Hello everyone, I hope you have all had a lovely month of doing your thing during the October quest? Thank you so much to Oldfloss for her wonderfully named Blaze a Trail.
This is my first job as Ambassador and I have to admit I'm a little bit nervous following in her footsteps!
During the Blaze a trail quest I have been running 3 times a week, trying a programme to improve my 10k time plus stretching and flexing and doing my thing whilst enjoying the ever changing, beautiful picture outside. I have really, really enjoyed the changing seasons since this running lark took over me, I'm not saying that I didn't notice or appreciate things before but I feel like I'm part of it so much more now. The sun lights up the amber trees across in the park and I just want to get out there!!! And as the month rumbles on and darkness creeps over it it's time to think about staying safe...hi viz, reflectors, headtorches, clip on lights, anything to make you visible is a must!! We need you all for your valuable input on here so make sure you stock up or get rummaging around in your drawers!! I have a clip on light I got dead cheap from Lidl that I wrap around my ponytail, I'm like my own little disco running along!!! Then there's the cold...layers, thats the key..so as you warm up you can peel a layer off at a time. November is the last calm month before the chaos of christmas shopping and planning begins so I, for one, will be making the most of it because December is crazy in my house!!!
What is the Quest?
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.
The Quest takes one calendar month. You can join at any point during that time.
We ask that you are a C25K Graduate before joining the Quest. The reason for this is that pre-graduation your week is very much structured according to the C25K programme, and we 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 Stretch and Strength exercises to your weekly routine
The Quest is a personal challenge, so it's completely up to you!
Whatever your plan is for the quest I hope you all have a wonderful, safe and satisfying month
Happy running you lovely bunch
Mummycav xxx
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Mummycav
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You, my lovely friend, are in...that is a really long run Floss! I don’t think I could find that distance in me anywhere!! But you? I have every faith in you xxx
I’m fortunate that I am able to run during the day, but just in case, my ronhill hi-vis running jacket has a flashing button light on the back. I also have a clip on white light which I discovered in m&s surprise surprise. While rummaging during a decluttering exercise this week I also found a personal alarm on a key ring which someone gave me years ago. Tested and it still works, so if I did go out in the dark I would be well prepared. I think 3 runs a week and the speed challenge will keep me occupied in November and that will of course include parkrun (except tomorrow when I will play truant to avoid rain and gale force winds in favour of rugby watching)
And happy November to you too Dexy5 ! I'm lucky that I can run during the day too so evening runs don't happen that often but when life dictates and that's the only option I am well prepared...a personal alarm is also i good idea too, you just never know. My Garmin has some sort of safety thingy on it but I accidentally set it off whe I first got it and my Hubby and 2 of my friends panicked thinking I was in danger so I've turned it off for now! My parkrun are few and far between at this time of year as the rain just turns it into more of a mudslide, infact, it looks like the runners have had a proper game of rugby!!
Hi mummycav I plan to continue with b2 10k and as I'm doing the distance version but monitoring my HR I'm going slow slow slow so time is going up quickly which I'm perfectly comfortable with. I'd like to increase from gentle slopes to slightly steeper slopes and add some HR bursting intervals In just cause i love going fast. On non run days I'll continue with my cardio and stretch workouts. I'll also pester everyone by replying to loads of posts. Happy running everyone
That sounds like a good plan Grannyhugs ...and going slow slow slow means that you will def run for longer...and slow on the hills I think will def work for you!
Thank you! and no need to be nervous Mummycav, you are a wonderful Ambassador, the Quest is safe in your hands. Just be your normal lovely self and thank you so much for supporting us all.❤😊xxx
Hi there, so nice to have you heading us up this month Mummycav. My quest for November is to keep enough ahead of the Confusions of Life to get to that 10k goal. 🏃🏼♀️And I am determined to progress my emerging Strength & Flex routines so they become “what I do” instead of semi-random “trying things out”. 😄Here’s hoping someone influential has put in an order for less rain & more sun on the south coast!
