First 9k - First NRC Run - Forget About The Watch!

[Birdlady64]

I just got back from my first 9k run and the only thing that is aching is my neck!😶

I woke up this morning with a stiff neck. Hopefully I have just lied on it awkwardly in the night, but who knew that you use your neck muscles so much when you run?!!🤷‍♀️

I tried a Nike Run Club guided run for the first time today. I picked an 80 minute run called "Run Long With Joanie" . I have to say I quite enjoyed this. Joan Benoit Samuelson won gold at the first ever women's Olympic marathon and she offers lots of inspiring and motivational tips throughout the run, with coach Bennett posing the questions. It made the time pass much more quickly and what she had to say was really interesting. I would use this again.

She was making a big point about running to "feel" rather obsessing about your watch all the time, and I tried to do that, only just occasionally checking to see what my average pace was for the run as I didn't want to run out of steam too soon and be unable to finish the run. I'm still trying to figure out what my comfy pace is for these longer runs - that part doesn't seem to come naturally to me and when I looked at the stats afterwards my splits were all over the shop. The last 2k were the slowest - but I blame that on the fact that they were uphill! 😤😤😤

This run was a 9k as the final run of week 6 of the Magic 10 Plan and I would have liked to complete it within the 80 minutes duration of the guided run, but just missed that, coming in with a time of 1 hour and 22 minutes for the 9k.

Overall not too shoddy and I'm reasonably happy.

Clothing choice - shorts, t-shirt, lightweight jacket (removed after 4k) and calf compression sleeves. The latter do seem to help with muscle fatigue on these longer runs.

Oh - and a sunvisor! 😁 👍 It's a Buff and is brilliant - it's really lightweight, has a foldable peak, and rolls up really small and fits in my pocket. It actually cost me 99p on Amazon Prime Day, with a £10 voucher so I think that was a bargain 😀

[Roxdog Graduate10]

Oh well done. Finding pace is weird isn't it! I keep going out with too many clothes on and end up looking like a cricket umpire with everything round my waist! Great run for you today!

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Roxdog]

Ha! Ha! There's a picture in my head now.

Thanks. It's so difficult to know what to wear at the moment. Last run I was cold on my warm up and cool down walk which was the reason for the jacket today.

I'm honing it down to a fine art putting it on and off and tying and untying it round my waist whilst still running 😁🏃‍♀️

[Instructor57 Graduate10]

Great 9k run for you !

And yes, it's good to forget the watch , I hardly looked at mine today also,

I enjoy it better if I'm not staring at my watch 😁

Haha, love the 99p visor 😁👍

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Instructor57]

Thanks. It's so easy to get fixated on the numbers isn't it

Considering the RRP is over £20 I was pleased. It's more of a hot weather thing tbh but it did the job today and I didn't even feel it on my head. Plus doubles up as a sweat band 🥵😁

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10]

Good run for you Birdlady64, don't worry about that 80 minutes, perhaps the next run, onwards and upwards. 😊 🏃🏾 Good photo of you in your running clothes 😊🏃🏾

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to AlMorr]

Thanks Al. That's just outside my front door when I got home after my run. No wonder I look slightly hot and bothered 😄

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

That’s awesome, well done, we are on week 4 so are chasing you from behind, I’m really impressed though and the photo is great

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Thank you.

I'm still impressing myself on this running journey. I wouldn't say today was easy but I think in myself that 10k is achievable

Sounds like the plan is working for you too 👍How fantastic we all are 😁

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Birdlady64]

We really are aren’t we? yes 😀

[Jools2020 Graduate10]

Well done to you! 🏃‍♀️👏👍

I agree with you that finding a consistent pace is tricky. Especially as you don’t want to be glued to your watch all the time. The more longer runs you can do, the easier it gets. It’s only the last couple of runs I’ve done that the splits have been much better.

Like the visor! I wore one of mine today and needed it - actually for the sun!

You must be chuffed to bits with that 9K! Such a great feeling! 😀

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Jools2020]

Thank you! Yes I am pretty chuffed with myself 😁

The visor is ace and really comfy. Its been cloudy most of the day here but it was brightening up a bit when I went out so I rolled it up and put it in my jacket pocket. I was glad as the sun decided to show itself half way around and it was right in my eyes.

It also works as a sweat band and the peak folds up too.

I'm not going to worry to much about splits - I'm concentrating on getting the runs done. That can come later

[Hareshaw-Granny Graduate10]

Amazing achievement, so pleased you're progressing well, especially after your original doubts. Not long to go now till 10k.👍👍

I'll get there eventually hoping to restart on Monday🤞

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Hareshaw-Granny]

Thank you!

I hope the toe/foot is back to normal now.

Good to know you're planning to run again. Take it slowly and see how things go and I'm sure you won't be too far behind me 😁👍

[Hareshaw-Granny Graduate10 in reply to Birdlady64]

Foot very nearly healed thanks, but whilst plussing up on cycling to keep up my fitness I came off and completely knackered my left thigh, another two weeks on the IC. 😱 Anyway being positive am hoping to restart on Monday with some easy interval running for a few runs and build up gradually.👍👍

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Hareshaw-Granny]

OMG! 😱It never rains but it pours right? I guess it could have been a lot worse seeing what happened to Geraint Thomas in the Giro d'Italia.

Good luck for your come back 🤞👍

[Couchphoenix Graduate10]

Well done Birdlady64, Nike Run Club App is great, the runs do make the run a lot more enjoyable. I haven’t tried Run Long With Joanie, sounds a good one, I’ll have to give that one a go 👍

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Couchphoenix]

Thanks

I'd resisted trying NRC before as I thought it might be all typical American and cheesy but this wasn't like that.

I picked this primarily as I thought the duration would cover the 9k but Joan Benoit Samuelson was a bit of a pioneer for women's running and I found it quite inspirational.

[Tillybeach Graduate10]

Well done you!!! Great time. I managed the 9k too . Probably progressed too quickly after my cold but I was determined to get back on track Very hard and very uphill! Trouble with doing it in morning I was so tired for the whole day!!

Only another 4k, 5k and then the 10k!! What shall we do after!!!

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Tillybeach]

I have another 4,5 and 9 to go first.

I've no idea what comes next but after this I'm going to be a bit less hard in myself and just run for the sheer pleasure of running for a while.

Good luck for your 10k 🤞👍💪

[Queenie17 Graduate10]

Well done on your 9k🎉hope the stiff neck has eased and loving the sound of that sunvisor👍