No matter what district or capital you're in, keep your aim steady and on target. If we work together and support each other we can be the changes we want to see.
Is it just me or does anyone else become ravenous after long runs? I think the recent rainy conditions around these parts have been sapping my energy as much as the runs!
Anyways, how are you getting on with your monthly (quest) goals?
I haven't set any quest goals myself this month but I've been avoiding specific core strength work for a while and after a hard speed session I have some tight calves that a week later still refuse to stretch so I'm adding in some rollering!
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The aim of the Quest is to help you find a focus or goal that you would like to achieve by the end of the Quest period.
The Quest takes one calendar month but you can join at any point during that time.
Some popular goals are:
★ To run three times a week
★ To slowly increase distance
★ To train for a specific race / battle
★ To add Stretch and Strength exercises to your weekly routine
It is a personal challenge and it's completely up to you! If you want to join, all you have to do is COMMENT BELOW with something like:
I would like to join the Quest, or, Count me in! I want to ..............
Every week TailChaser or I will put up a new post and we can all chat about how we are doing.
NEED SOME INSPIRATION?
⭐ Here's Iannodatruffe's post about what to do next after graduating Couch to 5K:
* Don't get injured. There are a few niggles which might derail me this month: a groin sensation on the right and a tight quads on the left. They may be linked.
They were indeed linked, as the physio visit I had last Wednesday confirmed. Following his advice I'm now starting to see the niggles disappearing.
* Find a balance between running and resting. I have been doing two or three days of runs because I've been enjoying it. I need to remember that rest days are equally important.
This has been enforced by the niggle I felt at the start of the month turning into something that became sore during and after a run. It was my right leg's adductor muscle compensating for weak/tight muscle groups elsewhere. I've had lots of extra rest days as a consequence.
* Resume the long runs when I feel it's right to do so. Get back to 10 miles if I can, and at a stretch get to the HM. This is now low priority.
Again, the HM ambition has been put on hold. I'll be glad if I can get back to 10k this month.
* Get to 100km again. I've done it the last few months. I almost got to 100miles last month. Again, low priority.
Not happening! I've not had enough runs this month to make it possible.
* Do more of other exercises to try to balance things out: work on the core and the minor leg muscles.
Guess what? That's exactly what I'm having to do to get over the niggles. Recent purchases have included a foam roller and resistance bands.
* Get ready for the resumption of parkrun next month, and the Manchester 10k which is on July 4th.
It looks unlikely that parkrun will now start the first week of June, even though my local one has received permission from the council, so the Manchester 10k race (my first ever paid race) will be what I'm going to aim for. That sort of distance doesn't faze me as I've done longer distances than that several times last month.
So, things are looking brighter than they did at the start of the month. I'm not expecting to do anywhere near as much running this month as I did in April, but I might end up all the better for it.
We enjoy our running and don't want to lose time doing other exercises but cross training, strength and flex, etc help us enjoy it for longer. You've done the right thing by getting checked by a physio and have guidance from a professional.
Consider tweaking or changing your goals to make them achievable.
I tweak them all the time. That's why my aim has changed to keep things steady to make the 10k race possible. After that I hope to crank up the distances again. There's no rush.
Update: I did a 5km run this morning. No niggles and beat my PR by 22 seconds. Adopting a better posture is paying dividends, as well as appearing to fix the problem. It does feel weird, though.
I never get ravenous after long runs purely because I’m never going that fast 🤣
I’ve read a couple of ultra runners books recently Finding ultra by Rich Roll and Eat & Run by Scott Jurek which has provided some healthy plant eating inspiration for us. We made some ultra energy bars the other day that are super yummy.
Quest is still on track - 68.8 miles done out of my 100 mile target.
My 3 quests from last week (which I posted only a few days ago 😂) are being refined slightly to be more specific:
My quests:
1. Do at least 1 yoga outside / week in good weather (as I now have managed to get everything sorted from WiFi, yoga bag, blankets, etc). (Also continue with daily yoga)
2. Running quests: use my new farmland route (slow, sluggling, trailing, rolling hills) to move back up to 10k. As this route is not flat, and with uneven footing, it’s going to be slower but harder than last time. Last time I went up to 10k on even underfooting and no hills, and on very level paths. But using this topsy turfy route this time should be really good for my running..... I think 🤔
3. Stop browsing on the internet through all the physical races being announced and commit to running a physical race or a Parkrun. For preparation, with hubby head out to out closest Parkrun route and run it outside of its Parkrun use.
