Hello you lovely Questers....firstly, let me apologise for not replying to everyone on the first post....I have SO MUCH going on at the moment, I have read everyones replies and tried to respond to as many as I could...I will be better this week I PROMISE!!!
So, how's it going for you all?? Everyone had such good quest goals for last week...have you achieved them?? How's it going???
I'll let you into a little secret...I am currently training to be a driving instructor so I am reciting the highway code on my runs!!! I'm also reading the traffic when i'm running at the side of the road, looking for hazards etc!!! It's taking over my head!!! I am going for some training this weekend in Ripon, all day Sat and all day Sun so I'm not sure when I will fit my running in as they involve driving for 10 hours each day so my eyes will be on storks when I'm driving home!!!! Then I have a driving exam on the 19th in Barnsley and that will be part two done...and hopefully passed??!!!
My running this week has been going to plan, I have been doing some drill workouts which involve a mixture of slow running and fast running, they give me structure which is what I like...I've always liked a plan...and then this morning was a 10.4k...oooof, my legs were tired at the end of it and I was soaked to the skin...and shivering!! Think that's the first shiver of the year out of the way!!!
A bit of tree sheltering was involved and also a walk over a 'Gruffalo bridge' because it's cobbles...and I don't like cobbles...
It's not too late to join in, let me know how you're doing and what the plan is....
Let's stay 'ON IT' in October...
Happy running everyone and stay safe my lovely VRB's xxx
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Mummycav
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I've not managed to run alternate days as I had hoped as I needed an extra couple of days off due to an overenthusiastic HIIT session and several glasses of vino on my birthday. I have managed all of my other planned runs though. One was even unplanned as I had to drop the car off at the garage so I combined it with a run home. I have been mixing things up with a shorter interval run/hill repeats, a 5k and a longer run at the weekend. Thankfully I managed to miss most of the rain when I went out on Saturday for my longer run. It was dry when I got up so I headed out straight away. It was also my first run in the dark so I stuck to the main roads and took my new lighted harness out for a test drive. I was determined to be visible and felt like a Christmas tree, but it worked.
LEJOG is still progressing nicely. I am at 250 miles now. I'm still on the M5 heading towards Worcester. I aim to be there by tomorrow.
Yoga and strength work continue. I treated myself to an instrument of torture (aka foam roller) as I have found my calf muscles have been feeling tight. It seemed to help yesterday even though I struggled to use it due to discomfort. Hopefully it will get easier with use.
Hi EThomas ...thank you for your good luck wishes, I will put them in my pocket!!
Sounds like a very enjoyable birthday?? At least you got that extra run in when you had to run home....I found hitching a lift with my hubby during the lockdown when I didn’t have to do the school run and running home were always good runs because you know how far you have still to go and you can choose a start point depending on the mood...or the planned run etc!
I have a foam roller too, I like mine, I roll all sorts with it, I think you’ll find it less torturous in a couple of weeks!! 😉
I've been struggling for motivation. Still running but struggling. But yesterday evening I got out and did a good effort for 5K. Felt good about it. Will run again tomorrow and maybe on Thursday I will do a nice light jog. Then (not)parkrun on Saturday plus a long gentle run on Sunday. I'm going to work at going back to sub 30 mins for 5K and eventually sub 28 mins. I've got a drive to succeed again.
Best wishes on your driving course and test. It sounds like a very busy time. I did a motorcycle course about 5 years ago. Although I decided to give up on the motorcycling, I passed the test. I drive for my job a lot and I must say that the motorcycle driving course made such a difference to my driving. Opened my eyes to different situations and potential problems on the road. Best wishes.
Thank you so much damienair , I will give it my all!
I know what you mean about still running but struggling with motivation, this happens to me all the time...and it’s times like that when I wonder if I’d benefit from having a running buddy, but then that thought quickly leaves my head...I saw a friend as I was setting off on Sunday morning, she was across the road running along with her friend chit chatting and it’s often a battle going on in my head when I’m not quite motivated and I wondered if she doesn’t have that battle and whether it’s just us lonely goats that have these battles??? Most important thing is...& this just shows your determination...you’re still going even though it’s a struggle...maybe changing your frame of mind before you set off and not thinking about distance or pace, just until the love comes back??? Be kind to yourself Damien, you’re such an inspiration x
Sorry I missed the original post, I am pleased to say that I have nearly completed my 100 day days of running should finish in 2 days, but I have decided to carry on until the end of October. Good luck to everyone with there quests.
