Sunny 8K ☀️

[Jools2020]

There’s nothing to lift the spirits like a run on a beautiful morning! No gremlins this morning telling me why I shouldn’t run. I planned on an 8K, just because I could. I’m still surprised that I can just go out on a whim and run that far!

It wasn’t cold, but I wore 2 layers plus my lightweight jacket. Running tights, buff and sun visor. After my warm up walk, I set off at a slow jog round my circular 8K route. No extra roads needed, making it a ‘real’ run and not one with bits tagged on! I’ve been enjoying my music again lately and choose one of my playlists that starts off with Mr. Blue Sky 🎶 Perfect! I immediately start singing along and almost forget not to set off too fast!

First kilometre 8:08, bit faster than I’d like but that’s OK. It takes me at least a couple of kms to warm up, but halfway through the 3rd km I’m starting to feel good and still singing to my playlist. The village is quiet and I don’t see a single person on my run. Traffic is down by 90% because of the flooded road, so it’s easy going. A light breeze. In fact, too warm, so I have to take my jacket off! 4th km and starting to pick up pace. 5th km picked up pace a little too much, so back off.

Heading back into the village for the last 2 km. I pick up pace again. I don’t finish as strong as on some of my runs, maybe the sleepless night I had played a part in that, but I’m not concerned. It was still the fastest km of the run at 7:22. Pleased with that run and with a Strava trophy for one of the segments! When I investigate further, it’s a personal record which places me overall 9th. I check the details and find that I am indeed 9th........of 9 😂 I notice, too, that my time for the first 5 kms gave me a sub 40 minute 5K which always pleases me. That’s halfway decent!

My stats show that I’ve run 90km in January. I’m planning a run on Sunday and would really like to get to 100K for the month. That would be a first for me 😊 I don’t like to put myself under pressure, but if the weather plays nice I can do it.

The heating engineer came later this morning and got the boiler working. I was able to resist the temptation to tell him what the problem was! 😄 I watched how he bled the air out so that I could do it next time. He had to drive the long way round to get to me because of the floods and charged me £48. I think it would have been more but he felt sorry for me being on my own. I may have mentioned it to help my cause! My house is warm! 😊👍

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

Oh wow I’m so pleased to read that, you did much better than me, after a sleepless night and woke to wind and rain we decided not to run, grandson here so made fudge and butterscotch instead, I made him weigh the ingredients in the name of home schooling then we sang a bit and shortly we will play scrabble, he’s been home schooled forever so we have a sort of routine off pat Back to your run, it sounds lovely and a good pace and i’m glad your heating is sorted

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Thank you. It’s been lovely weather here today! Have to say that fudge and butterscotch sound delicious. So lovely to spend time with your grandson, very precious.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Jools2020]

It is, he’s a young teen now and beats us at scrabble every time, he’s something of a local chess champion and lockdown has hit him hard, I keep thinking of things that i want to do if ever everything opens and will take him along We had some sun and when we drove past the beach the waves were huge, nearly spring 😀lighter evenings already

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Lockdown has hit older children hard. Yes, roll on the spring. I know I can’t have my old life back, but I want a new one!

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Jools2020]

Just being able to spend more time outside will be good 😌 Im always impressed with your runs and love reading about them

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Thank you, that’s lovely to hear 😊

[Grannyhugs Graduate10]

Great 8k this morning, nice circular route. Great distance covered, I wish you all the best for your 1st 100km month, it's such a special achievement. I've just completed 12 months at 100km or more. I remember that 1st 100km last February , such an achievement but a real struggle on a route I didn't like and haven't run since. Happy running 🤗

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to Grannyhugs]

Thanks, Grannyhugs. I’d really kind to reach that target, would be such an achievement.

[Grannyhugs Graduate10 in reply to Jools2020]

Fuel up, wear layers to match temperatures, go slow and you’ll get that final 10k🤗

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to Grannyhugs]

Great advice! 😊

[Week7 Graduate10]

A good run and a warm house! Sounds like a great start to the weekend!

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to Week7]

Haha, yes, thanks. I lose track of days. Weekend already. Great that the house is warm for it, thats true!

[nowster Graduate10]

Always good to have a working heating system. You might remember me talking about fiddling about with ours the week after Christmas. It's probably going to need a power flush to get rid of 40 years of gunk when the weather gets a bit warmer.

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to nowster]

Indeed!!I really didn’t cope well with the cold house, it made me even more grumpy. I had a flush done last year, so all should be ok now!

[Beatlesforever Graduate10]

What a fantastic run! 👏👏👏 And so glad to hear your heating is working again! We've been twice without heating, both times in the middle of the coldest spells this area has seen ❄️ Not pleasant! At least in this house we have a wood burner but getting up in the morning was awful 🥶🥶

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to Beatlesforever]

Thank you! I have a wood burner too, and love it as a supplement to the heating, not instead of it. Getting up in the morning was awful without heating. I’d get out of bed and immediately turn an electric heater on! (Or two)

[changing-woman]

well done jools, what an example for me to follow...

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to changing-woman]

Thank you! I know it won’t be too king before you are churning out 8K, 9K and 10K runs. You can do anything you want to. Don’t forget it 😊

[changing-woman in reply to Jools2020]

😘

[JoePhoto Graduate10]

Warm house a good outcome! Great run, lovely post...I can almost hear Me Blue Sky! Love that trophy... and well done on the PB too!😉🏆

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to JoePhoto]

Thanks, Joe! It’s a good track for the beginning of the run. Trophy - 9th of 9 😂Warm house is great 😊

[Peter44 Graduate10]

Glad the boiler sorted, and house warm now, i was wondering if you'd see how he did it, for next time 😉 hope you can get to 100k for the month, stay away snow! 🌨 I did 10k today, very mild, and sunny, probably later than you, only had short sleeve t-shirt, and was warm 🥵

I still cant believe sometimes, i'm able to do a 10k, quite comfortably, and it's helping, to switch of, from everything else! 😊

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to Peter44]

Thanks, Peter 😊 I was very interested to see what he was doing.

