First 10K race done!

[MissUnderstanding]

Today was the big day…the 10K race I signed up for halfway through couch to 5k before I’d even run 5k, let alone 10! Preparation has been really up and down with reaching 10K well ahead of schedule and feeling great, followed by a too hot to run holiday and a really horrible virus that stopped any sort of exercise.

Right up until this morning I was planning on pulling out but I settled for doing it with a view to walking most of it. The atmosphere was brilliant and I was feeling good on the start line so decided to start out running super slowly and start walking as soon as I needed to. As it turned out, I ended up getting totally carried away with the crowds and running my usual pre-holiday/cold pace. I kept expecting to run out of puff but it never happened! The spectators were great, the marshals were encouraging and my husband was cheering. The only silly mistake I made was not realising a bit group of people with tambourines wasn’t the finish so I reached them at a full on sprint only to find that there was still half a km to go. That felt like a LONG way and I felt like a huge twit! I reached the finish line with nothing left and jelly legs but I was properly pleased with the time given how I’d felt leading up to it and I felt I’d paced it well (mainly) so there wasn’t anything left in the tank.

My legs already feel achey which is definitely a consequence of the interrupted preparation. I’ll be taking it very easy this week with some super slow (and possibly very short!) recovery runs. What’s next is now the big question. I’m undecided about whether to keep increasing distance up to a half marathon or whether to stick at 10km for a bit and try and improve my time. I’ve really enjoyed running that distance so maybe that’s the better option. Just enjoying today for now though! For the first time, this running milestone has come with an actual medal 🏅

[Beatlesforever Graduate10]

That's absolutely amazing, very well done! 👏👏👏🥂🏅

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Beatlesforever]

Thanks! Still buzzing this morning (don’t mention the legs!!)

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate10]

Huge Congratulations on running your 10k event MissUnderstanding!🏃‍♀️🎉Well done for planning to see how things were with low expectations, and being able to complete the run in style ( then actually finish😅)

You really deserve that bling. Hope your recovery goes well.

Take it easy. 🏅👌👏👏👏👏

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Bluebirdrunner]

Thanks! I was so pleased with how it turned out. Sore today which I’m sure is the lack of training close to the race. Think it’s going to be a very gentle walk/swim depending on how work falls.

[damienair Administrator]

Fantastic effort and congratulations on your first 10K race. Brilliant.

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to damienair]

Thanks! Planning the next (flat!!!) one already.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate10]

Congratulations on completing your first 10K, well done, you deserve to be very proud of yourself with that medal 🥉, now go and celebrate your wonderful achievement 🏃🏾 👍 🥉

[CBDB Graduate10]

Woohooo! I bet that early “Finnish” gave you a boost to your time (and a bit mor jelly legs! 🤣🤣)

Wow! Awesome! So well done for running it!

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to CBDB]

Thanks, it was my fastest km by quite a fair bit so I think it did help the time. It will definitely help with planning how to run next years race!

[Week7 Graduate10]

Congratulations 👏 🎊 No rush to decide what to do next, it will give you something to mull over in your gentle recovery runs.

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Week7]

Thanks! I signed up for this one on a runner’s high during c25k and while it’s turned out well, I’m not sure that was the best way to choose a first race!!! Going to wait at least a week and then have a look for either a half marathon or another (flatter!) 10km in September.

[Week7 Graduate10 in reply to MissUnderstanding]

I did it the other way around-I have only done one non virtual race so far and that was a half marathon last September. I have signed up for the Severn Bridge 10k this August , although there is the option to switch to the Half Marathon until a couple of weeks before.

Both of my races were chosen based on runs I liked the look of rather than the distance!

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Week7]

👀Severn Bridge 10K? I did not know that was a thing….off to investigate! That sounds exactly the sort of thing that I’d enjoy.

This one was a very local, rural 10K that I’d always wanted to do since moving to the area. Big hills but gorgeous scenery because if that. It was such a nice community feel and I saw loads of people that I knew. Lovely! Next time they just need a posh coffee stand at the end and it would be perfect.

[Week7 Graduate10 in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Ahh-coffee-my half marathon was at Badminton- very pretty..and chilled out sunny finish with a posh coffee stand!-excellent espressos

[FrankyC]

Brilliant 👏 huge congratulations 🎊

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to FrankyC]

Thanks! Still waiting for the buzz to wear off!!

[FrankyC in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Long may it last 😃🎉

[Frenc Graduate10 60minGraduate]

Well done you! Naughty tambourines and all! Brilliant 🤩😁🤩.

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Frenc]

Thanks! Apparently a couple of other newbies also got caught out in the same way!!

[Me_time Graduate10]

Congratulations MissUnderstanding . I remember you wrote about registering for this run when you/we were doing c25k. So good to see you completed it so well.I hope you completely recover from the cold virus really soon.

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Me_time]

This is such a lovely post to wake up to! Thanks for the reminder. So proud of getting to run the race and finish feeling so good. I think I’ve found another one late august which could possibly be a half marathon but I think I’d prefer to do another 10K and aim for a quicker time.

Feeling pretty much back to normal now. I’ve managed three recovery runs this week and I’m currently debating trying parkrun this morning. I’ve woken up a bit late but could just about get there. I’d not it’s a run around here instead.

How are you getting on? It’s been hard in the heat!

[Me_time Graduate10]

Good to know you are almost 100%. I am learning to run in cold, dark, rain and wind so I can get that 10mile badge I have my eyes on 😁 So glad I started my C25k in Summers so I have that running routine established, I just have to stop looking at the outside weather, lace up after work and push myself out of the door.