Hi Mummycav. Apologies I'm late to the party for October 🙈 last week was crazy with the biggest boy turning 4 and packing for holiday, but now we are away, I can relax (a bit) and catch up! So, I have no running goals for this month due to ongoing insertional achilles tendinitis issues... if I feel up to a run I'll go, if I don't that's fine. My main focus for this month is continued strengthening work for my achilles and I'm looking to devise and implement a more comprehensive strengthening programme so when I am back out running properly I'm back better than before 💪
I am also doing LEJOG4, I've now got just under 700 miles to go so I'll keep plodding on 🚶♀️
Super good luck at the weekend and for your test on the 19th 🤞
Aw thank you so much Mum22boys Im collecting all these lovely wishes and putting them in my pocket!
You’ve got it just right there, if you’re away and you don’t get to run so be it...your running will be waiting for you when you get home...I think a break will re-charge your batteries and give that injury a real good chance to heal...enjoy your time away with your lovely family x
Loving this! Nothing but good luck and positivity to you on your weekend and tests to come.
I'm going to join a bit late and try running the Maffetone thingy. It's 180 minus your age so 180-47 is 133 so I'm going to run every run in the rest of the month at heart rate 133 or less! I've done something similar before but I need a few recovery runs so this'll do the trick 😊
That’s interesting Hidden , I’ve never heard of that! I might give that a go...I love all the ideas on here, honestly, there’s loads to go at!!! Thank you 😊
Ooo, on my run this morning my heart rate was over 150 bpms...I don’t know how to get it down!! It was in zone 5 nearly the whole run...does that mean I might have a heart attack???? It feels like it 🤣🤣🤣🤣
I'm still new to it all really but yes, zone 5 isn't ideal really. Zone 2-3 are from what I know. I did heart rate training for a month before a while ago after learning about it from Tasha99 . I'll give this a go then mix things up. I did feel from doing it before though that I could run much further much more comfortably and was not out of breath. It's tricky slowing down and runs take longer but golly, for me it was worth it. I don't get out of breath at all on long runs and when I finish it's like I've been walking. Obviously you're fatigued by the run but breathing is so calm. Every now and then I'd do a quick one so I didn't lose my speed but the benefits are to me, tremendous. Zone 3 is where I aim.
I wonder why mine just stays in zone 5 all the flippin time...my breathing is calm though...honestly you never know what’s going on inside!!! My heart rate def seems to go up when it’s cold too...maybe that’s something to do with my asthma?? Oh I don’t know...🥴
I adjusted my heart rate zones after a lengthy discussion with UnfitNoMore The standard settings of 220 minus your age for max heart rate don't work for everyone.
It’s all so complicated!! So I start at 220, take away my age and that’s my maximum hr?? You’d think I’d know all this wouldn’t you?? 🙄 I need to pay attention...
That's what the standard formula is and then percentages of that give you zones 1-5. However on more than 1 occasion my heart rate had gone above my supposed maximum meaning my maximum was actually higher than using this formula suggested. By adjusting this is changed the zones meaning my easy conversational pace was in zone 3 rather than zone 5! Does that make any sense 🙃
I've heard of this... I'm going to add it to my long list of things to read and try when I'm running again. Looking forward to hearing how you get on Hidden
I’m training using the MAF formula. It’s not based on your max heart rate. It’s 180 - your age + / - other considerations. Neither resting nor maximum heart rate is factored into the 180 formula.
For example I’m 46 and a runner that has been injured so my maf is 180-46-5=129
All of my training is within 119-129 although I do sometimes run until my watch hits 134. Don’t tell Dr Phil 😂
It’s extremely hard to do and takes a lot of patience. I’ve been doing it for a few months and I’m still run / walk, run walk between 10 beats of my maf rate.
However, I’m making progress and sometimes I can now run more than walk at a really low heart rate which for future training is worth it for me. You have to leave your ego when posting to Strava! One of my friends who has just run the London virtual marathon in just over 3 hours asked me whether I had stopped running when I first started. Cheeky 😂
It might be a good time to try it with your injury and all the walking you do daily.
I had a look at the link Hidden included above last night, it looks good. My walking average is usually around 115bpm but obviously there are higher points, especially if pushing the pushchair up hill 🤣
Hey Mummycav!! You certainly have got lots going on!! Fantastic!! I’m sure you’ll be an amazing driving instructor!! 😁
Good on you for that 10.4K too!! 🤩🤩 I’m re-living the delights of having a plan at the moment and it’s been brilliant. Weather doesn’t come into it on run day. It’s just a matter of where! 😂 Love that! 🥰 All going well so far!!
Still slightly terrified about having signed up to Virtual 2020 Vitality London 10,000😱
But I am still more or less on course to make that my graduation run on the Magic Plan although the last 2 or 3 runs have been a bit tough. I'm hoping for a better 4k tomorrow before Saturday's 8k run.
