Today was the day!!!: Alarm went off at 5.1... - Bridge to 10K

Bridge to 10K

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Today was the day!!!

limberlou profile image
limberlouGraduate10
29 Replies

Alarm went off at 5.15, and I was out ,dressed, quick banana and gulp of SIS water and off I went. Determined this time to do the whole 10 miles. I’d miscalculated last week when I thought I’d done it.

I was so organised this morning!!! Clothes ready, water bottles 3/4 full and frozen( good idea that), dried apricots ready, snap band glasses tucked in belt ( didn’t need them though - fog most of way), water bottles tucked into belt...mmmm nice and cool, buff round my hair, TWO sets of charged headphones ( 12k and they run out of charge), tissues, lip balm, phone and watch charged, inhalers done.....

Down onto the Tarka Trail and it was really misty. Not on the track but I couldn’t see the river at all- just some of the bank. The other side was clear and I could see along the road across the field. It quite often gets misty done by the river though so I thought it would probably brighten up. Lots of rabbits hopping about, wondering what the hell this crazy woman was doing lumbering about at that time of morning. I saw 5 different rabbits before I had done 4K, then 2 magpies sitting on the wall ( don’t know if one was called Peter and one called Paul ) and then a robin sat in a blackberry bush.

Then I started to meet other early morning fools... a trio of marines jogging towards me...a couple of cyclists on their way to work.... dog walkers... and although I’d only gone this far once ( last week) it seemed to be going quite easily.

Had a slight malfunction with one of my water bottles though. They were tucked in my Fitbelt... phone in front pocket, 2 bottles on each upper glute in 2 other pockets, and my apricots in a little bag in the middle back pocket. About 6 k in I thought I’d have a swig and discovered that as the ice had melted, the cap in the left one had come slightly loose and I had a wet bottom ( only on one side and it soon dried ) so I tightened it up and carried on.

Got to Chivenor gate and crossed over to go through the one on the other side of the road- nice and clear as it was early still - more dog walkers and a couple more runners “good morning” “ good morning”.

Then it was past the airfield and the old water tower on my left and “ oh look more flipping houses being built” on my right and on down to the Wrafton gate. Through that and across the road and nearly to Vellator before I was at 8k and a bit and time to turn round.

I tend to mark in my head more or less where I am as I go through certain gates ( they are the old level crossing gates from when we still had trains past Barnstaple ) so as I was going back it was about 9k at the second Chivenor gate, then 11 when I got to Ashford, then as I drew level with the highlight of the Trail .... the Ashford water and sewage works ( trying to run and not breathe in) ... I know I have about 3k left, then around Pottington turn off there is 2k left, Barnstaple New Bridge leaves about 1k and then I know I’m nearly home and dry. Well not dry actually!! I’d been swigging my water and tipping some in my buff which was round my head to keep cool. So I was quite moist.....I have heard some of the ladies and gents on here saying about “chub rub” and as I was wearing shorts I was a bit concerned but I was ok there... my legs are still pretty slim ( about the only bit of me that is nowadays ) but I had got quite sore where the top of my inner arms rubbed against my sweaty shirt and also where the armpit of my sports bra goes. I ended up applying Zambuk after my shower and it feels much better now and more soothed. I wasn’t expecting that to happen. Maybe Vaseline before I run is the answer???

Anyway the last stretch and then I had done it!! Yay!! Triumphant sweaty faced obligatory pic, squinting into the sunshine, for the album and then brisk walk home. By the time I got home and waded through 30 cats ( well ok it’s only 4)who thought I should have fed them before I went being silly and running... and then stretched a bit.. I was nearly crawling up the stairs to my shower. But now I feel great.

Another milestone ticked off 😁🎉🎉🎉🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️celebrated with my porridge , and a Dime Bar in the garden with my coffee.

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limberlou profile image
limberlou
Graduate10
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29 Replies
HeavyFoot profile image
HeavyFootGraduate10

A great story of a trail I knew well, then having a house in Braunton. No running in those days, just cycling.

Well done!! 10 miles is a biggie!! 👏

limberlou profile image
limberlouGraduate10 in reply toHeavyFoot

Thanks. It’s a lovely area isn’t It? Wouldn’t want to live anywhere else 😁

Julia187 profile image
Julia187Graduate10

Fantastic well done! I have two furry family members who are in the same camp as your four, how dare I go for a run before feeding them...

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10

Congratulations limberlou, you did it, not that I had any doubts that you would. I have a friend in Braunton too and we loved it on a recent visit to north Devon. You also get the added plus of eye candy on your running routes - Trim, taut , and triffic marines.

You deserve a rest and that dime bar now. 🏃‍♀️👏👏👏👏

limberlou profile image
limberlouGraduate10 in reply toDexy5

Thoroughly enjoyed my Dime bar. Thought about doing some gardening... then thought again....

