Xmas Greetings๐ŸŽ„๐ŸฆŒ๐ŸฆŒ๐ŸฆŒ๐ŸฆŒ๐Ÿ›ท๐ŸŽ…๐Ÿง‘โ€๐ŸŽ„๐ŸŽ„ +5k +bin... - Bridge to 10K

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Xmas Greetings๐ŸŽ„๐ŸฆŒ๐ŸฆŒ๐ŸฆŒ๐ŸฆŒ๐Ÿ›ท๐ŸŽ…๐Ÿง‘โ€๐ŸŽ„๐ŸŽ„ +5k +bingo โœ”๏ธโœ”๏ธโœ”๏ธ(โœ”๏ธ)

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunning
โ€ข15 Replies

Short post: Wishing you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas!

Long post: A 9am run in the freezing cold (feels-like temperature -2); Iโ€™ve never before had an issue with a runnerโ€™s runny nose! Thankfully, I had a proper cotton hanky with me. Sun was breaking through an interesting cloudscape - tinged gold and bronze.

Mโ€™s latest injury meant he pulled out just as we were crossing the threshold (btw these glitches in his fitness to run are all caused, one way or another, by his rowing machine!) Being solo, I headed in the direction I knew M would have vetoed: via the minipark and the orchards, to the destination park (itโ€™s actually the crowds here that he dislikes), returning to the old lane, the green with the statue to Mary Wollstonecraft, back up part of the same lane, along the snicket orchard, through minipark and ending at the street orchard. Although sharing many components, the route was different to the one taken last Sunday.

It took quite a while to settle. I reflected on how confidence or worry influences the whole feel of a run. My short midweek foray in the dark had not been a good experience. Was this carrying over, I wondered? Probably. Iโ€™d also become hyper-conscious of the niggle in the hip. Previously, Iโ€™d been in the opposite frame of mind, and had gone into each run with enthusiasm, which showed, I think; while they varied, I actually enjoyed them all and even seemed to sail smoothly through the toxic 10. So today, realising a bit of me was apprehensive before I even set off, I took things very steady. I reminded myself about being patient with my body at the start of a run. I noticed that I was landing rather heavily, so tried to lighten my steps. But I was definitely having to coach myself!

Again, I tried nasal breathing, which I perhaps introduced too soon, and which meant slowing down further to accommodate its demands (and the contortions of handkerchief retrieval). Having now listened to some recommended podcasts on this, I understand that my sense of โ€˜breath hungerโ€™ is not oxygen starvation... so I persisted as best I could, approaching it in relaxed, non-stressy manner. Iโ€™m thinking Iโ€™d like to get a better handle on this approach to breathing, as a foundation; it might be my priority - or one of them - before focussing so much on building up my distance.

Bingo update: โœ”๏ธXmas run; โœ”๏ธ wishing other runner Merry Christmas; โœ”๏ธcarrying something from a Christmas carols/ song (ashes and soot from โ€˜Twas the Night Before Christmas, when Santa comes down the chimney... good job I wasnโ€™t subjected to stop and search!); (โœ”๏ธ) can I count a photo as my collected item?? (Mary W - or rather, the naked โ€˜everywomanโ€™ that is used to symbolise her ideas, who has been given a wonderful Christmas cloak to keep her warm; she is wearing the hood down). Still to do: โ˜‘๏ธ 25 walks or runs over December (I fear Iโ€™ve left this one way too late!); (โ˜‘๏ธ) something properly collected, photographed and posted (if my photo of MW is inadmissible).

Off now to retrieve dinner from oven and do all the finishing bits. Horatio Clareโ€™s walk in Northumbria has just started - I love his walks. Maybe that can count as one of my 25?? (Ok Probably not.)

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GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunning
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15 Replies
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Bambi2020 profile image
Bambi2020Graduate10

Well done on your festive run despite it feeling a bit unsettled. Another tick on the bingo card- Merry Christmas to you both x

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningโ€ข in reply toBambi2020

Thanks - hope all the family are doing fine and that youโ€™ve found a way to celebrate.

Bambi2020 profile image
Bambi2020Graduate10โ€ข in reply toGailXrunning

Theyโ€™re feeling fine thanks-weโ€™ve had a lovely day x

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningโ€ข in reply toBambi2020

So glad to hear it.

LottieMW profile image
LottieMWAmbassador

Well done!

Merry Xmas ๐ŸŽ„๐Ÿฅฐ

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningโ€ข in reply toLottieMW

Thank you. Merry Christmas!

StoneDragon profile image
StoneDragon

Well done on that Christmas run Gail and Merry Christmas to you too ๐ŸŽ„๐ŸฆŒ

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningโ€ข in reply toStoneDragon

๐Ÿ‘๐ŸฆŒ๐ŸฆŒ๐ŸฆŒ๐Ÿ‘

Peter44 profile image
Peter44Graduate10

Glad you got out, shame M couldnt make it, silly rowing machine! ๐ŸคฃI'm sure the runs will pick up, i do enjoy reading your posts, sometimes i wish i could take in more, but would probably forget half of it! ๐Ÿคฃ what i do still remember, is the early weeks of c25k, and how it felt!!! ๐Ÿฅต

Enjoy the rest of this special day! ๐ŸŽ„๐ŸŽ…๐ŸŽ„

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningโ€ข in reply toPeter44

๐Ÿ˜‚ Thanks. Iโ€™m really pleased I got out and that I worked through the initial dodgy patch. It turned out to be all ok in the end and I came home feeling on top of the world. (Even the hip niggle seems to have subsided.) After running 5k and preparing Xmas dinner (M did a lot of it too, I hasten to add), I think Iโ€™ll be fast heading for an early night!!

Dexy5 profile image
Dexy5Graduate10

You got there in the end Gail, and well done on your bingo card โœ”๏ธs. Iโ€™m pleased to see someone had given Mary a cape to keep her warm. Or was it to protect her modesty?

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningโ€ข in reply toDexy5

๐Ÿ˜‚ As if by coincidence, The Guardian online ran a feature on it yesterday. Seems sheโ€™s been dressed in a few items already.

CBDB profile image
CBDBGraduate10

Nice! Bingo indeed! Merry Christmas ๐ŸŽ„

Littleoyellow profile image
LittleoyellowGraduate10

Great run Gail- hope your Christmas was good ๐Ÿƒโ€โ™€๏ธ๐ŸŽ…๐Ÿ‘

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningโ€ข in reply toLittleoyellow

Thank you, yes, it was. Hope you had a good rest too.

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