Two runs (with a week in between) πŸƒπŸΌβ€β™€οΈ+πŸƒ... - Bridge to 10K

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Two runs (with a week in between) πŸƒπŸΌβ€β™€οΈ+πŸƒπŸΌβ€β™€οΈπŸƒπŸ»

GailXrunning profile image
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Apologies for radio silence over past week. I’ve not been cheering on my VRBs - so sorry. I hope everyone is doing well and running strong into 2021. I’d been reading about everyone’s new year plans, and was busy devising my own priorities, and then...: After my post-run shower on 2nd, I started shivering and felt nauseous. Looking back, there were some signs of chill and wooziness the previous evening, although I’d felt absolutely fine on the morning of and during my run (5.7km/ 45 mins). Ruling out β€˜the’ virus, I suspect it was a stomach bug. Anyway, the little blighter knocked my energy, and looking at screens was the last thing I could face. And then there was all the craziness of return to work, which will continue for the coming weeks.

So - and with M back for the first time in a while - it was an early run today. A couple of circuits of the nearby park (fairly quiet, thankfully), 4.02km/ 33:49 mins. The idea was to go very gently, gauge M’s capacity, and test more nasal breathing. M has been using his rowing machine over recent weeks, so he’s actually doing rather well in terms of fitness; it’s now a matter of getting his running-specific fitness back.

We also took it as an alternating walk/run, determining the intervals on the basis of breath (instead of time or distance, eg.): how long full nasal breathing could be maintained comfortably. The running intervals were typically 3-5 mins but it was quite variable; walk intervals more like a minute. Interestingly, this method didn’t slow things massively, adding around 30-40 seconds per km to my most recent pace (and bearing in mind that we were trying to slow the pace anyway). I also spotted how I tended to gasp at the transitions from run to walk, so perhaps I need to step back and ease off just a bit further. My plan is to rebuild the running duration using this method. It’s all rather interesting as an experiment. Although he did some of the intervals, M was keener to test his running, and less focused on my project - but even so, he rarely moved very far ahead. I did body scans to check posture and relax any tension (not much!)

We watched dogs at play, including a group of little black pugs playing with a dachshund, one of the pugs sitting in from it’s owner obediently and getting a finger wagging. Lots of people exerting: other runners; older women wrapped up like bundles in their winter coats, pumping their arms while doing power walks; another woman powered her wheelchair uphill by going backwards and using her feet; an older guy set himself up next to a bench with his skipping rope and tunes; a cyclist crossed the diagonal with a little flag attached to his helmet. An orange fluorescent thing is now stuck high in some branches, not far from the other unidentifiable dirty-white thingy with blue and red details. There were gulls, pigeons, crows and blackbirds scattered across the frozen ground, and then they were scattered upwards as the pugs and dachshund gambolled in their direction. A gang of parakeets passed noisily overhead, and the walking stretches enabled us to see blue tits and even a tiny mouse. Funny how walking and running seem to alter the scale of my sight. No distant views were available today, it was too overcast. Didn’t notice any trains. The freeze meant we could use the runners’ mud tracks through the grass; even the sloppier patches were firm. We admired the colours of lichen on the bark of old trees, which seemed all the more vibrant in today’s muted light. I wish I’d taken a photo. (The one here is of gnarled bark and from a sunnier run.)

It was so great to be out again! Happy running, walk-in or running-walking.

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GailXrunning
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32 Replies
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Bambi2020 profile image
Bambi2020Graduate10

Glad you’re feeling much better and back out running - Team Gazelle missed you x

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toBambi2020

πŸ₯²πŸ₯°πŸ¦Œ How are you?

Bambi2020 profile image
Bambi2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toGailXrunning

I’m much better thanks , was lucky I seemed to have had a mild dose but still felt grotty for a few days- just had to take it easy

Juliet202 profile image
Juliet202Graduate10

Interesting, I’m also trying the run walk method mainly to avoid injury and in acknowledgment that I only started running in May and now on a half marathon plan by end March I should probably be mindful of avoiding injury and besides don’t feel I have anything to prove ! Not tried the nasal breathing though I’m aware you’re supposed to do that! Nice photo ! Are you inviting us to see shapes/faces ?! I can see a bushy eyebrowed, moustachioed man. Hopefully you’re not a psycho analyst and can’t interpret what that says about my subconscious !!

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toJuliet202

πŸ˜‚ πŸ‘ Rest assured, I’m not! And I hadn’t thought about faces in the bark, but all sorts of things pop up once one starts looking.

Just reading your post and noticed that you were doing the walk-run. It was also a good way to help take any subliminal run pressure off M - although ultimately unnecessary. In part, I’m interested because the breathing method is supposed to encourage more body awareness and thus helps ward off risking injury. We’ll see how it goes, but I decided it would be one of my β€˜new year’s things’ and that I’d give it proper time to try out.

Brilliant to see your keeping those legs turning GailXrunning πŸ‘πŸ‘

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply to

Thank you!

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10

Lovely description of your run this morning. Sorry you’ve not been well.

Great photo of the tree bark; fabulous texture. πŸ‘

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toJools2020

Thanks, J. I’m acquiring quite a collection of photos of the trunks of trees in this park. Probably a life time’s project!

