A Good Run!

[ktsok]

Well, well! After a bit of faffing I got myself out the door on a grey, damp, lightly foggy and mildishly cold morning. The Garmin is still locked in a safe far, far away so it was Nike Run Club again. I didn’t have any pockets so the phone got tucked deep into a waist belt. I had ‘A Cold Run’ playing, mainly because it is the right length. For some reason my phone keeps selecting Dougie MacLean’s Whitewash album to accompany NRC guided runs. It’s been doing this since I cancelled my Apple Music subscription, like some sort of twisted punishment. It felt too much work to try to get to the phone and change the settings, what with cold fingers, gloves, tops and fluorescent bibs, so off I trotted to ‘Trail of the Survivor’, ‘Gloomy Winter’, ‘No No No’ and ‘Rescue Me’. Yes, those really are the first four tracks.

However, the tempo was just right and I quickly found myself trotting along in a happy Folk bubble.

10 minutes in I realised that I wasn’t hearing the kilometre/pace notifications, but I was so mellow at that point it felt good not to know.

It was a great run, people! I haven’t had one of those in sooooo long. I was comfortable, no aches and pains, breathing easy. I smiled and said ‘hello’ to people with genuine, comfortable bonhomie. There were a couple of muddy hills which were a little wilting and I took the gates and cattle grids slightly more slowly than strictly necessary after those obstacles, but I didn’t feel the need to stop at any point.

With no Garmin or phone to glance at, I had no idea what pace I was going. I stopped when I was nearly home for a photoshoot at this fabulous tree, then off again at an easy pace to finish.

Well! Look at those splits! I’m so chuffed - these are times I was doing when I was running at my most regularly AND I felt good doing it. I’m not going to give up wearing the Garmin - the stats are just too good to wallow in - but I shall definitely experiment with sticking a plaster/strap over it to help resist the temptation to peek. And I might even stick with Dougie.

Happy running, peeps!

[ForbiddenPlanet Graduate10]

Well done - Sounds good! 🎶😁I've also found I'm running easier and faster without paying so much attention to my Garmin - though I do still love it. I think it's easier to keep a good rhythm when I'm not forever twisting my arm and neck to look at it.

[ktsok in reply to ForbiddenPlanet]

‘Tis true. A good friend for after the run though!

[ForbiddenPlanet Graduate10 in reply to ktsok]

Oh yes - I love poring over the data my Garmin collects!

[Jell6 Graduate10]

It is more enjoyable when you don't feel that you have gone too slow, not far enough. Your stats look great though.

I can't remember when I last did 6 k, but I will increase distance slowly this year.

Is that you, the lesser spotted ktsok ?😊

[ktsok in reply to Jell6]

Yes! I’m usually up a tree or a rock 🙂

[Jell6 Graduate10 in reply to ktsok]

I go a bit dizzy on a mat 😂😂😂😂

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

Wow that’s fast and it sounds like a lovely run, the tree is looking majestic too can’t wait to see it sprouting green buds

[ktsok in reply to SueAppleRun]

Not long now, there are green shoots everywhere!

How did your walk go?

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to ktsok]

It turned out not to be a proper walk in the end, i walked round a craft shop then walked round Boots then walked round a wool shop by then Willow felt he’d been out long enough so we came home, tomorrow we will try a proper walk

I had another look at your photo i had been trying to make out the white part when suddenly you jumped out at me very clever

[Deals1 Graduate10]

great! its fab when yo u have a run and everything feels good

[Grannyhugs Graduate10]

Fantastic run and great times. I too am keeping garmin hidden up sleeve so I dont see times until I'm finished, well done. Happy running

[PaulS83]

The fact you did that with a zero heart rate ...certain things start to make sense to me...

Ooh, negative splits. You’ll have to tell Garmin all about it.

What on earth have you done to that tree? It’s been filleted.

[PaulS83 in reply to PaulS83]

All those bloody vegans I expect

[ktsok in reply to PaulS83]

I have updated the Garmin app, like a true nerd. It wouldn’t let me put the splits in, darn it.

The Garmin is back on my wrist and I am happy to report my heart is beating again at a nice relaxed 58bpm.

Good tree isn’t it? There are several lightning struck trees round here, not sure if this is the story here... my son and I like to think of it as The Portal.