A Double First! And a Double 5k πŸšΆβ€β™€οΈπŸƒβ€β™€οΈ - Bridge to 10K

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A Double First! And a Double 5k πŸšΆβ€β™€οΈπŸƒβ€β™€οΈ

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate10
β€’36 Replies

I've been itching to run this weekend, and wanted it to be a longer one, but life is being obstructive right now. A series of errands meant no run yesterday. ☹ I've not been sleeping that well all this week and the sleep gremlins finally won this morning. πŸ’€πŸ‘Ώ

I was uhm-ing and ah-ing about whether to run this afternoon, but decided instead on a 5k walk in the woods with Mr B. It was busy over there again. We reached home as it was getting dark.

Kettle on and I sat down with a nice cup of Rooibos. I got a real taste for this on a road trip to South Africa in 2001.

Tea drunk I say to Mr B - "I think I might go for a run in a bit". He looks at me like I've sprouted an extra headπŸ˜‚.

So, I set off from the house about 5:30 pm. Well, I've never run on a Sunday evening before, and I have never, ever run in the dark before.

So that's a double first!

I opt for a reflective yellow top (I'm not sure it reflected much at all) and a clip-on white led running light. Some proper reflective gear is on my list for Father Christmas! πŸŽ…

I used NRC "Running in the Dark". This was OK , full of tips about what gear to wear, and personal safety for running at night. I'm not too sure about coach Bennett's suggestion to carry pepper spray though!

Anyway, I stuck to the pavements (which I hate) between home and my parents house, performing a 0.7k loop several times. It was a weird experience. It felt like I was super speedy - but the stats are telling me the exact opposite!

Last knockings, but at least I finally managed to squeeze a run in this weekend. It ended up as a slow 5k in Zone 2/3, and not the longer run I had wanted. But it was a run all the same!

Happy Sunday evening everyone!

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Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64
Graduate10
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36 Replies
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nowster profile image
nowsterGraduate10

I'm not even sure pepper spray would be legal here!

Well done for braving the dark. πŸ‘

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate10β€’ in reply tonowster

No you are probably right there.Makes you wonder though if that's relatively normal in the USA

Couchphoenix profile image
CouchphoenixGraduate10

A friend of mine did the NRC β€˜Running In The Dark’ run and said all the safety tips freaked her out a bit. You should have done a Zombies Run.....they get you moving especially in the dark πŸ˜‚ well done on getting out there though and completing 5k πŸ‘πŸƒβ€β™€οΈ

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate10β€’ in reply toCouchphoenix

You know what, I never thought of that this evening, but I might have tried it if I had. I know you keep trying to persuade me.😁Tbh a lot of the advice in that NRC run was just common sense but the pepper spray idea freaked me a bit.

Couchphoenix profile image
CouchphoenixGraduate10β€’ in reply toBirdlady64

I’m guessing Coach Bennett runs in a dodgy neighbourhood like the ones you see on TV.....he’s company though when you’re out there running on your own.

Grannyhugs profile image
GrannyhugsGraduate10

Well done heading out for that run when you could have curled up for the evening. Happy running πŸ€—

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate10β€’ in reply toGrannyhugs

Thanks!It was tempting, but maybe going for a run right after a walk like that wasn't such a great idea.

I'm glad I went out though

SueAppleRun profile image
SueAppleRunGraduate1060minGraduate

A run is a run and I’m glad you managed to fit yours in before weekend ended

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate10β€’ in reply toSueAppleRun

Thanks. I'm not sure I want to make a habit of Sunday evening runs though.I gave a few days off coming up so hopefully it will be easier to make time for a run

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10

Mmm Rooibos. Sounds like a translation of Red Bush (says she with her linguist hat on!) I like Red Bush.

It sounds like a run with a difference. I’m not sure I fancy running in the dark as I’m sure I’d trip over something! My night vision is appalling.

You managed to make it work for you and went out for a 5K run, so well done for that! πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸ‘

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate10β€’ in reply toJools2020

It's probably a bit of an acquired taste but I love it.I'm glad I went out, but maybe it wasn't so great an idea right after a walk like that.

I have a few days leave coming up so hopefully it will be easier to run

Tillybeach profile image
TillybeachGraduate10

Well done! Going out on a dark cold evening, plenty of respect!!

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate10β€’ in reply toTillybeach

ThanksI wore a vest under my long sleeved top. In hindsight I wished I hadn't as I was too warm.

I also missed my buff sun visor which doubles up as a great sweat band. I just felt like a bit of an idiot running in the dark wearing a sun visor

Boooooooooooooom!!

You can't beat a bit of a night run. Hey you...well done. Your experience and consistency has allowed you to run wherever, whenever and whatever. Take it and put it with the rest of the leaves on the tree 🌳 πŸ˜ƒ

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate10β€’ in reply to

Thanks Hidden You have such an amazing take on the things and always so positive and uplifting.I never really considered myself as being consistent, but yes and others have also said that.

