Longest run - but what a slog …..: 18k, truly... - Bridge to 10K

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Longest run - but what a slog …..

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10
43 Replies

18k, truly my longest ever run in distance and time (2 hrs 15), never been beyond 10 miles (16.1k) in the previous 68 and a bit years. But instead of rising to Oldfloss 's heights of lyricism, the best I can muster as a result is grim satisfaction. I should speak movingly of dog-walkers' meetings, school trips and pram convoys blocking the prom from one side to the other, of delight at being sprayed by seawater as one of Britain's greatest inventions, the hovercraft, slid off Southsea beach into the waters of the Solent, of observing the squadrons of black-headed gulls practicing dive-bomber attacks on the population with high-explosive guano, of the beach lifeguard teams setting up to protect said population from their total lack of understanding of what the tide might be up to, of the gruelling nature of the climbs (all of 5 metres) to the highest point of the prom by the historic monument of Southsea castle, of the quality of the cappuccino in the Beach Café afterwards ….. but I'm too damn knackered.

It was also the longest run ever for my faithful pacer Dexy5 , who did 13k with a bit of jeffing and a natural break, during which times I kept shuttle running back and forth around her datum, which meant I only had 3.25k left to do when she reached her goal. My average pace to that point was around 7'40" per k. I did then manage to knock the last 3k off in under 20 mins, with the last k in 6'04". I suspect Dexy may be along with her (probably different ;-) ) version of events in a wee while.

As I asked myself, on reaching the 6k point and realising I had twice as far again still to go, why I am doing this? The idea is to push up the distance so the 10 mile Great South Run in October doesn't seem so far. Oh, and to keep ahead of cheekychipmunks who did 17k last week :-) . Is it worth it? Well we'll see and definitely - respectively!

Onwards and upwards!!

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UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanley
Graduate10
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43 Replies
Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10

You are a trooper. A good job we haven’t got anything else on this afternoon 😴😴

Sandraj39 profile image
Sandraj39Graduate10

🏃🏽‍♀️👏👏👍😀Well done to both of you - great achievement and good prep, as you say, for the. GSR!👍 I am just back from work so will be out for my run in an hour or so - just a 5k for me today!🙂

cheekychipmunks profile image
cheekychipmunksGraduate10

Well done UTS! You’ve edged ahead again! 😅 I’m in no fit state to match your achievement this week, so you can hold the baton for an extended period - or even creep further ahead still. 👊

This week has been full on baby shower organising and I haven’t run since PR last weekend. I’d like to think I can hop up to 18k next week or (more likely) the week after. My legs were sooo fatigued after the 17k and super humid PR that this week of rest was just what they needed. 👍

You’re doing amazingly well, as is Dexy5 . I can’t believe how FAR we’re all running nowadays! 👏👏👏

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10

I can only do one of these a month, I really don’t find them any fun. So 20k in August and 21 point whatever it is for a HM in September, just for the hell of it, then that’s it. And no, I’m not entering a HM - ever!! 🖐

Couchpotato2 profile image
Couchpotato2 in reply toUpTheStanley

Why not?

Couchpotato2 profile image
Couchpotato2 in reply toCouchpotato2

And amazing congratulations on your run

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10 in reply toCouchpotato2

👍

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10 in reply toCouchpotato2

Sanity 😀😜

cheekychipmunks profile image
cheekychipmunksGraduate10 in reply toUpTheStanley

Not entering a HM? I’m not sure I believe you UTS! After all, we weren’t going further than 10k ever were we? 😅😅😅

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10 in reply tocheekychipmunks

Once SWMBO got me running regularly, the GSR was pretty much inevitable - been threatening to do that again for years 🙄.

When I did it 22 years ago, I seriously considered doing the Pompey HM the following March, but sanity prevailed then - and remains in charge now, I hope 😜

cheekychipmunks profile image
cheekychipmunksGraduate10 in reply toUpTheStanley

Bet it won’t! 🤣🤣

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10

Congratulations UTS for your amazing run today, well done. 😊 🏃

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10 in reply toAlMorr

Thanks Al, you’re doing great yourself - I’ve been watching your posts about your parkrun planning and execution 👍

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10 in reply toUpTheStanley

Thanks UTS, yes I like to plan ahead, well not too far ahead, this morning I ran a PB 5K along what I call the ButtercupKid 5K trail in 32.23, that's 1 minute 89 seconds quicker than my first parkrun time of 34.16 last Saturday morning, however, that course today is fairly flat, in fact I managed the first kilometer in under 6 minutes, the average pace was 6.31 km/h, the next 5K I will run will be at my second parkrun on Saturday 27th July, between now and then this Saturday and next Wednesday I will run a few of the longer runs of C25K with Laura.

Execution, I know what you mean but I don't think that that anyone has been executed for refusing to ran a 5K 😂 lol.

