Two firsts, but not ones you may think ....

[CBDB]

I took me a bit of time to get up my mojo and do a run, today. I think this has to do somehow with the fact that due to busy work weeks with looming deadlines, I only managed to squeeze in 2 runs for the last 2 weeks, and my normally so consistent runners-high fades away, leaving me to have to really kick my Gremlins off my back to pick up my mojo and get up and go. (I left the gremlins 👹with the fairies 🧚🏻‍♀️ at the red fairy house , pictured in the collage 😁)

On the other hand, my knees have been great due to longer recuperation time, no niggles - even tiny ones - for 2 weeks running!

So it’s a balance act between knee health and intrinsic runner’s-high induced motivation, that normally gets me jumping out of bed early and excited for a morning run! Hmm ....🤔 🧐 🤨 An ongoing dilemma in the life of a runner, I assume. I’ll take that over not running, any day! 😁

But finally out for a run, I experienced two firsts for me. It was cold, and although at times the sun 🌞 peeked out and noticeably warmed the world up for a few minutes, the next moment it was drizzling 🌧. And at some point it started hailing little tiny balls of freezing pins of coldness. 🙌 My first hail run! 🧊

My gloves 🧤 stayed on the whole time, and I could tell I really had difficulties warming up all my limbs properly. My so sought after bounce only emerged in the last quarter of my 4.7k run. But it was a nice arrival.

Spotify also did not play along, so I reverted to my downloaded podcast music from the podcast “The European Perspective”, which plays and reviews new releases from the progressive music scene from the UK and Europe. Perfect! 👌🏼🎶🎸🎷

And then once on my last section, joggling along the side of the road towards home, another first. Passing a big puddle on the road, a car happened to pass me, splashing the whole of my leggings with dirty, cold but somehow icy-refreshing puddle-water! 🌊😮😆 My first puddle-splashed run! 🤣

So two more firsts for this newbie runner! (How long can I still call myself a newbie runner, I wonder?)

On my virtual runs:

- RunLEJOG: heading towards Gloucester

- HADRIAN’s WALL: 86% done, so only 20k to go! My hubby also doesn’t know it yet, but for his birthday I have ordered 2 walking books for Hadrian’s Wall, as we were discussing walking this route for real once various lockdowns are over! And this is a result from me running it virtually and seeing the beauty of that route! 👍🏽🥾

- ENGLISH CHANNEL: I’ve finished rowing it yesterday! Arrived in France, received the last postcard and my medal (first ever medal) is on its way! 🙌

So whichever world you’re in, hoping you have as enjoyable runs as I’ve been having!

Happy running everyone!

[Elfe5 60minGraduate]

Yaaay! Very well done! 👍🏻😄Hadrian’s wall is beautiful- I always think Northumberland is one of Britain’s best kept secrets! 😄

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to Elfe5]

Yes, we campervan camplet-ed out there 2 years ago. Beautiful!

[LottieMW Ambassador]

Love it! Not sure I would like those firsts 🥇😂

What a good plan to walk Hadrian’s Wall in real life when lockdown is over. That will give you something to look forward to 🥰

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to LottieMW]

Yes! And I might even run it, as my speed is not much faster than my husbands walk! 🤣🤣

[LottieMW Ambassador in reply to CBDB]

You defo won’t be a “newbie” runner then! 🤣🤣🤣

[Catwise Graduate10 60minGraduate]

What a great attitude about getting splashed by a car AND getting hailed on! Life really is all about perspective, isn’t it? 😊I’m going through the same thing with aches and pains. I’ve been dealing with shin splints for a couple months now, they weren’t painful enough to keep me from running but I could tell they were getting worse. After lots of reading, stretching, compression socks, etc, I took a couple weeks off from running (may also have coincided with the cold weather in Texas 😁) and noticed what an improvement there was in pain level when I started back again. But...that motivation to run every other day without fail slipped away so easily during that time off! I knew it would, I’ve always worried that if I skip a run once it’ll be so much easier to do it again, and it def is! Anyway, I managed to find my motivation to get back out there and run the last week or two and the shin splints are back 😢. So now I’m experimenting with alternating running 1k and walking 1k for a total of 5k. So far so good 🤞

Hadrian’s Wall would be beautiful I’m sure! I walked the Camino in Spain a few years ago and came back convinced I’d be doing all sorts of other walks...never happened though. Maybe someday.

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to Catwise]

Shin splints.. gosh, that must be so frustrating! I never had those, just knees start acting up once in a while, but they - just as my whole fitness - have come a long way. And I worked a bit on strengthening my ITBS and a little has made a huge difference.

So hope you find something similar effective.

But it sounds like you know what you need to do, and you probably know the content of this following video, but thought I’d send it anyway, just in case there is that one gem of a suggestion that might make all the difference. TRE videos I find always very good:

The Run Experience (18min) How to fix shin splints yourself youtu.be/j1MGgM6L-s4(Not working as expected?)