Yes, snow! I think we’re due for snow tomorrow. I won’t risk running on Sunday if it’s slippery, much as I want to get the 100k.

It was lovely and warm today. 😊

[Peter44 Graduate10 in reply to Jools2020]

Same here, sunday will be my last run, for my PC challenge, but will see what the weathers like, wont risk it, if slippy! ☹Oh, and what's this, you grumpy! 🤔

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to Peter44]

Yes, it’s rare but it happens 😂

[Birdlady64 Graduate10]

There's nothing like Mr Blue Sky to lift the spirits - especially on a lovely sunny day. 🌞

That's a nice controlled 8k run Julia - and you still stepped it up on the last km, despite a bad night's sleep. And woo hoo! You got some Strava bling too!🏆

That 100km is there for the taking - a pretty impressive total - I'm currently at 52km and you never know I might hit 62km on Sunday 🤞🤫

Glad you are warm again. Being cold makes you really miserable doesn't it

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to Birdlady64]

Thanks, Diane. I do love running in the sunshine. I wasn’t chasing a monthly total, I don’t usually check it, but Peter44 was talking about his 100K for his charity and I then checked mine on Strava and saw that it might be doable for me. I have been running 3 times a week in January and with the 10 mile and 10Ks it soon mounts up.

Now that the house is warm I can relax! 😊

[Birdlady64 Graduate10 in reply to Jools2020]

Might be? 10K is surely routine for you these days 😁

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to Birdlady64]

Weather dependant! I only have Sunday as I ran this morning.

[Lizcanrun Graduate10]

Fantastic!

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to Lizcanrun]

Thank you 🙏

[9weeks2Run Graduate10]

Yaay so glad you have heating!!!

Sounded like a lovely 8k run, great stuff.

Well done on you sub 40 minute 5K and running 90km in January that is so impressive especially with the weather conditions ⛄️❄️🌧💨🥶. Lol bless you, glad you were able to use your charms and are Obviously still gorgeous!!!

Take care you are doing amazing x

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to 9weeks2Run]

Haha, yes I did check in the mirror before I left this morning, but my hair is getting a bit unmanageable as it needs cutting and layering.

Thanks, Rebecca. I was surprised at that total, but I don’t think I missed any runs, just occasionally postponed one. 😊

I’m enjoying the warmth and can properly relax now.

[9weeks2Run Graduate10 in reply to Jools2020]

Lol! It is amazing how quickly it grows, you will have to put it up in a pony tail!!

You have done incredibly well, it is a great amount of km.

Great that is another thing done ✅

You are doing amazing 💪💪👏👏

[LottieMW Ambassador]

Well done on your 8k and Strava bling. Fingers crossed for good weather on Sunday so you can clock up your 100km. I’ve run 49k in January...still a novice 😂

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to LottieMW]

Thank you LottieMW , it’s surprising how quickly the kilometres can mount up, especially if, like me, you do one longer run every week. The longer runs kind of get longer! I don’t consider myself to be an experienced runner; plus, I do my own thing and sometimes make mistakes. I have had a lot of help and advice on here from runners who have been doing it for longer than me.

I just have a target in my sights and work towards it, the same as you! Happy running 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️👍

[LottieMW Ambassador in reply to Jools2020]

😉👍🥰

[61Lady Graduate10]

What a lovely sounding run again- thanks for posting such great reports - such an inspiration to me. Glad the boiler is fixed - keep up the good work 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️💪🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to 61Lady]

Thank you 🙏 so much! 😊

[RunWillie Graduate10]

Well done Jools2020

I’ve just hit my 100k monthly target today with my fourth ParkRun. Managed negative splits as well today just for you 7.15, 6.52, 6.47, 6.20, 6.13.

I’ll be cheering you on Sunday ❤️🏃‍♀️

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to RunWillie]

Thanks ! Wow, that is an impressive Park Run and to achieve those splits in an actual event is amazing. A huge ‘well done’ from me! 👏👏👏👍😊🏃‍♀️

[RunWillie Graduate10 in reply to Jools2020]

Thanks Jools2020

Heart rate was certainly not my maf number today 🤣

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to RunWillie]

I’m sure it wasn’t 😂

[GailXrunning]

Fabulous run. And I definitely recognise that urge when the sun shines. (No chance of that today!)

Keeping fingers crossed for your round target, but I think you can relax in the knowledge that if it’s not January then it’ll certainly be reached in the one of the coming months.

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to GailXrunning]

Thanks! You’re right about today. I’m in bed with my cuppa, listening to the wind howling. I’m pleased I’m not due to run this morning!

I don’t usually like to put myself under pressure with targets and you’re right, if I can’t run tomorrow it’s achievable over the coming months!

[GailXrunning in reply to Jools2020]

I’m sitting with my cuppa too (while ensuring feline stomachs are satisfied)! Not too windy (judging by the tree tops) but it’s seriously rainy here.

[JulieByf]

Sounds like you had a wonderful run. I hope you enjoy many more just like it.

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to JulieByf]

Thank you! 😊

[Maisiecat1 Graduate10]

Great Post. It makes me want to put Mr blue sky on my ipod. 😃Well done on your achievements and keep up the good work 👏 🔥🏆

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to Maisiecat1]

Thank you 🙏. Mr Blue Sky is a great track to run to!

[58soon Graduate10]

👏👏👏

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to 58soon]

😊👍🏃‍♀️