Saturday morning 5K ☀️

[Jools2020]

What to wear? I had been too hot towards the end of my last run and today promised to be warmer. Right then! Shorts it is. Short sleeved tee shirt - no jacket! Warm up stretches and off I go.

The early morning air is pleasantly cool on my skin. I’m enjoying being outside. I start to run. It’s quiet around the village and I’m pleased I set off so early. I hear the familiar whistling calls of the red kites and glance up to see them circling high above.

As I warm up, I’m glad I’m not wearing my jacket and gloves, this has to be the perfect temperature to run in.

As I finish the second km I note that it’s slightly slower than the first and my heart rate is quite high. I decide not to go on the longer run I had planned for today, but just to do another 30 minute or so run, extending it to 5K if I felt like it. The longer runs will come when I’m ready.

I plod on, using the 5K route I’ve found for myself. There are a few runners about now and they all greet me. A couple of dog walkers are chatting on the path and I run onto the road; both of them thank me and offer encouragement!

My run takes me alongside the Common and the path is very narrow. I decide to run in the road for this stretch, listening and watching for traffic, but there is none. I realise I actually prefer running on the road.

I start the 5th kilometre and prepare for the downward stretch towards ‘home’. I look at my watch and briefly see 5 something for my pace! Past the house, cross over and downhill down a side road. I’m holding back a little, mindful of the slope but wanting a good time for my final kilometre.

I reach 5K and the run is over. A sub 40 minute 5K always makes me smile and a pace of 6:25 for that final km is speedy for me! Mr Garmin is super impressed and improves my superior score by 1 to 39 and my fitness age to 20 😊.

Happy running to my VRBs 😊🏃‍♂️🏃‍♀️☀️

[Instructor57 Graduate10]

A nice early weekend 5k !And a good pace as well 🙂👍

Hope your enjoying your routes now ,

You were out early, I saw your run on Strava and decided maybe it was time for me to get up 🤣

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to Instructor57]

Thanks, Ian - I am starting to enjoy my runs, but I think more so because it’s just good to be out now the weather is warming up!

Definitely time to get up! 😊

[Bontobpat]

Good run Jools, I wish I was fitness age of 20! I enjoy seeing your photos. A wallaby was in the park outside my house when I left for my run the other day, quickly got my phone out to take a photo but it hopped away before I could take the snap.

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to Bontobpat]

Thanks! I often see wildlife on my run but don’t take my SLR camera with me. This red kite image is from my archives. I can imagine that wallabies are going to hop away quite quickly. 😊

[nowster Graduate10]

Fitness age of 20. We'll soon see if that's as low as it goes. It's still an achievement anyway.

10-12°C seems to be a good running temp for tee shirt and shorts.

~~~

In case you're wondering, I'm still faffing about preparing for the long one this morning. I had an early night and longer sleep (even if Garmin thinks it wasn't). I'm not hurrying things. Plenty of carbs and protein yesterday (chippy tea, etc.). I shall need to corral the jelly babies into a few plastic bags, fill the hydration bladder and put a small amount of salt into the mix. But first coffee and toast...

I also fixed the mapping in OpenStreetMap yesterday so that the satnav app (the "free" version of OsmAnd) knows about the "straight on" flagged path about 6.5km in, and doesn't try to send me round the back streets again.

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to nowster]

Good Luck! I’ll look out for your post 😊

[LottieMW Ambassador]

Nice run! I wasn’t even awake then! 😂

Had a nose at your segments...PRs for those inclines... you’re certainly getting the hang of them! 👍

Fab weather for running indeed...I’m hoping for an early start tomorrow 😬🤦🏻‍♀️

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to LottieMW]

Ooh yes, you’re right! I hadn’t looked that closely! I love running early when the weather is fine. Enjoy your run tomorrow.😊

[LottieMW Ambassador in reply to Jools2020]

Thank you 😊

I like to check out the bling! 😂🥇🥇🥇

[RacingintheStreet Graduate10]

Your run sounds a very pleasant way to start the day . Pretty nifty pace , even for a 20 yr old 😂Nice to run and adapt the run to ‘feel’ too and not be a slave to our plans 😂😂

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to RacingintheStreet]

Thanks. I’ve learned to listen to my body. It told me that I’m not ready to resume the longer runs yet. I’ll keep going out and doing shorter runs until I am 😊

[Comfortnotspeed Graduate10]

Beautiful commentary and pic. Kites are a rarity here in Shropshire. They’re lovely to see when we head down through Bucks - in those heady days when we can travel!

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to Comfortnotspeed]

Thank you 😊 I do love to see them and to hear their familiar whistling call 😊.

I’ll be heading up to Shropshire to visit my son and his family as soon as we’re allowed in each other’s homes!

[Peter44 Graduate10]

Well done Julia, your really picking up the pace now on those runs, hope everything's ok, and your getting used to the new area!! ☺

[Jools2020 Graduate10 in reply to Peter44]

Thank you, Peter 😊 I still feel my fitness has a way to go, yet; although I am getting used to the inclines.