We are going into week 6 now. Thank you so much everyone for waiting for me. I ran 3 x 5K runs last week. Not fast, around a 7 min/km pace but I'm happy to be running it all. How is everyone getting on? This week we will start moving across the Bridge.
I have found that a nice way to build up distance is at a nice easy steady pace. So pick a pace which is comfortable for you over 5K and stick with that and even go a little slower if you want. This week we will do 2 x 5K runs and a longer run which we will increase by just 500 meters, so a 5.5K run. Each week we will add on some extra distance to a long run, keeping the other two runs at 5K. Feel free to run your 5k at race pace, intervals or just relax and enjoy them at a nice easy pace.
So far in our gang we have, Devon_Straggler, Saratamsin, Raisemeup, DylanTheRabbit, Lablove, Kirst13, Tansycat, Foxile, MamaKeeves, Sammy_Lou, Popstess, Oldgirlruns, UnfitNoMore, Sueken, Joggingonthewildside, Tetleyteagirl, ThisGirlNowRuns, Knitruntalk, Howie1210, Meanmommab, Comaltdel, Tofino, kjm20, 51mc, berrinio, Tabbles
If I am missing anyone let me know. Also if any one would like to join in please let me know. All welcome. Have a good week everyone.
Damien
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damienair
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Hi Damien! Today’s trot was a lesson in deportment for me I think! I’ve decided I’m fed up looking like an old sack of spuds when I run so this morning’s effort combined 5.5km, iaw with our little bridge-gang plan, with some serious concentration. I’ve always had a tendency to look down at my feet when walking but it’s hopeless when running and I’ve got to stop it but I’m telling you, at 68 I’m finding changing the habit of a lifetime is tough going! But my new mantra is “shoulders back, chest out (remember that ladies?!), chins up and look ahead”. And keep those arms moving as well! It wasn’t perfect but it was better than usual (I think/hope😆) so we’ll see what happens! And the run? Well, it was seriously slow even for me at 59:44 (😱) but miracles happen - I ran the whole thing without a walking break and I haven’t done that for months! I know there’s nothing wrong with a walking break but it’s a real confidence boost to know that I can do it without. So I’m feeling just a little bit pleased with myself! And now I’m off into the loft for some more clearing out - happy running Bridge runners!
You deserve to be very pleased with yourself OGR on running non-stop without walking for almost one hour, congratulations, I am sure you are NOT an old sack of spuds when you run, certainly not, as you are a member of Damienair's Bridge Gang I wish you luck on eventually running 10K.
Excellent. Great running and well done on doing the 5.5K run already. That is brilliant. Yes I know what you mean, being able to run the full 5.5K without any walking breaks is a real boost to confidence levels. Great effort.
Hi Oldgirlruns. I quite agree with thinking about posture and frequently check mine when running. Starting with trying to tuck the pelvis under seems to help re-allign your back and shoulders and engage the core. I have to check intermittently as the slouch does creep back during the run. I read that there should be a slight natural lean forward to let gravity pull you onwards - it's a lot to get right but I think it's worth trying to master as I seem to have better runs when I implement this style.I managed 8k on Monday, my furthest yet - slow but steady and fairly upright!
Best wishes as you find your best running posture, you will cross the bridge upright and proud! ☺️
I need to measure how far I go in my 5 minute warm up walk, as I've always just measured the lot together, as fiddling with the phone on the go is a hassle! Had to drop the car to garage yesterday and ran home. Over 6k and all up hill (I did walk the steepest incline as it was quicker than my running 🤣), but think I can safely say I ran 5k!
Hi Dexy5 , I got great News yesterday. I was out for my run and at the 3K point I bumped into a guy running in the opposite direction whom I know from my local parkrun. We both stopped for a few minutes to catch up and have a chat. He told me that parkrun was going to be returning to the Republic of Ireland on the 11th of September. I ran home to check online and sure enough parkrun is returning to areas outside of Dublin as there are restrictions on outdoor gatherings of more than 500 people. My local parkrun will be starting back up. Yahoo! I can’t wait.
Well done. You could start you 5 min warm up just before and have it done before the start or just do it from the start and incorporate it into your run.
If you're recording with Strava, there's an option to crop the beginning and end of the activity after you've finished. On my phone it's in the top right with the editing options. That's how I figure out how fast I've actually run. I also don't like faffing with my phone during my run.
Thanks, I've cropped a few times when I've forgotten to end a walk (usually more focused on it for a run), but I never thought of doing it to crop off the walks. Thanks for the suggestion.
Thanks dexy5 and damienair. I think I just carried on as I had started out, so the increases would carry on from the week 4 when I moved from recording couch to 5k as a walk to a run. Also the faffing to get the phone out of the secure pocket and then opening strava etc. At the moment I need a new screen, so extra difficult to manage. And worried about tripping if I'm not looking where I'm going! I think my daughters might be getting me a fitness watch for my birthday, which will make it much easier. But this morning I measured a 5minute walk each way to the point I start running on my most regular route and it was 0.5k each way, so I know I can just knock a km off.
Well done on your run this morning. Yes a running watch is fantastic. I just have a Garmin Forerunner 35 with all the smart features turned off. All I want to see is distance, pace and time. Anything else is too much information for me. I still don’t know what V02 Max or Cadence etc are. But it means that you can run without a phone if you wish and starting and stopping is far easier. And it is very accurate.
Hello all, just checking in but not much to report. I've kept my long run at 50mins (a little shy of 7k). My back is a little niggly and I've got an epic bike ride to do on Saturday.
After I've recovered from that I'll start increasing the time.
I'm enjoying my running, the highlight this week was Curtis Mayfield tripping out playing just as my short run should have been finishing. I was feeling it so much, I had to carry on until the end of the song. Also I've got my cadence up to 180 for the whole of the run, so feeling pretty pleased with myself.
I think it's going to have to be time based for me, because I don't have the kit to measure distance easily while I'm running.
Hi Dtr, I just had to comment on your very decent running, 7k in 50mins is a strong run in my book - well done.Also, your choice of music, Curtis Mayfield is one that I often play being a member of a Soul choir. We have recently sung 'People get Ready', a great song indeed full of emotion and uplifting. The message resonates as we get ready to cross the bridge, it's all about being ready!
Good luck with your running, who knows what distance Curtis will lead you to next😉
Hello Damien and all. A slightly shorter run yesterday at 5.4k. It may be that as I've recently run 2 longer runs (8k), and my body was requiring a recovery type run, whatever, I don't push on when it doesn't feel right. However, glad to have done this run as I'm starting to see a 5k run as the norm nowadays, not the big target run that it used to be.Something is definitely shifting mentally as well as physically - could it be one day 10k will become the new norm - we'll see!
Very well done. The great thing about running 8K or 10K means that 5K feels like a nice easy run. However if you do wish to push towards 5K time improvement having the longer runs helps greatly with endurance.
Only had time for 2 runs this week, one 5k and a 5.5k. Both felt good - slow, but I'm fine with that now. Feeling positive about crossing the Bridge with the gang. Happy running everyone.
Two runs this week, 8.5k and 5.5k, I have taken on the run 60 miles in September in aid of Cancer Research.Planning on doing another run on Sunday, distance will probably be based on available time.
Like oldgirlsruns I’m mid 60s and never ever run before COVID
I find it really hard to push myself past the 5k slow run … but I’ve just found a running buddy who’s sooo much faster than me. So maybe I’m on for 10k too
Not at all. 7K is for me the magic distance as it is great for 5K training and endurance plus leaves you very close to the 10K distance should you have a run which you would like to train for.
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