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toGailXrunning

I have a lot of photos of tree trunks! As a photographer I used to like editing my photos sometimes, using various effects and textures. Hopefully this year I’ll take it up again 😊

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toJools2020

Excellent. Sounds like a great plan - go for it! πŸ˜ŠπŸ“·

Indielass00 profile image
Indielass00

So glad you are feeling better GailXrunning ! Also pleased you are back to running! I’m also trying to get over a horrible virus ( not the C one, tested negative for that) and slowly getting my energy back. Not run for a week. Stay safe!

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toIndielass00

Thanks. It looks like we both hit the buffers! First week of January too, just as all those resolutions are fresh. How you’re recovering.

Indielass00 profile image
Indielass00β€’ in reply toGailXrunning

Recovery seems to be steady thanks. Started Monday night and in bed all Tuesday and most of Wednesday. Have been juggling homeschooling too for my 7yo and trying to keep 2yo happy! πŸ€ͺBeen making the most of my OH having the kids this weekend so I can get strength back. Got negative test results yesterday morning so attempted a little walk but felt faint so quickly came home.

Had a nice little walk with my daughter this morning and felt much better.

Not rushing back to running until I’m right. Yes straight in the New Year and then we have been both floored with something!

Sounds a lovely outing for you today! πŸ˜€

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toIndielass00

Take it easy and get well soon. Good news that you had negative test results too. I’m probably well protected from the usual bugs that circulate, so imagine it can only be from something I defrosted. Still, shivers isn’t something I usually associate with food-related bugs. I was able to focus on and plod through my work tasks over the week, so that excuse gave me five days or so of total rest. I didn’t even try online classes in yoga/Pilates until yesterday.

Indielass00 profile image
Indielass00β€’ in reply toGailXrunning

Thanks, yep was relieved with negative result. Funny you should mention shivers as that’s what I had when it started Monday night and also had a upset tummy but also chesty cough and sore throat too.

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toIndielass00

What a coincidence. Shivers, diarrhoea and general feeling of nausea. But nothing more.

Indielass00 profile image
Indielass00β€’ in reply toGailXrunning

Didn’t have nausea but the other two yes, plus sore throat, chesty cough and lost my sense of smell

Indielass00 profile image
Indielass00β€’ in reply toGailXrunning

It’s that time of year isn’t it! Glad you are better though. I’m definitely loads better than I was πŸ˜€

Bambi2020 profile image
Bambi2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toGailXrunning

Hi, sorry to jump in but my daughter only had a tickle in her throat and felt a bit sick - had a test because she works in a hospital and she came back positive and a friend had the same symptoms back in November - plus a loss of taste , felt a bit rough and had a covid test and it came back negative, went back to work and fainted on first day back and paramedics that came to see her said that some of the testing gives a false negative in 30% of the time so really take care of yourself- especially by day 7 - seems to come back with new symptoms so take it steady xxx

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toBambi2020

Very helpful reminder for us all to take double extra care in these times. Many thanks, B. πŸ™

Indielass00 profile image
Indielass00β€’ in reply toBambi2020

I jokingly said to my mum today hope it wasn’t a false negative 😳. Thanks Bambi will take it steady x

Peter44 profile image
Peter44Graduate10β€’ in reply toIndielass00

Was going to say, glad the covid test, was negative πŸ€” anyway, hope your feeling better soon. ☺

Indielass00 profile image
Indielass00β€’ in reply toPeter44

Thanks Peter. I’m feeling so much better! Just have a bit of a sore throat left now! How’s the running going?

Peter44 profile image
Peter44Graduate10β€’ in reply toIndielass00

That's good, i'm sure all our running, should make us stronger, to fight any viruses, and bugs. ☺I'm still going, didnt post yesterday, but did another 7km, comfortable run, almost at my total, for pancreatis cancer.

I bet you'll be itching to get out again! πŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸ‘

Indielass00 profile image
Indielass00β€’ in reply toPeter44

Yes looking forward to getting out but still need to get my energy levels up! You are doing fab with your goal! πŸ˜€

Peter44 profile image
Peter44Graduate10

Glad your back out and about, was wondering where you had been, was thinking maybe covid. The run sounds good, i was out earlier, and noticed how busy it was, especialy by the canal.We best not talk about last nights football!!! 🀣

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toPeter44

Thanks. It’s only just over a week since I posted a quick reply (and realised that looking at my phone was not going to be a good idea). Funny, though, it feels like so much longer.

I was oblivious to yesterday’s game, so just checked in with M. I assumed you meant his team had bombed, but now I understand. (Commiserations. M says it wasn’t an easy one and his lot had to pull on the stars from the first team to seal it.)

Peter44 profile image
Peter44Graduate10β€’ in reply toGailXrunning

Getting the team 🦌🦌 back together, Jericho seems to be doing ok!!! πŸ₯΅

LottieMW profile image
LottieMWAmbassador

Yay! Good to see you back running...and M too!

Glad it was β€œonly β€œ a bug and not *the* virus...

Happy running! πŸŒπŸ’πŸƒπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸ₯°

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toLottieMW

Thanks - it’s great to be back - and, yes, all those β€˜normal’ bugs seem so very 2019.

LottieMW profile image
LottieMWAmbassadorβ€’ in reply toGailXrunning

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