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply tolimberlou

😂😂

Debston profile image
DebstonGraduate10

Wow, well done you! ☺

limberlou profile image
limberlouGraduate10 in reply toDebston

Thanks. Still feeling surprisingly good. Let’s hope I still am tomorrow 🤞

Debston profile image
DebstonGraduate10 in reply tolimberlou

Fingers crossed for no aches or niggles.

orangeguy profile image
orangeguyGraduate10

Well done Lou! ... that's an impressive distance👍👍👍👏👏👏😊

limberlou profile image
limberlouGraduate10 in reply toorangeguy

Thankyou. I am still grinning to myself 😜

Chris141 profile image
Chris141Graduate10

WOW! Well done!

lexi6 profile image
lexi6Graduate10

Amazing comeback limberlou! 👍

limberlou profile image
limberlouGraduate10 in reply tolexi6

Thanks 😁

Tony1978 profile image
Tony1978

Great distance, I can only dream about running for that long.

For ‘’chub rub’’ try Trigopax cream, by ACM.

limberlou profile image
limberlouGraduate10 in reply toTony1978

Thanks I think it was just my arm rubbed against my sweaty tee shirt - never had that before 🤣

Sandie1961 profile image
Sandie1961Graduate10

Fabulous limberlou 🏃‍♀️👏🏻🏃‍♀️👏🏻 I don’t know Devon very well, but it sounds like a lovely route.

limberlou profile image
limberlouGraduate10 in reply toSandie1961

It is! I keep meaning to venture further afield towards Bideford but I don’t think it’s such a nice run along there. The views are better OUR side of the Taw 🤣🤣. I walked it a lot last year when I was strengthening my ankle after the fracture but I’ve only run part of it once ( my first try at week 1 C25k for the 2nd time after my injury).

My daughter used to work at Instow and she’d drive to work and drop me off on the way and I’d walk back. A bit further each time.

SaskAlliecat profile image
SaskAlliecatGraduate10

Yay! How did the ankle feel? You are back, baby!

Granspeed profile image
GranspeedGraduate10

Epic run, and described so we could virtually run it with you. Lovely! Had our hols in your area last year, so could imagine it well. Very beautiful. 😊👍 And well done you on a looong distance after the gruesome ankle experience. Your “bit by bit” recovery programme has really paid off. Limber Lou indeed now. 🎉🎉

limberlou profile image
limberlouGraduate10 in reply toGranspeed

Thanks. It took a while but I’m getting there. Next stop half marathon??

smeeagain profile image
smeeagainGraduate10

Amazing....wish i could do that

limberlou profile image
limberlouGraduate10 in reply tosmeeagain

Just keep plodding away - that’s what I did and don’t worry about speed

smeeagain profile image
smeeagainGraduate10 in reply tolimberlou

i keep plodding, today i managed 5k in 34 minutes,the heat here is holding me back i think, since i finished the c25k i havnt done a lot more than 5 k...i have to run in 28 degrees just before sunset, i only run in the fields not on the road, so i am hoping to be able to plod along for longer in the autumn.

limberlou profile image
limberlouGraduate10 in reply tosmeeagain

Whereabouts are you? I run at about 5.09 or 5.30am when it is nice and cool. 34 mins is pretty good I think ( mine is about 39 at the mo although I have managed 37:42 as my PB).

smeeagain profile image
smeeagainGraduate10 in reply tolimberlou

i am far away .in Israel ,i cant run in the morning due to my work hours, i work on a dairy farm so at 04.30 im already working..i want to get to the 10k ,,i suppose it takes time.

limberlou profile image
limberlouGraduate10 in reply tosmeeagain

Ah yes it will be hotter there. Although it’s been pretty hot here at the mo, hence the 5 o’clock runs. I just found if I slowed it down more I could go further.

skysue16 profile image
skysue16Graduate10

Wow! Fantastic achievement, very well done 😀. Loved your post - great descriptions of the route, which sounds lovely. I am planning to work up to 10 miles in the Autumn, so your achievement is inspiring.

limberlou profile image
limberlouGraduate10 in reply toskysue16

Thanks. I did run the Bideford to Barnstaple funrun (13-14 miles) about 25 years ago - did it 3 years in a row but never trained that much for it. Me and my friend used to go out 2-3 times a week and gradually build up distance. The furthest we ran before the actual day was about 4 1/2 miles ( I’ve just looked it up and I always thought it was further ). My husband used to drive us partway in the car and we’d run back. But then we jog/ walked. But I managed it in around 2 hours then and it’s taken me 2:23 to do 10 miles at the mo, running all the way, so I think it would be about 3 hours at my todays pace 🤣🤣 . Everyone would have gone home if I did an HM.

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