I seem to be more hungry the days after a longish run (and like RunWillie I am never going that fast) but then again I am a bit odd 🤪
I did 2 (yes 2!) trail runs (approx 4.5km each) last week in the Saucony’s. Lots of walking involved as living on top of a hill its very much like a 🎢. I went out with my dad & husband on the 2nd trail run which was fun. We all sprinted up to the railway bridge as could hear a train, I didn’t think I was going to make it but somehow did and gave the train driver a wave 👋🏻
Sunday was an extremely soggy 7km road run. Legs were a bit stiff from having to change back to tarmac.
Anyway for this week’s quest, Nike Run Club have been taunting me with a virtual badge if I run a 10K this week but its only Monday to Friday, so have been looking at when could be feasible to run this distance before work 😬 - The only route I know uses a very busy narrow country road and I’m not sure if I fancy my chances of being flat Beth so may have to go back to the drawing board on that one but I will be getting out for at least 3 runs and hopefully Pilates (equipment)session in a proper studio 🙌🏻.
Still fingers crossed 🤞🏻for our Parkrun return but nothing so far ☹️
So much more wobbly on the walk or run daily... although as foreshadowed, some days have seen more than one, so still averaging out OK. As lockdown eases, it is time to be doing more other things which use up the energy which would otherwise go into a specific walk or run. Although overall the yoga isn't happening that much, a day when I don't walk or run, really gets me into my yoga studio (aka bathroom) for a practice so that's great.
As my Quest targets are meant to be hopefully achievable incremental gains in either distance at set speed or time for set distance, I obviously didn't set myself a sub-24 5k as a target this month, given my best this year is 24'45" and I haven't been sub-24 outdoors since 1 Jan 2020. Which is a shame, as I would have achieved it with my 23'52" at Kempton Park in the Reunion 5k on Saturday ........
Dexy5 and cheekychipmunks had good runs too, and we were ably supported by Oldgirlruns .
As the last seven days were focused on that and recovery, I haven't any attempts on my set targets to report this week. Recovery did include 8 laps (3.5k total) of my silly hilly loop yesterday at around 5'18"/k pace, with all the lap times within 2 secs of one another. Which was also quite pleasing ......
Back to business for the next report! Onwards and Upwards!!
Greetings Katnap! Is it questing time already, where did that week go? I’m still plodding on with the physio’s exercises and periodically update COGH, mostly walking! I’ve done a couple of run-walks but the closest I’ve come to 5k is supporting UTS, Dexy5 and cheekychipmunks at Kempton Park on Saturday! Ah well, the physio is happy for me to push on to 5k with parkrun restarting (🤞) so that’s what I’ll do! Happy questing folks!
Well my goals have been pretty consistent of late:
continue working out every day (this could be an issue in June when I'm taking some time off with my best mate, not sure how understanding she'll be of the required time!)
Keep running, ideally 30 miles across the week
Keep doing one long, long run a month, reaching 30 miles by October...
I've been listening to loads of running audiobooks though which is making me think I should just go for it! 🤣
My goal was to support my friend to reach 5k. Today was the day when she was going to reach 5k but something cropped up and she couldn’t make it. So selfishly I enjoyed a lone steady 8k with my cheesy tunes, lost in my own thoughts. It was bliss after a busy, stressful week. I needed it 😊. I enjoy chatting with a running buddy but I also enjoy the peace of a lone run and I was also itching for a longer run.
Now I feel refreshed a ready to cheer my friend over the 5k finish line 🏁👏🏻👏🏻
Hello Katnap , TailChaser and fellow questers, I have been delaying my contribution until I'd done my 3rd run of the week. But it hasn't happened due to Wednesday's run being postponed for a plumber's visit and then either yukky weather or domestics taking higher priority. 50 mph winds and rain today (and a slight hangover) mean I'm not now going out running until tomorrow (I hope).
So last Saturday I ran my 2nd best (not) parkrun time at the Reunion Race, which everyone has heard enough about. Then on Monday I ran up and down the slopes of Southsea Castle again. I am pleased to say that I didn't ache as much the next day this time, so it is doing me good. This was followed by breakfast inside a restaurant by the sea, which is far nicer after a run. I do feel ravenous after a long run, but I still manage to to find an excuse to eat after short runs.
No specific S&F exercises this week but I have been gardening in between showers and hail, and I will do some yoga shortly.
A bit disappointed that I only managed one run last week. I was going to run at the weekend but visited with new grandson instead.On a plus the P.E with Joe has been going well. We redid the one minute endurance test today and I did 8 more squats, 10 more press ups and 3 more burpees than four weeks ago. Pleased with that.
Yoga going well too.🙏
My run was a good 25 minute one again, I may try to go again tomorrow if it stops pouring...
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