I didn’t intend on meeting him, but I went out for a planned 2 looper (6k) of my hilly woodland trail, hoping for the forecast of grey and drizzly to be accurate this time - and of course the sun came out and got me cross! Not really of course, as I love the sun, but not when I’m yearning for a cool wet run! Bah humbug! 😅
So I set off anyway, feeling good. Well I would, wouldn’t I? The first part is a long downhill! 😅 I then hit the first hill - how dare there be a dog walker I’d have to pass. I removed an ear from my headphones so I could regulate the sound of my breathing! Got past with a cheery hello (not really cheery, but I’m fickle like that!), and completed the first hill feeling very 🥵 indeed. Then followed a tiny reprieve followed by another longish uphill drag. I wasn’t feeling it today - sooo humid - but I continued on and went up round the horrid corner. It’s very steep, but I’ve done it before and I usually recover ok enough to complete the rest of the hill. At the top you’re rewarded by a lovely easy flat section before starting the whole circuit again. But this morning I was really uncomfortable and even though I could see the end in sight I simply couldn’t do it. I even thought I’d lose my banana at one point (sorry, TMI), so I broke into a welcome walk. 🚶♀️
I was momentarily very disappointed at my “failed run”, but then I thought “stuff it woman, give yourself a break”, so I did. I walked back down through the actual woods - not runnable as it’s a really gnarly trail - and got back to the horrid corner - where I turned and ran up its entirety. Result.
I’d Jeffed and I even did it some more before I finally completed 6k of running. I chose to run some more of the hilly sections, and switched direction so I did a nice cross section of them.
So whilst I’m still mildly irritated that I couldn’t run continuously, which is what I’ve always done, I ran 6 hilly kilometres in soupy humidity. 🥵🥵🥵🥵
Now please please give the NW a reprieve from the rain and send some down here! 💦
I won’t be meeting Jeff regularly, but I’m thankful he helped me out big style today. 🙏🏻
Written by
cheekychipmunks
Graduate10
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I have no idea what Jeff is, but well done! (The only Jeff we talk about is "my name is Jeff!" from 21 Jump Street!) Sounds like a tough run in the heat!
Jeff Galloway’s training plan of run/walking. Some people use it as a means to increase distance - a bit like during C25K but on a larger scale. I’ve always run my chosen distance, no exceptions, but lots of people on here run/walk even in races. It certainly helped me today!
Best bit in the whole film, really! My eldest says it all the time, loads of the kids in his year at school now say it. None of them have even seen the film 😅
Great stuff Cheaky...'I thought “stuff it woman, give yourself a break”, so I did.'
Some of my friends oop north are trail runners, I used to meet up with them for a run once or twice a year (looking forward to doing it again now, whoo-hoo!)
Anyway, I used to get really anxious because these guys are running up hills all day. We went to a place called Todmorden to run up Stoodley Pike... I absolutely loved it.
They run...they walk, they stop and look around, taking pictures. When we got to the top, we looked at what we'd accomplished... sat down for 20 minutes, had some food, walked around, and then we sprinted downhill 😬 I have to say.. it's not going up when you see these guys at their best, it's how fast they can run downhill 😲.. they're insane.
My point, you say? I know your frustration, but whenever I feel like I need to walk, I always think "I'm going to run like a trail runner today" And my mindset completely changes and I just enjoy it.
Yessss clubberlang, that’s exactly it! Thank you! It’s definitely a trail run - I wouldn’t attempt it in my normal runners - it’s literally on the side of the hill, so the ups are real ups and the downs are real downs. I can imagine your friends flying down! 👍
Like I say, I’ve done 2 circuits before, non-stop, but today’s humidity and lack of promised grey drizzle threw a curve ball at me. I hadn’t psyched myself up! But now I know I did the right thing, and hey I still ran 6k! 😀
Ahh, now I realise why I love trail running - no guilt about slowing down and walking the tricky bits! I also love running a route with varied terrain, much more interesting than pounding roads 😊
Absolutely agree SS. I have a couple of trail runs that I do regularly, and every time they’re different. So much fun - just a bit muddy in the winter! 🏃♀️
I wasn't sure what Jeff was up until recently but I now know that it's a run/walking plan from Jeff Galloway, nevertheless you sort of enjoyed your run today cheeky.
