Another 5K dusted and done

Hiya,

The plan was to do a run in zone 3. I use the preset zones my Garmin watch gave me. Wrong I know, I really should do a small (self) test to get more accurate zones, but never had the courage or wanted to take the time. So Garmin zones it is for now.

I set my watch to warn me if I entered zone 4 and started. Slow Jogging again or trying to anyhow. No plan until I entered the road amongst the fields and just knew I wanted to go for another 5K. That is until the cemetary and back again.

Again no Jeffing, I want to see where Slow Jogging brings me. During my run I had to stop 3 or 4 times to crawl in the grass to let a car pass (the road is the width of a car and a few centimeters more). Also stopped 1 time to take the above picture of these nice flowers at the side of the road.

When I start I get a stitch in my abdomen, despite it being 2 hours past breakfast. I feared I would have to stop, but I bit through, tried to breathe deep and slow. Luckily it did pass after a while.

I pass a bunch of sour lemons, but luckily a few people also say a friendly morning back. There was also another runner who smiled already from a bit further on the road and called out a very friendly hello. And hello back to him, he is definately not sore on the eyes! Too bad he runs faster than me and I am too shy, otherwise I'd have asked to run together. But oh well, he's probably much younger than me, so I just continue on my slow plod.

I keep running, sticking to my slow joggle and pride myself in the fact my watch had not yet warned me a single time of slipping into HR zone 4. Finally 5K said hello and I stopped, not feeling too bad.

Homewards I connected my watch with my phone and... oh crap. Apparently I had put my watch to warn me when reaching the top of HR zone 4, not 3! I had misunderstood and have been a big while in zone 4 after all. Stoopid me! No negative splits either, but that is ok.

But, that is a lesson learned and another 5K in the legs. Did not feel my groin (the inside attachment of the leg to the body?) during the run at all (did feel a little ankle niggle though), but now after a well earned lunch the groin suddenly hurts rather painfully. Have not had this pain before, acting very careful now. Hope it will be better soon!

Cheers, Evy

[DylanTheRabbit Graduate10]

I love your write ups! I tend to run by feel, it doesn't always so me going too hard. I don't have a sports watch, I keep my phone in my pocket and only check my heart rate after the run. It usually tells me what I already know, if it felt too hard or I was huffing and puffing, my heart rate has gone too high. Hopefully your groin pain won't last too long.

[Hidden in reply to DylanTheRabbit]

I can't run on feel, I don't feel a lot. That sounds weird. I ofcourse do feel when I am getting out of breath and such, but the finer workings I am numb to. I had the same problem with horse riding. They kept telling me to feel thing, but I did not feel a thing of what I was supposed to feel. I do am very sensitive to pain, sound, smell and such. But feeling? That's too high up on the ladder for me...

[DylanTheRabbit Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Data all the way for you then😁

[nowster Graduate10]

For me groin discomfort was one part of my legs overcompensating for tight muscles elsewhere in the legs, particularly the hamstrings.

An exercise my physio gave me was to do slow squats with the legs as far apart as is comfortable, and the feet pointed about 45 degrees outwards, whilst holding hands together at chest level. You should go down into the squat slowly and then come up out of it slowly.

Another good one if you have a resistance band is to slip it round both ankles and walk crab-like left for ten paces and then right for ten paces, but never letting the band go slack.

Obviously, if there's pain whilst you do these, stop immediately.

If you have a foam roller (also known as instrument of torture) you can use on the backs of your legs and the glutes, it might be an idea to use it.

[Hidden in reply to nowster]

I do have a foam roller (used it 2 times I think 😹) and resistance bands, but I left them at home (holiday at the moment). But I am going to try those exercises. Can crab walk without the resistance bands too, no? Just have to see the neighbours are out, as I only have room to do such things outside 😹

[nowster Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

You can, but the resistance band works the muscles more.

[CBDB Graduate10]

Great write-up and we’ll done for keeping at it. At some point I’m sure your tenacity of dealing with some body weakness here and there will reward you!

Slow- jogging rather than jeffing: I hear you. One can’t find a 10k training plan without jeffing it seems (except the good old magic plan) and I find that slow jogging is just a bit of a different thing and that not many plans or advice boards cater for it.

Great stuff! Keep on keeping on! And wishing you speedy recovery to pain free running and testing!

[Hidden in reply to CBDB]

Thanks, I do like Jeffing in my own ratio of 4min30 / 0min30. But I think AND slow jogging AND jeffing might be a bit too much together? In any case I have now proven to myself that I can run 5K without jeffing. Now just to figure out what is best for me body / health wise.

[Frenc Graduate10 60minGraduate]

Ah well done Evy! I bet the man who’s not too sore on the eyes 👀 made up for the sour lemons 🍋. Our tech can be very naughty when it wants, it can have a mind of its own. I hope your groin’s feeling better, that was a really good run 🏃‍♀️😊👏🏼.

[Hidden in reply to Frenc]

The groin still aches today, not sure what I did wrong. Is slow jogging causing me to use my muscles differently maybe? Something to investigate! And yeah the guy did make me forget the lemons, hèhè.

[Frenc Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Hidden]

Sorry to hear the groin’s still sore. I don’t know enough to know if it’s due to slow running - perhaps it’s because you’re not doing any Jeffing? I’m just guessing though. I’d rest it for a bit and hopefully it will improve 😊😊😊.