Tales from a Slow-Jog Comeback #5: I’m back out there jeffingly joggling!

[CBDB]

Well, this must be the slowest comeback ever! But so happy to write that this morning I got all my gear together and got out there, with Zombies version of Week 1 Run 1 of a renewed Couch25k journey!

I had planned it for this weekend, but I had an annual leave day today, and I was also inspired by my son who did a run just yesterday and reported on any muddy patches of my usual route. And then the sun was shining so brilliantly this morning.

Of course there was still a bit of humming and hawing, and faffing about! I’ve been on the IC with COVID and metatarsal issues for coming up to 3 months now, with only the occasional tentative try-out run/walk here and there. During that time, we rearranged our bedroom, I sorted my fitness gear into now 3 drawers (uhm! Yup, up from 2 when last I ran regularly, but now including more rowing gear).

So I had to search for various things:

- Headphones (and adapter to my different iPhone)

- Freetrain Vest, now where did that go?

- Favourite leggings

- Long sleeve top

- Cap

- And my new Altra Lone Peak Trail Shoes (0-Drop), which got their second outing with this run!

And then making sure I set my phone up

- Runkeeper on silent mode and with the right route

- Mummycav @mummycav’s Spotify playlist, which came really handy ( see her post at healthunlocked.com/couchto5... )

- And Zombies to 5k app

It was sunny and warm.

My aerobic fitness seemed ok, thanks to the continuous rowing I did in my down time.

But I could feel my joints and metatarsals will need some time adjusting again to a renewed running me. So I will build up slowly.

And how was week 1 run 1 of the Zombie, Run version of C25k?

The session was pretty gentle. I liked that it had a solid 10min warm-up walk, as 6 min is often not enough to get me off the road into field paths.

And then it was walking 45 seconds, running 15 and repeating that 10 times.

It made me want to run longer as it felt I had so much more to give! It really did leave me wanting more!

And after those gentle run bursts, it asks you to run/walk as you feel for the next 10 min. And that allowed me to joggle a bit longer, with a 2 min, a 3 min and another 5 min section.

Mummycav’s playlist kept me good company. It was good to run to music again!

And my Altra Lone Peaks felt good! They don’t feel as much encushioned like my Hierro New Balance, but that is the point! And they felt perfect for that. I could feel the ground much more and how my ankles and toes are more in touch with the path, letting the feet do what their best at in navigating the uneven ground, the micro slopes and dips and roots.

And coming back home, I felt pretty happy.

This is only the second time I am redoing C25k, but I can already see the difference from where I was last time in week 1. I’m not exhausted now, and I know I was back then. Duration is also shorter, on this same route.

And I will be doing another workout today on my rower, but back in 2020 when I embarked on my running journey, I remember I felt so tired after every run!

So I see this not as “returning” to C25k but moving forward in a running journey, and forward here also sometimes means to pull back.

That running journey I visualise as waves during a rising tide. I’m now in the ebb point, where the tide had receded, but I know that my comeback will mean I’ll get to a stronger position than I was before. Stronger might mean faster, or further, or less injury prone, or simply more fun.

And I’m looking forward to this next part of my running journey!

It’s great to be back! Keep on keeping on everyone!

[Beatlesforever Graduate10]

That's fantastic! Yay, I can feel the joy pouring from every line of your post 😀👏👏👏👏 I re-did c25k during the first lockdown and it is amazing how different it felt, as you say, it's not going back, it's another stage of our journey forwards 👍

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to Beatlesforever]

It is! Upwards and onwards! 🙏👍🏽💪🏃🏽‍♀️

[Roxdog Graduate10]

Yay! Good news!

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to Roxdog]

Thank you! Yay! 😀😃🏃🏽‍♀️

[Catwise Graduate10 60minGraduate]

Congratulations and welcome back! I too am restarting my running journey after injury and surgery, I did the NHS C25K last time but like you I’m doing zombies C25K this time. I had gotten all the way through season 9 of zombies while running over the last year and a half so going back to the beginning with this C25K is a lot of fun. I love your image of a wave ebbing and flowing in a rising tide, that’s exactly right! I feel so much less tired after my runs this time, I will start week 3 today. I remember being so anxious about all the details the first time around: what to eat/drink before and after, what route to run, which stretches to do before/after, how best to warm up/breathe/foot strike/posture etc etc! Now it’s all so familiar, and with the gentle way zombies has started, I feel no anxiety at all!