I also enjoyed my run this morning as well, guess what, I put on the C25K app at run 2 of week 9 with Laura and ran for 30 minutes on the exact route that I ran that run two days before graduation last year. My pace must be getting faster, as the run is not a circuit but at halfway I turn back, the place where I turned back today was at least 70 metres beyond the halfway point of last year, so, all in all, it was a good run. I hope my next run will be parkrun on Saturday morning.
Wow well done Al! Sounds like you’re definitely getting faster! I too intend to go back to C25K soon. It’s the runniversary of my graduation on August 18th and I’m going to have a W1R1 date with Michael Johnson, but running/jogging as opposed to jogging/walking! Should be fun - and nostalgic to hear his voice again. Hopefully it’ll be a cool, drizzly day, but knowing my luck it’ll be 🥵🥵 again!
After a short break from running, I usually restart at run 1 of week THREE, not right back at run 1 of week 1, that's an idea, just for a bit of fun I might someday do run 1 of week 1 for old times sake, our dear friend Tbae is going to restart C25K again for the third time, that man loves C25K and why not.
I haven’t actually had a break from running, except for a short time just after graduation when I broke my toe (doing yoga!), but I just strapped it to its neighbour and carried on after a few days! So I’ve never revisited C25K since graduation, and I’m looking forward to doing so. I might have a retro C25K week, and pick some of the landmark runs! And I do love hearing MJ’s voice! ❤️
well done cheeky!! I don't really see a problem with meeting up with Jeff
You still got out there and did it. I've walked with Jeff a few times recently ... I think sometimes we need too. And as Hidden says.. stop take pics, chill out, enjoy it!!
I think sometimes we can get too hung up on tech and stats and times and distance etc..etc,,,, ( I know I can anyways ) that we can forget why you are actually doing it in the first place!!
So true Deals. If I’d have known how humid it was going to be today, I wouldn’t have picked that run, so the fact I ran loads of it is a miracle in itself. So today I need to be understanding of myself. 😀
My trail runs are all run/hike because, lets be real, you can't run all those hills and some trails are just too gnarly to safely run. You might've Jeffed it, but I just see you as a trail runner 😁
Aww thanks Sask, yes I really do enjoy running the trails. I know mine are nothing compared to yours, but they really are beautiful and I need to realise it’s not feasible to expect the same from your running as when you’re on tarmac. 😀
It’s lashing down now btw! Perfect for a run. Waaaaa!! 😩😩😅
I had such a tricky, steep ascent about a week ago, it was so slippery, if I'd tried to stick with a run up I would have fallen on my face. Definitely, knowing when to back off is a very good lesson, plus trails need to savored. Save the fast and furious stuff for boring roads 🤣👍🏻
Well if Jeff is in your neck of the woods, he might not join me for a run tomorrow. As much as I love his company, it would be nice to run it without him for a change. I managed 4k without him yesterday evening, but he'd probably packed his bags and gone by then. Warm and very windy for that one.
Yes he’d probably seen the forecast for grey and drizzly here in Bristol and decided that would never do. He ordered sunny and humid and popped along for my run. That’ll do now Jeff - someone else would like to meet you, not Dexy5 though! 🏃♂️🚶♂️🏃♂️🚶♂️🏃♂️🚶♂️
Cracking, cheeky, sounds like you pulled a good trail run out of those hills. It was a bit sticky out there today. Still waiting for the rain here. It's probably waiting for me to peg my washing out 😁
I know what you mean Cheeky - I still feel that if I'm planning on running a certain distance I should run it all, no cheating! But sometimes we need to take the pressure off and just enjoy ourselves- after all, we're grown-ups now, we can choose!
And I've just introduced my dog to Jeff, and he loves him 🐕 (not proper Jeffing, just 1 minute intervals, but he loves it all the same)!
Well done, for me it isn't if you walked or ran, but that you took something that wasn't going well and turned into something positive...and even met a new friend. It's a good lesson for me, thank you.
Aww thanks BIT, yes you’re right, I know it’s just so unusual for me to bail, it caught me off guard to begin with, but the walks re-energised me enough to run the hill in the end. Thanks to Jeff! 👍🏃🚶♀️
Oh it was hideous Sandie! 😅😩 I needed Jeff and he helped me no end. I won’t be needing him again any time soon I hope! Today though, he made my run worthwhile - without him I’d have been in a right mood! 😅😅
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At this time of the year, do you switch to a winter route? 
Sunday morning 60 minute run! 😊
Park Runners - where do you run, what do you like about your run and have you done any really special ‘tourist’ runs. 
Loved the run but am I too slow?? 