This run put down a line in the sand for me and I've just extended the time during which I can run through these shorter days. That has to be a bonus.

I hope Father Christmas brings me my reflective kit I asked him for

β€’ in reply toBirdlady64

If you have the three C's- Courage, Commitment and Consistency- which you do in abundance, then you'll always be ok. When times get tough remember these are in built inside you πŸ™‚

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate10β€’ in reply to

Yes. Such wise words.And of course that applies to life in general not just running.

Thank you

Elfe5 profile image
Elfe560minGraduate

That’s great, a run when you think you have missed it that day is very satisfying! πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ˜„Pepper spray - I mis- interpreted that as bear spray 🐻 - (we had a Canadian trip last year).πŸ˜‚

I like running in the dark- especially around the Christmas lights. πŸ˜„

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate10β€’ in reply toElfe5

Yes a few houses had their Christmas lights up.I don't think there are many bears in suburban Essex 😁🐻

dijep profile image
dijepGraduate10

Glad you managed to get out it's frustrating when you want to get out there but life keep throwing in obstacles.I've never run in the dark either but I want to do a run to check out everybody's Xmas lights β˜ƒοΈπŸŒ²

I tried rooibos about 15 years ago and really didn't like it, then 6 months ago I tried it again and really liked it 😊 It's interesting how out tastes change.

Hope you get your long run on soon.

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate10β€’ in reply todijep

Thanks. I'm hoping maybe Thursday as I will be off work then. Plus I have the Speed Challenge run on TuesdayI really love Rooibos and it's bmy go-to cuppa. Talking about taste you are right. My Dad hated olives all his life and wouldn't go near them. Then suddenly somehow at the age of 70 he ate one by accident and now he loves them!πŸ˜‹

Hope you manage to get a night run in to see the lights!

dijep profile image
dijepGraduate10β€’ in reply toBirdlady64

Snap πŸ˜€ I hated olives until my 40s now love them

Littleoyellow profile image
LittleoyellowGraduate10

Huge respect for cramming that run in - my hubby and I both tried a run after dark this last couple of weeks and both enjoyed it. I felt ok sticking to the well lit roads and have a reflective top on order to ramp up the safety factor. Think I will ask father Christmas for a chest torch 😁 I'm also keen on the rooibos and prefer it to black tea πŸ˜πŸ‘

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate10β€’ in reply toLittleoyellow

Another rooibos fan! Woo hoo!

I'm not sure if I enjoyed running in the dark or not. It was ok, more running all the way on residential side streets I didn't like. I much prefer off road, but that's not sensible at night and alone

Littleoyellow profile image
LittleoyellowGraduate10β€’ in reply toBirdlady64

Big up the rooibos- caffeine free pleasure - I weirdly like mine with a splash of milk πŸ˜‚ I normally run on a mixture of tracks and roads but enjoyed the trot round the streets in the dark as a different experience. If needs must, as they occasionally will during the winter months, an ok option πŸ˜πŸ‘

Brave run Birdlady, I’d need a RRB to take that on, pitch black around here and single track roads to get out of our village, I’d be well spooked, I have been thinking recently about joining a running group who run in the evenings in the nearest town , even they stick to the lit paths in the Winter months. great to have that feeling of wanting to run Yay πŸ˜€πŸ€—

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate10β€’ in reply to

Thanks. Yes I wanted to get a run in.It's ok here but I have to stick to the residential streets in town at night.

Have you thought about a head torch or chest torch?

β€’ in reply toBirdlady64

I’d just feel too spooked out on my own in the dark, too vivid an imagination! 😱

Hareshaw-Granny profile image
Hareshaw-GrannyGraduate10

Great run for you in the dark. We're discovering all these amazing experiences with this running lark. Hopefully it will become more enjoyable for you. I'm off for a dark one in the morning round my windfarm trails 🀞🀞

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate10β€’ in reply toHareshaw-Granny

Yes - we just keep on learning don't we. I love it!Good luck for your windfarm run in the dark tomorrow

Roxdog profile image
RoxdogGraduate10

Oh, a run in the dark! Well done for being resilient and running and doing a run on pavements. Like you, I'm not keen on road running, but it has to be done sometimes.I'm in gremlins central at the moment, so will try and run soon, but my dog is very ill so I'm rather preoccupied. 😐

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate10β€’ in reply toRoxdog

So sorry to hear that about your dog. It must be a worry for you. The runs will still be waiting for you when things get better. You need to focus on what's most important right now 😘

Health2020 profile image
Health2020Graduate10

Well done for going for it. I know I need to get my runs in as early (but not too early!) in the day, the later I leave it the less chance I’ve got of making it out the door!!

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate10β€’ in reply toHealth2020

ThanksIt's difficult with the shorter darker days but we fit in the runs when and where we can

Lifluf profile image
LiflufGraduate10

I think its probably better to take it slow and steady if you're running in the dark. Well done for getting out there.

Birdlady64 profile image
Birdlady64Graduate10β€’ in reply toLifluf

Thank you.And yes , Coach Bennett said exactly that

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