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to Catwise]

Hello fellow runner 5! Indeed, much different this time around, although I have to admit I did take a heavenly snooze just now! But after escaping from that one zombie they let loose in my training, that’s ok I think! 🧟‍♀️😃👍🏽💪🏃🏽‍♀️

[Doris8 Graduate10]

Well done CBDB good to see you back. Good luck and the same with the shoes 😀

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to Doris8]

Thank you! Why do you actually only wear the altras for cross-country walking and not running? I remember you saying that and I never asked?

How is your return going, you think! I read your walking and running outings, and from where I am, it looks awesome!

[Doris8 Graduate10 in reply to CBDB]

I bought the altras at the time for the winter and as having problem nerve feet and arthritis in feet and thought they might work. I tried to jog on roads with them but found not a lot of cushioning but the altras are meant to be like that and I suppose for walking that’s what your meant to feel more flexible like your feet moves. I am mostly on walking now as even Jeffing was hurting my hips and back and scared to risk it. I walk briskly and that’s supposed to help build bone density. I might try the altras again for walking just go a short distance and give them time to get used to feeling the ground. Sometimes I thing my new balance and brooks ghost are not flexible enough. I’ve been out 4 morning this week just 5 km before work and will do my longer one Sunday. Broke my New Years resolution already as going to go out every day but having to isolate after holiday abroad and getting the can’t be bothered attitude for about a week but now out again and enjoying it. Keep,going your doing great and your determination is great.

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to Doris8]

Thanks! And vice versa! We rock! 👍🏽👏

[Instructor57 Graduate10]

Great to hear you are back out there again !Take your time (Actually don't know why I said that because I'm sure you will 😁)

Oh didn't know there was / is a Zombies C25K app 😁

Sounds interesting!

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to Instructor57]

🤣🤣 even slow snails can go too fast, so thank you! 😂😃👍🏽

Yeah, I think it’s free for first three weeks. I had a subscription in 2021 where I downloaded the whole 8 weeks, so we will see if I need to go back on a subscription for a couple of month to finish it. But if not, I find it’s worth it for a few month.

[Scruff55 60minGraduate]

Really well done. Great post so inspiring. You have been so enthusiastic about keeping fitness while being on the IC. I’m sure you’ll be back in a much stronger place than before. Take care though.

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to Scruff55]

Thank you! Yeah, even slow snails need to take it slow! ☺️👍🏽

[Scruff55 60minGraduate]

It’s the best way to run 🤣🤣🤣

[grumpyoldgirl]

I love that incoming tide image - that's how I feel now. Even though I'm not running yet after getting covid, I know that I'll be better able to restart. It doesn't feel like going all the back to the beginning.Sounds like those altras will work for you this time around. It will be interesting to see how you get on with them as the runs get longer. Best of luck with them, and with those pesky zombies 😁🧟

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to grumpyoldgirl]

Cheers. 🥰🌊 yes, those zombies! They’re on the rise again, it seems. (I ran 2 seasons of Zombies, Run, so I might be picking this up again)

[tmbtrain Graduate10]

Yay hear to hear you're back out there and enjoying it 😀

[tmbtrain Graduate10 in reply to tmbtrain]

Great even lol!

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to tmbtrain]

🤣 I liked “yay hear to hear”…. Very piratical (<— urgh automatic spell corrected … should have said: poetic)

😂😂

[tmbtrain Graduate10 in reply to CBDB]

😂 auto correct gets me so often 😆

[MrBassmanjazz]

It's interesting going back around. (I'm on week 4). There are no surprises. You know you can do it 'coz you've done it before and it's great just to get back out. Still using your playlist, though I might give Mummycav 's a go. I do think you can have too much Queen in your life, though.

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to MrBassmanjazz]

🤣🤣

Fab! Week 4, I’ll follow in your (re-tread) footsteps. 😃

[David_G]

Well done CBDB for just keeping going with the recovery! You’re doing so well so I’m sure you’ll be out there full time soon 🏃‍♀️👍

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to David_G]

🥰thank you!

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

It’s great to have you back 😀knowing you’ve healed and running again

[CBDB Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

Yeah, it’s great to know I’m on that journey finally again. Still need to gently explore my limits of my feet, but am hoping for the best.

Hope you are doing ok?

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to CBDB]

I’m ok thanks but haven’t had energy to run

[buzzards Graduate10]

You have been so positive during your time on the IC and the rowing has obviously done wonders for maintaining your fitness. It's great that you can rejoin your running journey.