Plus I missed my swim today as I am in between cars atm, having sold my old one and still waiting for the new one to arrive. That's making me a bit crotchety.
Ooo, Now that is a goal....but you must have it on you otherwise you wouldn’t have signed up for it right?? We have every faith in you...and are cheering you all the way 😉 and what a wonderful graduation run that will be?!
I cannot WAIT for our local swimming pool to reopen, I live almost opposite so am a regular...I’ll be queuing at the door with my towel under my arm when they open!
I’d be crotchety without my car too...Thankyou for you good luck wishes, my collection is growing x 😉
Your Garmin will have estimated your max HR based on age and gender... but if you’re running in zone 5 and your breathing is also calm, the generalisation of 220-age or whatever formula Garmin use isn’t accurate for you.
Max HR isn’t the maximum safe rate, it’s the maximum rate your heart will go to during exercise. Are you seeing a max HR higher than your watch says is your max? If you are, without any issues, change to that number in the watch and see how you go.
Yes, my HR is 168 based on the 220-age thing...but say yesterday, I did a 10k and my max HR was 171 and on the run before that which was a cadence drill (max cadence 245) was 174...what should I set it to??
174 would be a good place to start... you may get higher with longer cadence or hill sprints, so keep an eye on it. I’ll have a look on connect as I can see your runs!
Thanks for running the quest on top of everything else. You always remember your first Driving instructor 👍🏻
All well with my goals.
I’ve done 16miles so far of my 50mile Oct goal all maf miles ( see my reply to Mum22boys ) with an update on my maf experience.
I’ve continued with my low carb test which is another Dr Phil Maffetone suggestion. I read his endurance training and racing book which I found helpful. Feeling much better without the carbs so far but early days.
Keeping stress to the minimum is still a challenge with all four boys still remote learning until the 12th but my little one returned to preschool this week so one down, four to go 😊
The ‘maf’ thing sounds interesting amd complicated...I’ll have to read it a few times to get it, I’m a bit of a scan reader and then wonder why something doesn’t go in first time!! 🙄
Phew, remote learning has been so difficult and draining...I’ve always said I wouldn’t fall out with my children over homework because that’s extra but it’s been a challenge so I know what you mean..mine are all back now but who knows for how long at this rate!??
Thank you for your good wishes, I’ve never had a driving lesson in my life, just drove to and from college with my then boyfriends Dad but it worked for me as I passed first time so this weekend will be so new to me, I’m quite looking forward to it but my hubby says he doesn’t envy anyone sitting next to me and picking faults (if there are any) with my driving!! 🤣🤣🤣 coz I’m the best driver in the world you know...
Hi Mummycav. I've just realised that I responded to the first October quests post in my head only and never got round to posting my thoughts! Ah well 🙄, sign of a busy week.
If I had posted then one of my quests was to run my first 10k this month, and I achieved this yesterday on my birthday! It was kind of accidental brought about by a combination of a confusion between myself and Mr DD over our post run meet up arrangements and a torrential downpour of rain. This led to me running an extra 1k loop so I didn't get cold whilst I waited for him to catch up, culminating in my first 10k 😆! I'm just waiting for damienair to award me my shiny badge.
So slightly adapting my running quest now, I hope to run another 10k before the month is out.
My other quest is to do more regular yoga at home, over and above my weekly class session. This is an ongoing target, but I am gradually getting better. I'd love to try and get to doing it everyday but life is a bit chaotic at the moment and finding a quiet space at home isn't easy. My two teenagers have taken over various rooms in the house whilst they do some of their learning from home.
🚙 🚗 Good luck with your driving instructor exams! My daughter has just started learning to drive and I think her instructor must have nerves of steel and a halo above her head! 😇
Whoop whoop a birthday 10k!!! Yay!! Happy belated birthday wishes to you Hidden xxx
I keep saying I’m going to start doing a bit of yoga but there’s always something else taking over!! I’ll have to set aside a time during the day when I make myself do some...and move the Vac out of the way so it’s not staring at me!!!
Good luck with your next 10k, I’ll be putting a new quest post up every week so you can let us know when it happens xx have a good week xx
Well, I have done nothing whatsoever towards my Quest goals... stuff to worry about and stuff to get stuffed... until today when I got in a wee run which turned out even wee-er because there were sloes calling out to be picked. Lovely bit of sunshine and Autumn colour.
Binned off the Weight Loss HU Forum, long overdue but prompted by the formal de-coupling from the NHS programme. So (as it took me quite a while to work out how to do that) perhaps that does count as a 15 minute decluttering session!
Ohhhh life...gets in the way sometimes...and the sloes? Well, how could you ever run straight passed them?! It was a gorgeously sunny day today here too...
