A Nice Relaxed 60 Minute Run on a Sunday Afternoon

[Birdlady64]

I've only been doing 5k or less since the Vitality 10,000 at the end of October, and not even felt remotely like doing anything longer. But finally, for the last day or two I've been feeling the urge to do a longer run. 😀🏃‍♀️

I was determined to get out at some point this weekend, despite the gremlins and household events doing their best to thwart me. In the end it didn't happen until 2:30 this afternoon.

😠

It was near perfect weather for a run 🌞😎 - 10 degrees, beautiful sunshine and no wind. Tights (shorts would have been fine), high vis long sleeved top (in case I go long and its getting dark by the time I'm home) and my Buff sun visor.

I chose NRC "Run With Paula" for this run. A 45 minute run where Paula Radcliffe talks about her journey from watching the London Marathon as a child, to breaking the world record in 2003 in London. I really enjoyed this one.

I wasn't sure how far I was going to run when I set off, so I just took things nice and easy. No looking at the watch. Just keeping it nice and relaxed. Trying to concentrate on maintaining form throughout the run.

I ran my usual route of late, down past the rugby club. At the bottom of the unmade road, I felt good so I decided to add in a circuit around the local Nature Reserve. There were quite a few dog walkers 🐕, but oddly no other runners. The leaves have virtually all fallen now, and there is a deep carpet of them across the paths.

Leaving the Reserve I was tempted to do a repeat circuit, but decided against and continued instead on down past the church and towards the Leisure Centre.

Approaching the Centre, and the guided run ended.

I could have headed towards home - my my legs were starting to feel a bit heavy for some reason, but my breathing was still nice and relaxed so I decided to continue on and so turned in the opposite direction into the small park.

I ran on through the park back towards the main road, heading away from home and then up another unmade road and into the woods. Approaching the end of the road, I would normally bear right into the woods, but for some reason - maybe inspired by Jools2020 and her famous dead-end track - I decided to run on down to the gate at the end of the lane, touch it and turn back. Well that was a wise decision that culminated in my feet getting totally submersed in a large, much deeper than it looked, muddy puddle. Peppa Pig eat your heart out!!!

Ah well - I expect my running shoes will scrub clean .

I continued on for a short while, that brings me to the bottom of the houses that back onto mine. Checking my watch for the first time I see I've been running for just over 58 minutes. I carry on to reach the 60 minute mark and stop.

Time 1:00:10, distance 7.02km, average pace 8.34/km

No PBs, or personal records for this one, and no Strava bling. But all in all a thoroughly enjoyable relaxed run. And finally a run that was longer than 5k! 😁

The last time I ran 7k was as part of the Magic Plan back in September. That took me 1:06:00 with an average pace of 9:22/km. My 60 minute graduation run back in August was largely downhill and covered 6.5 km at an average pace of 9.07/km. Both of these felt like really hard work at the time.

What a difference a couple of months makes!

The photo was taken on a lunchtime walk in the woods earlier this week.

[dijep Graduate10]

Lovely photo looks glorious.It's such a great feeling to go and run without an agenda about time, peace or length 😊 Well done on your 7k pity about the wet shoes.

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to dijep]

Thanks I was just kind of going with the flow for this run.

It was nice to do something a bit longer for a change. The shoes will scrub up I expect. I'm waiting for the mud to dry out a bit first before attempting to wash them off. I don't need them again until Tuesday

[nowster Graduate10]

Well done! It looks like things are getting to be less of an effort, which is a great improvement.

I myself went out for a 5 mile round trip walk myself today, scouting out a possible new 6.6km route. I set off in sunshine, then about half way round the clouds came in and there was light rain for about 10 minutes.

It was slightly longer than planned as I diverted into some local woods rather than continuing on the pavements. Bad move: lots of crowds and very muddy paths. At a steady walk it was 100 minutes.

I walked behind a father/daughter pair who were running slow intervals. The girl's gait was perfect but his gait was awful, twisting his feet to the sides like I used to do as a kid. Of course, I said nothing.

It got me a bit of Garmin virtual bling, too, for walking over 3 miles. And with over 10,000 steps under my toes today, the watch is going to demand something similar tomorrow.

There I go again, waffling on about stuff I've done!

Well done on your effortless hour. 👍

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to nowster]

Thanks. It is starting to feel easier which is nice.Funnily enough I did the same thing on Saturday, wearing my wellies. Not to scout a new route, but to assess the situation in terms of mud, on one of my favoured woodland/cross-field routes of the summer

It needs a few more dry days before I will try that, even in trail shoes.

