How 5 became 10β€¦πŸ’ƒπŸΌπŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸƒπŸ»: After my start... - Bridge to 10K

Bridge to 10K

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How 5 became 10β€¦πŸ’ƒπŸΌπŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸƒπŸ»

GailXrunning profile image
β€’44 Replies

After my start-of-the-week torpor and tentative 3.5k return 3 days ago, I’ve ended the week smashing all records!πŸ˜„πŸ’ͺπŸΌπŸ’ƒπŸ’ƒπŸΏπŸ’ƒπŸ’ƒπŸΏπŸ’ƒπŸ»

My aim today was for a gentle 5k, jeffed with short walk intervals roughly every 1.5km. There was to be no effort (pressure) to repeat Thursday’s negative splits feat. We set out at 7.35. M came along for the first half hour, so we were chatting before settling into our respective jags, with me pulling ahead (especially when I focused on cadence) and looping back periodically to reconvene. (M is rebuilding his running practice and not finding it easy. Today I insisted he try some jeffing, which I’ve been suggesting for ages.) After he left (his personal target was 30 minutes), I carried on for my 5k. On reaching it, I fancied going a bit further and before I knew it it was 7.5. As that was about my longest distance in recent weeks, I thought why not go a tad further - say, 8k, which will be something to celebrate. I even added some short inclines on the embankment, which I sometimes do as I approach the end. But at 8k it crossed my mind that 10k was only 2k away (maths genius!🀣) So, as they say, it was then game on. I found the last km tough going and slowed with the view simply to achieving my target distance. I add on a few minutes by way of compensating for my walk intervals (although I know I need not do this, it’s a bit of a habit).

This was the outcome: 10.33k, 1:15:15, average pace 7:17 mins/km. The 10k records 1:14:09 on the map. This is my third 10k and by some way my fastest.πŸ˜πŸš€πŸ₯‡πŸƒβ€β™€οΈ

Indeed, it’s better than my PB over 5k (7:19) πŸ˜πŸš€ πŸ₯‡πŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸ’ƒπŸ»πŸ’ƒπŸΌπŸƒπŸ»β€β™€οΈ Woo-hoo‼️ At a couple of points my audio stats told me I was steady at just over 6:00.

Turns out my last km (the penultimate figure in the following) was far from the slowdown I’d thought: 7:39, 7:22, 7:55, 7:30, 6:40, 7:12, 6:56, 7:03, 7:27, 7:14, 7:04. I’m rather pleased with the general shape of the splits, which include my walk intervals in their averaging (but exclude my warmup and cool down).

The slower third km included taking M to see the wild flower patches (my photo is from my walk late yesterday afternoon; this morning the poppies were dominant again) and along the path with the black poplars, which often have a distinctive whisper when there’s a breeze, although they were surprisingly quiet at this point despite the wind. Left to his own devices, M sticks firmly to his badger track, so such β€˜deviations’ are a bit anarchic. I think he enjoyed it, though. It also included my vain effort to count starlings, which instead of of being scattered around the park in several bands, had congregated in one gathering of 100+. Later in my run they flew up, passing right over me at some speed; I could feel their power, as one can when geese do the same. I also went on to pay special attention to the sound of the plane trees, which were responding to the breeze, thinking that their shimmer sound was somehow softer than the poplars’ crisper, almost metallic crackle and pop. On another visit after M had gone, one of the poplars rewarded me with its audio treat - just the one tree was catching the wind, while its neighbours remained silently still.

Another highlight of today was the friendly people: the guy with his dog, who we saw a few times, and with whom M shared his impending sense of physical collapse. There was the woman runner who passed me in the opposite direction three times at least. Independently, both M and I were struck that she had her long hair flowing freely. Best of all was saying hello to one of the park keepers and telling him what a brilliant job he and his colleagues do. He was clearly very pleased to hear that we appreciated his efforts, especially while on the morning-after litter pick-up. Yesterday’s sunshine had brought out the crowds in force; hammocks; a dozen or more parties, with competing music, dancing, bean bags and canopies; proper picnics; sunbathers; families; games of every sort; the two guys spotted in the bushes heating their drugs. It was quite incredible to see the park in such a different light with all its multitalented aspects.

