Well, that run wasn’t how I planned it at all! I totally misjudged the pace. Apart from the run a week ago with the running club, which I didn’t record, it’s about 3 months since I ran. So my idea was a slow - very slow - pootle round the 3K block, which I walked yesterday.
Faffing about took a long time, too. I wanted to wear a new top that my daughter-in-law bought me for Christmas. I found it in the end! Then I couldn’t find my sports glasses and headphones, Eventually I was ready - a quick glance in the mirror and tutting at my slightly punk hairstyle, popped on a sun visor from my collection and I was off! Sun shining and playlist. I set off at what I thought was a comfortable pace - I had about 9 mins/ km in mind, but at the first km buzz I realised I was running far too quickly for my current level of fitness and that first km sets the pace for the whole run. I found it difficult to slow down so by the third km I was struggling. So much so that when I got back home and realised that it was under 3km, I’d already had enough!
I still mark it up as a success and I’ll make sure that first km is slower. Next time I will start my watch and walk for a minute then gradually break into a slow jog.
The important thing for me is that I planned to run this morning and I got out there! For that first km I was singing along to my playlist and it felt great. My plan is to run a few more 3Ks until I’m really enjoying those runs and only then will I increase the distance. You can see my red face in the photo! 😂
Happy running! 👍😊
Written by
Jools2020
Graduate10
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That's fantastic! The main thing is to get out there and start building up your fitness (and the habit) again. I was going to suggest walk / run when I read that's exactly what you're planning next! Great minds 😉 So lovely to see your smile again 💕
Next run I will be a snail! 🐌 I’ve been unpacking all my crafting stuff and got distracted with an idea for a card. First time I’ve done that for 2 years! 😊
That sounds great and it's good to read your posts again. No wonder you had a few issues with pace after quite a long break! You'll sort that out soon I'm sure. All my recent runs, whatever the distance, have been at the same pace and I got a bit obsessed with it all, which was negative. The plus is that I've generally been doing negative splits, which is new this time around.Good luck and do keep posting. You have been missed!
Thank you, Roxdog. I guess I just needed a break from everything.
Funny about the negative splits! I’m determined just to run at a comfortable pace for a while. Hopefully I’ll achieve that next time. The most important thing (for both of us) is getting out there to remind ourselves how much we love running!
Thanks! That run last week was certainly an error of judgement. I was lucky to get away with just aching muscles for a week! Back to a sensible reintroduction now 😊
But you went out so well done you! And it looks as though you went back to the running club after all - you posted that you weren’t too sure about it after your first outing with them. So all is good in the Jools running world- whoop whoop!
Sounds like a great run Jools! Fellow quick starter here, I'm generally so happy to start running and feeling so effortless (because it's only just started) that my first 100m are often the fastest. Then good sense kicks in and I slow down. I literally have to check the whole time on that first half km.Isn't it just fantastic to be out there in the sunshine?
I used to be much better at gauging pace. A good trick for a slow start is when you start your watch at the beginning of the run, don’t start running straight away. Walk! For about a minute - then very slowly start to jog. Yes it was fantastic to be out in the glorious sunshine! When I got home and finished my stretches, I took a coffee out into my tiny garden and enjoyed the sunshine some more!!
Nice tip about walking at the start of the run, trouble for me is that I always do a 5 minute warm up walk, starting my Garmin tracking at the beginning of the exercise, then switch on NRC when I start my run. It counts down 3-2-1 and I'm off. Don't know why, I need to be running not walking. If it's a recovery run my running is often slower than the walking pace I was doing immediately before.
I know that slow running is the way to go but some mornings are so glorious you just gotta go for it
Thanks! Trouble is, with my current level of fitness due to my 3 month break, I burnt out really quickly. Next run will be an enjoyable very slow run and I’ll do 3Km!!
Well done. You’ll need to rebuild your practice (and especially after the hardcore nighttime forest run adventure, where your achievement was amazing!!) , so this is definitely another success. As has already been said, and as you know, it’s as much about recovering consistency as fitness. Not quite 3k is still a run… and I think it’s the type that Garmin likes! Shorter runs but regular might be the way to go initially. You’ll know when you’re ready to step up.
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☀ Run in the sunshine 