Thank you Granspeed ...I am enjoying my quest so far, I love reading about people’s plans and goals...sometimes life does interrupt these plans so we have to do what we can when we can, no pressure...more sun everywhere would be just the ticket x
Hey Mummycav!! 😁🤗! Thanks for this amazing post. And thanks for the reminders about being seen! I know I need to prepare for it. I have a head torch but I still felt that I couldn’t see last winter. 😵! I’m going to do a bit more searching and see if there’s a mini floodlight that I can buy! And, I’m serious! 🤩 That made me uncomfortable about running in the dark and it kind of put a halt to my running as a result. So it’s time to get the back up plan in place! 💪🏽
My quest for November is to add strength and flex. I’ve tried doing some beginners yoga and will keep that up as part of a daily routine. Let’s just say, my current level of flexibility is a work in progress 😳, but good to know it’s something to work on 😉. I’ve just joined the strength and flex group on HU and Oldfloss has mentioned the benefits of building up those glutes to avoid hamstring and hip issues. Being active every day and having all round fitness would be awesome!! 🙌🏽😉
So, I’m off to find a floodlight! 🏃🏽♀️Thanks for this great post and the reminder! 🤗🤓❤️
That sounds like a good plan Fabulous450 ...and a floodlight would be perfect! Although I am sure you light up the place wherever you go! The strength and flex work is so important and helps us avoid injury so Oldfloss’ group is a great place to be! I will watch with delight as you complete your quest Fab xx 😉🏃🏾♀️
Hi Mummycav, welcome to the team that keeps us honest
After the distance challenge of the GSR, I am changing tack completely, and my Quest for the next few months is to see if I can get anywhere near a sub-23 parkrun, last achieved over 4 years ago, with 2 secs to spare. Best time this year is 23'49", so there's a long way to go .
Now, with apologies to those who don't get all excited by stats ………..
The method will be using my gym's treadmill to try to steadily increase the distance I can maintain at the necessary pace (13 kph = 4'36"/k). To set some sort of datum, I did an open-air k in 4'32" on Monday, as part of Roseabi's Speed Challenge on the Marathon etc forum, and yesterday 1k at 13kph on the treadmill as the second k of a 5k run. After warming up I ran 500m at 10 kph, then 500m at 12, then the quick k at 13, followed by 500m recovery at 10 and then 2.5k at 12, with a 100m sprint at the end, producing 5k in total in 25'27".
I'll probably have a go on the treadmill every other week. So ….. my hopefully realistic November target will be to push the 13kph treadmill distance out to 1.5k, still as part of a 5k overall run.
You had such a great run UpTheStanley at gsr...I still have running envy when I think about it! You are really pushing those speed buttons...keep up the good work
Welcome MC, no need to be nervous, you’ll do a sterling job! ❤️👍
My quest crumbled a bit at the end of October, losing my elderly mum on Monday - so I haven’t run since Tuesday when I simply went out with my dog and ran in her memory. I haven’t felt like pushing myself by starting the speed challenge. I’m even foregoing PR today as the weather is shocking and they were desperate for volunteers. So I’m barcode scanning in the 💨 and 💦
But tomorrow I will make myself. It has to be done. This comfy little snail needs to push herself a bit, so I think I’ll go out and grind out a faster (let’s be real, it’s not going to be breaking any records!) 1k as part of my run. Speed challenge, it’s time. 😩
Thank you RP. Much as it was very very sad, she was 94 and her passing was very peaceful. We miss her terribly, but we know we couldn’t have asked for a “better” end to her long and happy life. ❤️
Oh cheekychipmunks , my heart goes out to you...do not feel you have to push yourself at all, you need time to heal....running when you feel up to will help.you, I know how much pleasure you get from your runs, these are the times when the headspace that running gives up are so important...I know it's nothing to compare to losing your Mum but when I lost my dear friend a couple of years ago, I was new to running and often ran with tears running down my face, sometimes without realising and that was proof to me that running was the right thing for me to do. Time is the only healer for you CC...so take it, take all the time you need xxxxx massive hug coming your way
Aww thank you so much MC. Our great comfort was the peaceful nature of her passing, coupled with her fantastic age (94). I do feel ready to run again, and tomorrow will be that day. I don’t really mind how it goes - it’ll be for mum and I can treasure her memory. ❤️
I hope you have a lovely run that works like a big hug. I think there can be a sense of safety at these times in still having goals to keep you moving forward, especially if you remember they are there to serve you and not them and let them go or amend if that's the right thing to do.