The car park for the woods was ridiculously busy - it was like someone was giving away £50 notes there.

I have never seen so many people walking the paths in over 25 years of living here.

Congratulations on the Garmin bling👏🎉

And good luck for tomorrow and the start of the speed challenge 😁

[nowster Graduate10 in reply to Birdlady64]

There was one public footpath to one side of the route I was walking today that I wouldn't even have tackled in wellies for fear of them getting stuck in the mud. We've had a lot of rain here this autumn.

[Maz1103 Graduate10]

Great relaxed run by the looks of it.

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Maz1103]

Thanks - I really enjoyed myself. It was nice to run without any pressure or ultimate aim for a change

[Jools2020 Graduate10]

This sounds like such a lovely run for you, Diane; although I have to admit to having an evil little chuckle about the puddle and I take full responsibility 😂

I love making decisions on the fly about which route I’m going to take and how long I run for! It makes each run seem like an adventure and you never know, of course, where there is a puddle lurking!

I think our paces must be similar; I recall doing a 7km run recently that was an hour.

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Jools2020]

Thanks Julia!I enjoyed this run a lot.

I saw the puddle approaching, thought that looks a bit deep, and you know how things kind of happen in slow motion?.... 🤦😂

Never mind.....

We may have similar pace but of course you can sustain it for a lot longer and go a lot further than I can

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to Birdlady64]

I know about the slow motion from falling off my new bike 😂.

I’m sure you’ll be catching up with me soon. Neither of us is in a hurry 😀

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Jools2020]

Oh No! I hope you didn't hurt yourself!

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to Birdlady64]

No, no, the bike keeled over (in slow motion) with me on it and we landed on the soft grass 😂. Haven’t got the hang of the gears yet!

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Jools2020]

😂 I have a slap stick like image in my head now.....At least you had a soft landing

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to Birdlady64]

😂

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

Lovely photo and what a good run, leaves make a carpet of beauty but can be slippery 😀we are moving in to winter running and a bonus when the sun shines

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Yes those leaves can be slippery for sure but it was nice to have some sunshine to run in for a change 😁I needed that one after a stressful few days.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Birdlady64]

Being able to go for a run has made a difference hasn’t it?

[Slothgoesrunning Graduate10]

This sounds like a really enjoyable run. The woods are great right now (especially when it’s dry and sunny). Might try the Paula run soon - she is inspirational. But will give the Peppa Pig run a miss 😉😂

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Slothgoesrunning]

Ha ha! Thanks yes it was a good run.

The woods are lovely all year round but I love the colours in Autumn.

We just need a few dry days now

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10]

Great run for you Birdlady64 that -10 makes it look like you ran in that temperature, no way was it that cold, I understand why you are so happy with your times as they are getting quicker by each run, well done.

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to AlMorr]

Thanks Al. I wasn't trying to be faster, quite the opposite in fact, which is what makes it all the more pleasing.

Ha ha! Yes you are right, it does! I think I would have worn some warmer clothes if it had been that chilly 🥶

[Frizzbomb67 Graduate10]

Sounds like a nice relaxed run 😊 I ran with a Paula as well yesterday to complete W2 of the magic plan. I enjoyed it. If you have t run with Mo yet I’d recommend it.

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Frizzbomb67]

Thanks - it was a nice run. Yes that one is definitely on my to do list.

[Lifluf Graduate10]

That sounds like a lovely run with no pressure. Soggy muddy feet are a bit of a pain at this time of the year aren't they? I have to say though, even when my feet are really wet, running keeps them warm.

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Lifluf]

Sorry - missed your reply. Thank you - it was a nice run.

I must say I've never suffered from cold feet whilst running. Lets see what winter brings. I keep wondering if I should invest in a thicker pair of socks.

[Littleoyellow Graduate10]

Just catching up with your run Birdlady after a shocker of a week- sounds like a really positive run for you and the weather was glorious 😁 well done on the distance, it's uplifting to change our routines up every so often and you bit the bullet 😁👍

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Littleoyellow]

Thanks! It was a good one, and it was nice to get another 7k under my belt for a change.I'd like to keep that up but this last week has been two 5k and one 4.9k

[Littleoyellow Graduate10 in reply to Birdlady64]

Take it easy- nothing is more important than continuing to enjoy what you're doing 😁🏃‍♀️👍