Sandie1961 profile image
Sandie1961Graduate10

Yay, well done UTS! Don’t worry Dexy5 ’s account is remarkably similar 😂 Welcome to the “Chase after cheekychipmunks ” club! Btw don’t tell anybody, but I’ve finally given in and entered the GSR. Now to find somewhere to park the van 🚐

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toSandie1961

That’s brilliant. There is a caravan park along our route today. But I don’t know what the reviews are like. There are quite a lot of static vans there You may want to be more rural but close enough to drive in.

Sandie1961 profile image
Sandie1961Graduate10 in reply toDexy5

I’ll DM you!

cheekychipmunks profile image
cheekychipmunksGraduate10 in reply toSandie1961

YESSSSS Sandie! 👏👏👏 Fabulous news, 🎉🎉🎉 I had a feeling you’d cave! Team HU is on fire. How exciting is this? 😀😀

(Can you tell I’m excited?) 😅😅😅

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10 in reply tocheekychipmunks

No, are you excited?

cheekychipmunks profile image
cheekychipmunksGraduate10 in reply toUpTheStanley

Couldn’t give a monkeys UTS ... 💤💤

Sandie1961 profile image
Sandie1961Graduate10 in reply tocheekychipmunks

You, excited, never 😜 Better get out there and actually do my 13k now hadn’t I? Friday 👍

cheekychipmunks profile image
cheekychipmunksGraduate10 in reply toSandie1961

Yes, definitely! You’ll smash it in true Speedy Sandie Style! 🏃‍♀️👊🏃‍♀️

Sandie1961 profile image
Sandie1961Graduate10 in reply tocheekychipmunks

Not sure about that, but rain forecast for tomorrow morning here. Never thought I’d be looking forward to running in the rain, but has to be better than yesterday’s hot sun 🌞

cheekychipmunks profile image
cheekychipmunksGraduate10 in reply toSandie1961

I did 7k this morning - even though it wasn’t sunny the humidity was something else. 🥵🥵🥵 I don’t blame you looking forward to running in the rain! 🏃‍♀️ 💦

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toSandie1961

Please note: I did 13:03 because cheeky thought 13k was unlucky 🍀

Sandie1961 profile image
Sandie1961Graduate10 in reply toDexy5

I’ll have to remember that😁

backintime profile image
backintimeGraduate10

Well done. You are all running so far. It's amazing to read.

UpTheStanley profile image
UpTheStanleyGraduate10 in reply tobackintime

Well I’ve run all my life, if not this far - I’m just trying to stay ahead of you lot (especially Dexy) who’ve only got off the couch recently.

🏃‍♂️..............🏃🏽‍♀️

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply toUpTheStanley

I promise I’m not going any further than 10 miles (if I get there)

Sandie1961 profile image
Sandie1961Graduate10 in reply toDexy5

Me too!

cheekychipmunks profile image
cheekychipmunksGraduate10 in reply toSandie1961

Fibs.

cheekychipmunks profile image
cheekychipmunksGraduate10 in reply toDexy5

Fibs.

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply tocheekychipmunks

In fact I’ll probably revert to 10k. 😁

cheekychipmunks profile image
cheekychipmunksGraduate10 in reply toDexy5

No. You. Won’t. 😠😜😅

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10 in reply tobackintime

No one’s more amazed than me backintime. This wasn’t the plan when I started c25k 😳

backintime profile image
backintimeGraduate10 in reply toDexy5

Me neither. I thought I'd stop at 5k. Yet here we are : )

Deals1 profile image
Deals1Graduate10

Yyyyaaaay. Well done 😊 😊

Great report and distance too.

Chillax now

JonathanP profile image
JonathanPGraduate10

Fantastic UTS - raised the bar again with a furthest run ever!👍

lexi6 profile image
lexi6Graduate10

I’m already exhausted just reading your account! Thats an amazing distance UTS. 👍

grumpyoldgirl profile image
grumpyoldgirl

Oh UTS, what a pity you're too kn.. tired to tell us about the squadrons of seagulls, battalions of buggies and vertiginous climbs, it would have been very entertaining 😂 I read dexy's post first, and was wondering how much further you'd run when you were guarding the ladies' etc. Fantastic job!

misswobble profile image
misswobbleGraduate10

Yay, well done 😃👍💪🏃‍♂️🌪🌊. I love the word guano 😁

I hope you’ve upgraded your statement of “grim satisfaction” now you’ve had time to get over your hard work 😁.

Cappuccino by the beach makes it all all right in my book 😃☕️

It won’t be long til you’re off again ...... 😎🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🌊🌊🌊🌊

SaskAlliecat profile image
SaskAlliecatGraduate10

A great run by a great pair! I’m slowly getting my hubby to run further with me but have only got him up to 6k to date. Although he has to miss our run today, a challenging 3k trail run that is up, up, up then down, down, down. But I must be making some headway because he admitted to me he was disappointed to miss this run with me. Yes! Sucking him in slowly, 1 glorious km at a time 😈

alisonx profile image
alisonxGraduate10

Wow! You and Dexy5 are amazing! 😄 what a dynamic duo you are 🏃🏻‍♂️🏃🏻‍♂️

Fantastic run - and you did not come across any walls this time! Love reading your run reports, even the short ones. Enjoy the well deserved rest

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