Grim 55

[Fionamags]

Yesterday I went out for my long run of the week - on week 6 of the Magic Plan (time version). Well i was really not feeling it and for some reason the toxic 10 kicked in with a vengeance. (Possibly down to a couple of glasses of wine the night before....) So i plodded on in self-inflicted misery and decided that I'd drag myself to 20 then call it quits. By 20 minutes I was starting to feel a bit better so I thought - OK I can do 30. I suddenly got my second wind and thought I'd hang in there for the full 55.

I was running out and back on a cycle path so I turned at 28 mins and headed back. The only problem was I started floundering again and i was coming up on the older, half naked and decidedly unappealing chap that I had passed on the way out. I just knew he was going to want to chat if I stopped - so I forced myself to keep going past him. Then I thought I didn't really want him at my back in case he walked faster than me, so I kept going for the full 55 minutes.

It was my slowest, most unlovely brute of a run but it was the furthest (6.2k) and longest to date. So thanks to Mr Slightly Unpleasant and me being an antisocial personage, i got there in the end!

[Hidden]

Oh Fionamags, that sounds like a rough one for all sorts of reasons. Well done to you for toughing it out and achieving your longest and furthest run 🎉😊🏃‍♀️

[ForestGrump63 60minGraduate]

Ha that is exactly the sort of thing I do 😂😂😂

[Buddy34 Graduate10]

Congratulations on your 6.2k and your description shows you can really push yourself if you want to. 😊😊

[Hidden]

Hello Fionmags,

You paint a very funny picture ....

Just when we think we have exhausted our supply of motivating factors, there’s another one, up on the path ahead and naked! just waiting to help us through the most brutish of runs 🤣 well done you 🤗

[Wimborne]

That made me giggle ! I can just imagine the scene and I would have done exactly the same ! Fabulous run and 55 minutes is pretty incredible .... 👏👏👏👏👏

[Allbarron 60minGraduate]

Firstly...that's absolutely fantastic!!! Well done!! Take the run!! It's amazing what you can achieve but it is so funny the way you describe it. 🤣🤣. Reading some of the other posts it seems many of us have experienced the negative gremlins this week. You'll be running 60 very soon!! 🤞🤞 and to think just a few weeks ago we were wondering how to move forward. Get the wine out and celebrate!! 🍷

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to Allbarron]

Well i think the wine was the problem so I think I'll lay off before the next one. 🤣🤣🤣

[Allbarron 60minGraduate in reply to Fionamags]

Tomorrow should be a rest day🤔

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to Allbarron]

I ran yesterday but didnt have the energy tp post. 🤣🤣🤣 Don't worry - no danger of me running on consecutive days - I'm hard pushed to make myself do the 3 runs in a week.

[Allbarron 60minGraduate in reply to Fionamags]

I ran this morning but didn't have your resillience so I think I'll have to repeat this week. It's harder now I'm back at work full time😟

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to Allbarron]

Now now remember how far we've come - don't let it slip!!! I've been pretty full on at work as well and tbh if it wasn't for signing up for OldFloss's quest I wouldn't have kept going. But I want to get to that 60 minute milestone then regroup. Probably won't do as many long runs as I'd like to work on getting a better 5k time. So might alternate weeks with 5k and then 60 min runs.

You've been doing great - today was a bad run - just move on. The next one will be good!!!

[MoliJ Graduate10]

I gave up drinking the night before a run a while ago. I love a glass of wine on a Saturday night but as I run on Sunday morning it had to stop. I don’t run well after a drink. 😂. Glad you finished your run.

[Grannyhugs Graduate10]

Well done for battling through that run, it’s always tempting on an out and back route to turn early. If possible try a different route next time, may take your mind off the negative thoughts of this run and hopefully avoid mr unpleasant. Happy running 🤗

[dandydemon]

Mmm, perhaps I could hire an unappealing, half naked chap who wants to chat to turn up at my next long run and trail behind me ,.........

That would definitely motivate me!!!! Great description of the toxic 10 minutes, thought that was just me.

Congratulations on the 55 minutes!

[Hidden in reply to dandydemon]

I'd volunteer but I have a sore knee so I can't.

If you wait though, somebody might turn up.

😊 😉

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Oh dear. We don't want Mr Unpleasant to be an actual runner! I'd definitely need to chat and run then...

[Hidden in reply to Fionamags]

Well I'm not a runner at the minute, so you would be able to escape me and my unpleasantness. 👀

[dandydemon in reply to Hidden]

At my speed I probably wouldnt!! Hope the knee recovers soon

[Hidden in reply to dandydemon]

You would at the minute.

It's an on going thing from before lock down, Im cycling instead. Thank you.

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to dandydemon]

Funnily enough for me its usually just the first 5 and then I settle down. That run just threw it all at me 🤣🤣🤣

[Mum22boys Graduate10]

Well, incentive is incentive 😉 in whatever form it comes!! Well done you for battling through the demons though. You'll definitely be at the 60 minutes soon. Like a few of the others have said I also don't have a drink the night before a run.. although a rarely have more than 1 drink a week, I just make sure it's not on a pre-run night

[MartinKH Graduate10]

Very well done for getting through this run Fiona, that’s real determination 👍🏃‍♀️💪

[Blenheim11]

Well done to you for keeping going . I have to do the second longest run on tuesday and I'm keen to get it done so i am going early in the morning. Yesterday I had to overtake two dog walkers and it took me ages which was a bit demoralising but like your runner the only way to do it is head down and keep going.

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to Blenheim11]

I know exactl;y what you mean! I was in a sorry state - all I wanted to do was stop but I had to put on a burst of speed to get past....

[Celeriac Graduate10]

We'll done for keeping going. It's awful when you start off and think "Oh no, this is going to be awful" and then you play those mental games of "I'll just do a short one today" oh, maybe a bit more.....and a bit more.....Oh no, scary naked guy, maybe a bit more still......🤣

A great running story, thanks for sharing 😊

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to Celeriac]

Thanks. Glad its not just me then... I call it my CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy) approach to running. Break the problem down into small steps and tackle each one as you go... A bit like the magic plan there is the timed version and the distance one - e.g. I can make it to that big tree in the distance.... Ha ha ha ha - do you think we're all just masochists????

[dijep Graduate10]

This made me laugh, it's funny what makes us carry on, but your Mr Slightly Unpleasant sounds a brilliant motivator 😊

Well done on your distance that's brilliant especially when you felt so bad at the start.

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to dijep]

Thanks. Hopefully the next long run will be a bit easier - one more 55 minute run before the big 60! (Plus the shorter runs.)

[Kat332zz Graduate10]

Well done on your perseverance, I have a mental problem too, but mine is I always try to do the long run of the week first, makes no sense as it’s just every third run but I have to do the long one on Monday then I can relax for the rest of the week🤔 go figure!