazingly it was a good run despite being pushed sideways by the wind, being lifted and thrown forward (at least that’s what it felt like!) and then feeling like I was running on the spot! 💨💨💨.
So I think I can safely say I’m over not running in stormy weather.
Back on track again now and no more excuses especially as I have a new bit of tech (Garmin) thanks to hubby to play with whilst I run. 😉😊🏃🏻♀️
Hello! Well my quest for March has been to get my 5K/parkrun time down to 36 minutes from 37m 49 s two weeks ago.
I think I might be a tad over-ambitious! Having run 3 x per week for 30-35 minutes since, my parkrun today was 38m 8s .
However, I feel that as the wind was very strong, perhaps it wasn't too bad an effort after all - as unlike two weeks ago I didn't need to walk for a couple of minutes.
So, will keep on with my 3 x weekly runs and aim may be just to get nearer to 37 minutes in two weeks time😄.
Thank you! Possibly not as much as I should ... will try and find time for a longer run soon. I have been doing a mix of Week 9 C-5K and the 3 post-5K podcasts - but of course none is more than 35 minutes.
I went out and did 7.75k today and feel much better for it. Much more confident about the 15k race now and have runners high for the first time for weeks. Thank you Oldfloss for focusing me back on what matters. I tried to run really slowly (even slower than my reduced tired recent pace) but it ended up a similar speed - but at least i started off slower. The fact the wind has dropped a lot helped too.
Not really Flick..We fluctuate ..I love that word...my slow 7K yesterday was so enjoyable..just taking everything in...I am afraid on Sunday I may be so wrapped up with all that's going on and the route..the views are quite something..that I will be arriving at the finish line when it's all over!
You are going to love the route when we do it together next year 😉🐐😉🐐xx
My Quest for March was to run 4k, but the Black Dog has returned and I know I’m not likely to make it. So I’m revising it: my new Quest is to get out every second day, either to walk or to run, and if I’m not running (any distance) then I’ll walk 4k.
Target for the week was 6k in 48 mins, stretch target 44. Did the distance gently with Dexy5 on Monday, then today did it as an out and back (Pyramids to nearly the Hayling Ferry and back for those who know the area), clocking 21'35" for the out and 21'30" for the back, just keeping the split negative thanks to a 5'14" last k (up to that point I was preparing to use a gentle westerly breeze as my excuse for going positive ).
So 43'05" overall, a good result I guess for a run where I was always feeling a bit heavy-legged and just plodding on. Thankfully, no problems with calves or Achilles during the run , though everything's a bit tight now. 10 days left now to achieve the monthly target of 10k in an hour (stretch 55 mins). 2k more is looking like quite a challenge, so might swerve Saturday's Parkrun in favour of a longer recovery (but I haven't done one for weeks so will play it by ear, or more likely by leg muscles).
It’s going good amazingly despite telling myself I couldn’t run in wind. So I missed 4 runs. My target this week was to get to 6.5k in 70 mins but I got to 6.8 in 65 mins instead 😊. I paid a price (could hardly stand because I was low on cortisol- I have Addison’s disease) but I learnt a lesson. Next time I plan to push it I need to take my hydrocortisone before rather than after! Mind you if I’d done that maybe I would have done more because the last 1.5k were really hard! Onwards though and keep smiling. 🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️😊
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
with the addition of a dog dropping a ball at my feet trying to trip me up or zooming past splattering me head to toe in mud 
.
- and thank you@
Final week of ‘Run for Fun’ February Quest! How is it going Runners?