Hi MC, just checking in to report another (not) parkrun on target this week
On the subject of heart rate zones, I file whatever Mr Garmin tells me on the subject along with VO Max figures under "B" for "Bow locks" ...... sorry!
Here goes with feedback, not to be taken too seriously, on my goals:
1. Keep on running and enjoy it.
I only ran twice in the first week of October, but the first was my second-ever 10 miler, 16.36k in fact. The second run was 5k and would've been very boring, had I not been accompanied by the neighbour's Border Collie puppy. That proved fabulous training for paying attention to my surroundings, and my ability to vary pace, swerve, jump, and run backwards and in very small circles, all punctuated with appropriate commands to the dog.
2. Not regain weight.
I haven't. Averts eyes from bread. Tells self must not spend weekend baking. Remembers has class next week at the boulangerie-pâtisserie, where they feed me cake and then send me home with more goodies. Hmm.
3. Treat myself to something nice and running-related that doesn't come out of Lidl's bargain box.
Slight progress made, but significant room for improvement. Bought two pairs of running socks, four pairs of seamless knickers (tmi!) and some fluo yellow LED silicone armband thingys from the local discount shop. Also got what I thought were cold weather running leggings from Decathlon, but which turn out to be skiing undies. Don't care, they fit well and will be comfy for running, so they'll be worn one way or another. Supreme Decathlon triumph: a discounted hooded top, in orange, also for winter running. I feel I should be particularly proud of this since it's supposedly for a 14 year old girl. I turned 60 on Monday.
Hope the driving exams go really well MummyCav, and happy running to all
Hi! I must have missed the first quest post for October, but my goals for these next weeks are as follows:
1) buy some winter running clothes!! A one off, but frankly tees are just not cutting it!
2) run 4 times a week - including one faster session and one longer session
3) vary my running times to fit my schedule / stop putting things off!
4) drink enough water and eat enough food!! such a big one which I need to get in hand
So far this week: I've been out 3/4 times - waiting for the long one on the Weekend! I do need to go shopping, hopefully which will also occur this weekend. I do need to work on the water situation though :/
Sticking to the recovery from IC plan here. Got a head cold on Sunday afternoon which kept me indoors and feeling grotty for 4 days. Back on track on Friday lunchtime.
So far I've been doing pairs of runs of similar difficulty.
Next run will be on Sunday morning using the timings from C25K's week 4. Depending on how easy that feels, I'll progress on to something with more running and less walking.
Ooh what a lot of birthdays this month - it’s mine tomorrow too.
My quest is going well with a (not) parkrun PB with running buddies on Wednesday and a 9k run this morning.
I’m hoping to reach 10k this week and then repeat it on 25th When I will also be doing the vitality virtual 10000 after the run around London Landmarks was cancelled.
I’ve also pledged to run 25 miles this month and complete a running bingo card. So far, so good.
Hi Mummycav!! 🤗 All going well in Week 2!! Happily out running 3 days a week, come rain or shine!! And I’ve had both & it was a bit of a chilly start today too, but all done! ✅
Another day is not an option even considered! It’s all about what’s best to wear today?! That feels so amazing! 😁❤️
Hello! I'm mainly sticking to my quest, although running every third day, so not quite 3 runs a week. Wearing my new socks though! Did a 10k last week, but no time to do another 10k this weekend. I have ambitions to do about 12k next weekend, depending on how I feel - could be shorter, could be longer, we'll see! One thing I didn't mention for my October quest but which seems to be happening, is tackling more 'hills'. I live in a flat area so a hill isn't quite the same here, but there are plenty of bridges to run up and long slow inclines in various places. Pleased I'm no longer terrified of them. A previous injury made me nervous of any inclines, and I'm also amazed that with arthritic knees, which used to hurt walking down hills, I can now run downhill no problem.
Hi Mummycav, I hope your driving course went well. Quite exhausting I should think.
All good here, two runs of Wk3 c25k done and dusted. I think I will need to tackle some hilly bits once I get to Wk4 and five minute runs as I will need a longer route...
I have been doing a daily yoga practice and my strength and conditioning regularly. The Plantar pain in my right foot is manageable now, just a bit achey in the evenings whether I have run or not, but no worse.
Feeling happy to be progressing, enjoying using the app with Laura coaching and me ticking off the runs.😊
Happy running and good luck with your recoveries to those who are on the IC.🍁xxx
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Marchtastic! It's Week 2 of the Quest!!! 🤩🌷🌼🐇
Better late than never..... week 4 of the 10 is the Magic Number 10k plan 😎
I’m late, I’m late The Quest week 4 snuck up on me 
BLAZE a TRAIL... October Quest. Week 2... Come run!
