My lovely sister has entered us both for a 10k in the village where we grew up and where my parents and she and her family still live. Itβs not until the beginning of March 2022 but is something to give me a focus over the winter. I do struggle to keep running when I donβt have a target. My daughter Dabby-dotβs C25K journey was my challenge for the summer, so this is my winter one.
Plus thereβs nothing like sibling rivalry π€£! I say that very tongue in cheek π, as my sisterβs best 10k is 55 minutes, and my one and only 10k is 1 hr 17 mins - can you can see where Iβm going there?! My sister is rather competitive but fortunately thereβs a big enough gap in our times for her to just be competitive with herself π !
So, as my sister registered us both this morning, I thought I had better get my bahookie in gear and get out the door. I have to own up to it being nearly 3 weeks since my last run, though I have been doing yoga and Pilates. My shifts with the vaccination team have all fallen on run days recently, but not today. I settled on a Jeffing run with 3:1 intervals and my dog Isla came too. Sheβs getting pretty good at this Jeffing business and we seem to have dealing with the necessary requirements of running with a dog off to a fine art now.
All was going really well for the first couple of intervals. My route takes me onto the local common for some wonderful running on the trails among the trees and where the autumn colours have been stunning this year π. And that was my downfall, quite literally, as I went flying over a leaf-covered tree root and flew forward, dog lead dropped, hands first, down onto my right side narrowly avoiding my chin hitting the ground. I had knocked the wind out of myself completely. My gorgeous little dog reacted amazingly, running right back to my side and jumping up to put her paws on my shoulders as I pushed myself off the ground. Having dusted off the leaves and inspected myself for damage, the sum off which was two muddy palms and a slightly bumped right knee, I counted myself very lucky. I found the offending tree root and cleared it of leaves in the hope others could avoid it.
Thatβs only my second running accident, the first being in a similar place and also involving a tree root which I tripped over while running and blowing my nose. π. Lesson learned - I stop to blow now π€§!
Well, the reward for my tumble was a big improvement on my previous Jeffing 3:1 with the same number of intervals. With the interval repeats and my two 5 min walks either side I covered 5.06k in 42:06 mins. Iβm happy with that. Itβs my first 5k since January (that was 38min consecutive running). Maybe I shall be competitive with myself in the run up to this 10k in March, but Iβll never hit the dizzying heights of my sisterβs 55 minutes.
Happy running everyone ππ²πββοΈππΎπ
Why do anything different? Back on The Wonderful Magic Plan ππββοΈ
A lovely surprise for a lovely morning. My first 5k ππ
Had a fall. Full length in the dirt with swearing!!