Best wishes with your running, and so well done for experimenting with what works, and not letting shin splints get the better of you!

[Catwise Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to CBDB]

This video was awesome! He said several things I hadn’t heard before in all my reading about shin splints! Thanks!

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to Catwise]

😊👍🏽

[Fionamags Graduate10]

I loved reading this - although not too sure I would love that first puddle splash moment. But it sounded as though you enjoyed it all nevertheless?? I hate being cold so that would have taken the shine off it for me. What achievements you've built up though - rowing the English Channel???? Wow! Nearly done Hadrian's Wall??? That's brilliant. Enjoy the bling when it comes.

I am currently slowly plodding along on LeJoG and nearly in Cheshire. But I think I started way earlier than you.... I'm noting the counties as I go as I have a very poor knowledge of England's geography.

Right, enough procrastinating - I need to shrug off gremlins of my own and get out there in between showers!

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to Fionamags]

🤣🤣 you started later on LEJOG, I’m sure. I am probably one of the slowest runners here on HU.🤣🤣 Cheshire!! That’s where I live. Lovely and flat! I can virtually invite you for some cake and tea for your journey!

🎂🍰🫖☕️

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to CBDB]

Lovely! I never did get out yesterday - currently sitting in running gear with a pack of gremlins cackling in the corner. Shall enjoy a virtual pop in with assorted refreshments. 😆 I'm on LeJoG 6 - running past somewhere called Seabridge at the moment.

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to Fionamags]

Nice! We’re just north of there, near the exit to Alsager! 😁 Yup, I’m on LEJOG4 🤣🤣🐌🐢👍🏽

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to CBDB]

Are you logging your steps as well or just runs? I'm just logging the steps on garmin Connect as it converts them to miles. That way runs, warm up and cool downs and walks on non run days add up. If not for that I'd be in Gloucester as well... 😂😂😂

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to Fionamags]

Yeah. But we don't often get to walk as a family, but rather I run, or hubby and I do Yoga together or family plays boardgames or I have to work (also often on weekends like today 🙁)

I knew when signing up to LEJOG that I would not be able to finish. My target was Alsager when I started, and now my new target is getting to the Lake District. So I am getting faster, but not fast enough to hit John O Groats.

As the challenge brief read that you had to finish it in time to get a medal, I started on my other more realistic virtual challenges (Conqueror's Hadrian’s Wall and English Channel, which I rowed on an indoor rower). So my first medal should be arriving soon! 😀

[Fionamags Graduate10 in reply to CBDB]

Goid decision. I just wantvto reach Scotland.

[RacingintheStreet Graduate10]

Really enjoyed reading this 😄 but my exhausted 😂 Well done on everything really , I feel quite the sloth 🦥🦦My mojo is a little in decline after a calf strain , although I am getting out I sense my motivation isn’t quite what it was.

Maybe a few interesting virtual challenges such as yours might perk me up.

You’re right that any run is better than not running tho’👌😂🏃🏻‍♀️

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to RacingintheStreet]

Definitely! Calf-strain! Oh no! 😩 Sounds like something you definitely had to find some patience for your legs. Maybe we should not think of it as our Mojo running off, but rather our lokomotive engine slowly gearing up for speed. It’s always harder at the start, when you still have to gain that momentum!

I seem to also be lucky that my runner’s high normally seems to stick around for days! And I find the virtual challenges brilliant for motivation. And COGH! (🙄almost forgot about COGH! You’ve seen the posts about COGH?)

[RacingintheStreet Graduate10 in reply to CBDB]

Actually that’s a good way of expressing it , the engine ( & pistons 😂 ) are working hard on gaining the momentum 👌👍Haven’t delved into COGH will have a peek 😄

[Slinkymalinki Graduate10]

Well done for all your (soggy) 'firsts' and for completing rowing across the channel. Hope you had a celebratory glass of wine. Sounds like your LEJOG is going well too - I'm not far from Gloucester so pop in for a cup of tea and sugar free cake to keep you going! 😃

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to Slinkymalinki]

🤦🏽‍♀️ Doh! What a great title for a post that would have been! “Soggy firsts!” Brilliant! 👍🏽

Yea and cake sounds great! And I know they’re virtually calorie free! So I’ll bring some Gloucestershire Creme Tea cakes as well!

👍🏽🍰🫖☕️😊

[GailXrunning]

Love how you embraced your firsts! Reminded me of my first heavy rain, early on c25k: too late to turn back, nowhere (pleasant) to shelter... so why not just go for it ... and enjoy a new experience.

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to GailXrunning]

Yes! And it’s still nice to experience loads of firsts! My Runniversary is coming up next month so I’m hoping the firsts will still continue.

[GailXrunning in reply to CBDB]

🤞✨

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

All those challenges you are progressing so well, and rowed to France crikey