Happy running/walking/resting/planning, everyone! Wishing you a great Sunday. πŸ˜„

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GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunning
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44 Replies
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Grannyhugs profile image
GrannyhugsGraduate10

Another great 10k well done. Lovely photo. Sounds like a great varied route. Happy running πŸ€—

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toGrannyhugs

Thanks, Grannyhugs. I’m feeling very chuffed (and puffed!)

CBDB profile image
CBDBGraduate10

Woohoo!!! Nice! Congrats on a beautiful 10k!

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunning

Thank you. πŸ€— I’ve never actually done a longer (by my standards) run by explicitly intending it. I seem to have to trick myself into thinking it’ll be shorter and then powering up. I know I’m doing it though, so the trick isn’t although believable. Whatever works, I guess.πŸ˜„

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate10

What a great run πŸ˜πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘It's so nice when you feel you can just keep going !

Well done πŸ‘

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toInstructor57

Thanks, and such a turnaround after the first part of the week.

Instructor57 profile image
Instructor57Graduate10β€’ in reply toGailXrunning

That's the way to do it 😬

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10

What an a beautiful description of your run! It’s interesting the mind games we play with ourselves, I do something similar. By keeping my true intended distance secret from myself, by not allowing the thought to take proper shape, I avoid putting pressure on myself πŸ˜‚, if you can work that one out!

Well done for that speedy 10K πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸƒβ€β™€οΈ

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toJools2020

Thanks. Haha! Yes, that’s right… and we even know it’s a secret which is even more circumnavigation! I guess it’s the option that is secreted: you can stay with the shorter distance, up it a bit, or go full out. I’m thinking the issue comes with runs above 10k, when one has actually to plan to take refreshments. Bit of a give away that!!πŸ˜‚

Jools2020 profile image
Jools2020Graduate10β€’ in reply toGailXrunning

Haha, yes - that’s true. Then I tell myself I’m just β€˜testing out the refreshments’ for a possible future run πŸ˜‚

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toJools2020

Ah, I’m learning from you all the time!

RacingintheStreet profile image
RacingintheStreetGraduate10

Very well done πŸ‘πŸ‘ That’s an amazing pace to keep up on a 10 K πŸ˜ƒπŸƒπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸƒπŸ»β€β™€οΈZippy πŸ€πŸ€πŸ€πŸ€πŸ˜‚

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toRacingintheStreet

πŸ€£πŸ˜‚πŸ€πŸ€πŸ€πŸ€πŸ€ I did think of adding them to the post, but the emoji could be misinterpreted .. or rather interpreted correctly but missing it new meaning. πŸ’ƒπŸΌ

RacingintheStreet profile image
RacingintheStreetGraduate10β€’ in reply toGailXrunning

πŸ€£πŸ˜‰

Sandraj39 profile image
Sandraj39Graduate10

Lovely post - and clearly a great run!πŸƒπŸ½β€β™€οΈπŸ™‚ Well done again!πŸ‘πŸ™‚

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toSandraj39

Thanks a million, Sandraj39.☺️

Frenc profile image
FrencGraduate1060minGraduate

That’s a brilliant run. I love it when we do more than we meant to, it’s such a great sense of achievement! A beautiful photo as well. Well done on thanking the park keeper, we don’t often think about them. Your park sounds very well used! 😊😊😊

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toFrenc

Thanks. The park is *intensively* used. Last week I saw a wedding - all very informal… again on a late afternoon walk. I’m usually one of the early birds. I’m now there so often I think I should join the users group. For years it was a place to scurry across (if one had to) and a bit forlorn, but some energy has gone into it and it feels a nice place to be, even if some aspects can be hard-edged urban raw. Several neighbours have remarked on the same recently. Amazed at the efforts of the keepers; they keep it in tip-top condition despite the extraordinary heavy use.

Raisemeup profile image
Raisemeup60minGraduate

Brilliant run Gail! Congratulations, If I can ever get to 10k I think it will by a chance encounter with those elusive running gods!I daren't set myself up to do it, just going with a spur of the moment gradual extending mile by mile.You deserve a treat and at the least a very self-indulgent day. 🌸

Best wishes ☺️

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toRaisemeup

Thanks! And what timing! M has just roused from his recovery sleep and is talking about making tea and chocolate. πŸ₯° And great to hear from you. How are things? I often think in terms of 1.5km increments, which is close to that mile-by-mile approach. You’ll get there when you’re ready and when the stars form the right constellation. Booking my spot now to celebrate! πŸ˜‰

sparky66 profile image
sparky66Graduate10

Beautiful account of you run day πŸ’•And congratulations on a fantastic 10K..