Thanks Run46 ...I like the sound of your quest...and 10 miles? Phew, that’s some going...but I am sure you will gradually increase to that with some determination which you have oodles of! I’ll be cheering you on 😊
I've been Questing over on C25K but happy to be back here. Last month was pretty pants and involved a bug. Remains to be seen how much the after effects carry over into November, but it does mean that pretty much anything will be an improvement on last month, so I am setting my goals accordingly. Fundamentally my primary goal at the moment is that I don't want to end the year any heavier than I was at the beginning (and ideally less than that). Being active does help.
So my goals for this Quest are:
150 active minutes a week... which should still be achievable even if particular activities don't work out too well.
I'm still going to set a goals of 4 runs over the month, and also aim for one of them to be a 5k. It's a real struggle at the moment with Google but she has a normal life expectancy so I'm not ready to give up when she's got 5+ years.
I'm also going to aim for 4 swims over the month... but the running is to take precedence over the swimming.
Yoga... Pretty much the same 'more often than not' goal as usual, so 16x, of which 4 online classes to justify my paid subscription.
You are doing a stellar job! I know Floss is a hard act to follow, but you’ve got this!
My quest is to run three times a week and to do daily foot and ankle strengthening exercises - thanks to Floss for those on the Strength and Flex forum 👍🏻
Oh my Jazzyrunner , you’re not kidding... Oldfloss is a legend, Thankyou for making me feel welcome. The strength & flex site is so good for all of us, no matter where we are in our running...stretching is so important. I do heel raises while I’m brushing my teeth and heel drops now and again when I’m going upstairs...there’s def lots to keep us strong over there with floss
Aw DebJogsOn , Thankyou so much, I must say I’m enjoying it so far! Running 3 times a week will surely stir your mojo back into action and yes, just one run in the dark sounds good...don’t forget your lights xxx
Hi Mummycav . Graduated 2wks ago and struggling a bit with consolidation ( miss the structure) runs but my quest is to run 3 times a week and slowly increase distance .
Hi DeterminedSilver ...keep up with the consolidating, new graduates can often lose their way a bit because of the lack of structure, honestly, loads of us have been there and completely understand where you’re coming from. Running 3 times a week is perfect and you might find, in time, that your distance and time will improve but there is absolutely no pressure...what you are doing is fantastic...and every run is for you...a 50 min 5k is just as far as a 30 min 5k, enjoying your run is most important...keep me posted through the quest and remember, we’re all here cheering you on 👏🏻👏🏻💪🏻
I'm very happy to be off the IC (well more or less). I've done a few 5kms and a 6km in the forest. Sometimes in the pouring rain and sometimes in crisp autumn weather. I'm enjoying the colours of the trees so much. My quest for November is to get back up to a 10km distance and keep up the wall squats and the Pilates. I swear! Happy plodding, sploshing, squelching and zipping along VRBs
Sounds like a great quest Paula, so glad to hear you’re off the IC...I got a soaking today, what a liberating feeling it is?! I think the trees are really catching our eyes this year, they are just stunning...I’m sure you will manage that magic 10k before the quest is finished x
So I'm a bit late to the scene but decided I needed to look for something to motivate me since graduating c25k!.. Dont want to just tail off and go back to where I started!
My goals for Nov are:
To run 2x a week (doesn't seem much but it's on top of a number of other things, 3x a week was all too much!)
At first to keep going with my 30 mins but to slowly start increasing this if I can
Hi Parky88 ...that sounds like a great quest...we all know that work/life dictates so if it’s twice a week for you that’s fab! 30 minutes of running is a brilliant time...it’s strange because when you’re waiting for half an hour for something it can fly but when you’re running it it can seem like a lifetime so whatever you do with that 30 mins, whether you increase it or try to cover more distance or just stay at running for 30 mins you are amazing and don’t you forget it x
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November Quest - 3rd Week on the Quest