Well done πŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸ˜Š

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply tosparky66

Ah, so nice of you πŸ™πŸ˜ŠπŸ’• Glowing, and can certainly feel I’ve worked out today.

Irishprincess profile image
IrishprincessGraduate10

Sounds and looks gorgeous, well done to you. I see you haven’t got your 10K badge yet πŸ™‚

healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toIrishprincess

Thanks .. and also for spotting. Instructor57 also pointed that out earlier. I did once have a badge, I’m sure, but it appears to have evaporated. (I can’t see badges on the mobile app, so I’ve been none the wiser). I popped a message in the link reply to see if it can be restored.

Irishprincess profile image
IrishprincessGraduate10

Sometimes there’s a glitch and badges disappear mysteriously πŸ‘»

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toIrishprincess

πŸ˜Άβ€πŸŒ«οΈπŸ˜³πŸ€£

Beatlesforever profile image
BeatlesforeverGraduate10

Woohoo πŸŽ‰πŸ₯³πŸ˜ƒ amazing!! Very well done πŸ’ͺπŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toBeatlesforever

πŸ™ Thank you. Still buzzing hours later! 😁

Cowladyrunning profile image
CowladyrunningGraduate10

Well done! I love the photo too. Isn't it weird how the slower you feel sometimes ends up faster!

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toCowladyrunning

Isn’t it. No way would I have imagined I was averaging the pace I did at that point. It felt more like wading through toffee. Mind you, it sometimes works out the other way around: you think you’re doing well and turns out you’re not doing quite as well as thought.😊

Cowladyrunning profile image
CowladyrunningGraduate10β€’ in reply toGailXrunning

True!!!

Indielass00 profile image
Indielass00

Wonderful account Gail. How splendid that you turned that 5K into a 10K. Such a great feeling to be able to run on for longer.My 7 yo daughter found my phone with this site on it and scrolled down. She stopped at your photo and said β€œI love these beautiful flowers”!

So a compliment from her too. Thanks for a lovely read! πŸ˜€

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toIndielass00

Ah, how wonderful! πŸ’•πŸ’•πŸ’• The wildflower photos today and last week have prompted several comments. In real life, I rarely pass them (whatever the time of day) without someone taking a picture of them, selfies with them, and group photos.

Indielass00 profile image
Indielass00β€’ in reply toGailXrunning

I took a pic of wildflowers in a near by town last week. My 3 yo loved them too ❀️

Wildflowers
GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toIndielass00

How beautiful! Love the colours.

Raisemeup profile image
Raisemeup60minGraduateβ€’ in reply toIndielass00

Delightful photo - delightful boy son! One for the album no doubt. Thanks for sharingπŸ™‚

Indielass00 profile image
Indielass00β€’ in reply toRaisemeup

Thanks, he is a sweetheart πŸ₯°

Dups profile image
DupsGraduate10

Well done on your 10k. Sounds like you had an unexpected fabulous run πŸ‘πŸ˜Š

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toDups

Thanks, yes, it was. And I am feeling fine today (next day); I know I did it, but I’m not β€˜clattered’.😊

Katnap profile image
KatnapGraduate10

πŸ’ͺ awesome run!

🐱 Katnap 🐱

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunning

πŸ˜πŸ™πŸ˜πŸ™πŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸ’ƒπŸΌ

LottieMW profile image
LottieMWAmbassador

Fab running Gail! πŸ™ŒπŸΌπŸ’ƒπŸ»

What a sneaky 10K πŸ˜‰πŸ˜„

GailXrunning profile image
GailXrunningβ€’ in reply toLottieMW

πŸ™ŒπŸ™ Haha! Yes, it did creep up on me, didn’t it?! Hope you’re still managing to squeeze running into your life? πŸƒπŸ»β€β™€οΈπŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸƒπŸ½β€β™€οΈ

LottieMW profile image
LottieMWAmbassadorβ€’ in reply toGailXrunning

Yes…just not posting…I need my wrist slapping πŸ˜¬πŸ™„πŸ€·πŸ»β€β™€οΈ

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