Partial Success - A Procrastinators Diary

[OldManRunning]

My challenges have gone awry with only 4 runs done so far and no Resistance Band exercises completed; very difficult to do with no bands.

After a lot of procrastinating I got myself out the door Monday for what I decided was going to be a short 20 minute run(I still have a niggle in my knee from a twist running in Madeira) and it was freezing. It was - 2° with a lot of white everywhere but no real ice so easily run-able as long as I took care on the sleeping policeman which all seemed to have retained frost(irony at its best 😂) strange! The run was 3.5k in 22.40 averaging 6.28.

Probably due to my age I really suffer in the cold so I was attired in a thinsulate bobble hat with sweat band underneath, buff, base long sleeve top, another long sleeve top, Ron Hill jacket, thick leggings, shorts, long compression socks, running shoes and 2 pairs of gloves. It was very fresh and I immediately felt the cold through my clothes on the 5 minute pre-walk but I knew I'd be running soon so would warm up.

But my real suffering problem is my hands. I have Raynaud's so wear a thin pair of gloves which are meant to help, with a thinsulate woollen pair over them. However once the cold gets in my fingers go white and become painful and then I get a horrible sick feeling in the pit of my stomach (the first part occurred during the run but luckily not the second).

Too emphasise this my other past time is golf and last week I nearly had to stop after only 3 holes because of my hands, luckily the sun came out and warmed my core which got the blood pumping into my hands again, unfortunately, this makes them even more painful. Sadly I have decided not to play golf when the temperature is likely to whiten my hands. I hope that my running doesn't go the same way.

On a positive note, last week my daughter took me to her running club on one of two free taster sessions. Evening runs are not my fortay but I needed to run and had been nagged for weeks so I relented. On arriving at the meet I asked my daughter which route we were taking at which point she started laughing saying up Kenfig Hill. I doubt any of you know the area but you just need to focus on the aptly named 'Hill' part of it. She continued to say I didn't tell you earlier in case you didn't come.

Since starting this venture in August I have mainly run fairly flat routes, our local parkrun was the first real exception, which of course was with said daughter who became very aware of my views on hills as I snarled and swore as I battled with myself to get over it and then back over it. It's not that I don't like them, I'm just not very prepared for them at this stage of my running, but literally, onwards and upwards 😁. I did start this bit with 'on a positive note', well I did run 6.25km my longest so far but not all of it at a conversational pace for me, although my daughter and her friend enjoyed a good chat 😂😂. I did get back before her 🤩

Thursday and Friday this week I missed out on 2 beautiful but cold running days, . On Thursday I came down to a cooked breakfast only an hour after I said I was going out for a run, bless her how could I say no; you can't reheat a cooked breakfast after all. We then had a sick granddaughter which really messed up the rest of the day. Friday the rest of life got in the way, Slimming World was good lost 2lb getting me back in target, then we had a Christmas food spread which put running out the window.

December isn't being very successful for my running or my attitude, I look out the window and see and feel cold and really struggle to get out the door 🥶

[Frenc Graduate10 60minGraduate]

Well done for getting up Kenfig Hill! I had a quick Google - it’s fun seeing where other folk run 😊. I think you’ve been doing brilliantly well, please don’t be too hard on yourself! That cooked breakfast sounds wonderful. 😁

[OldManRunning Graduate10 in reply to Frenc]

Thanks Frenc. They were going up to Cefn Cribbwr right at the top Thursday so gave it a miss 😂😂😂

[Frenc Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to OldManRunning]

Sometimes we have to pick our battles 🤣.

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10]

Lots of us are finding it hard to with one thing and another-you’re in very good company! I totally agree that you’re being a bit hard on yourself. I’d be trying to focus on all the things you have done rather than what you wish you’d managed. You’ve got loads to be proud of!

[OldManRunning Graduate10 in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Thank you MissUnderstanding maybe I need a chill pill 😂

[Teresa1632 Graduate10]

My friend swears by running mittens, its the only thing that works for her fingers. Santa could bring some maybe.Hills are good fun to run on, just shorten your stride and increase cadence. Then shorten a bit more as the hill gets steeper. Use your arms, driving backwards - your arms power your legs. Well done sticking at it!

[OldManRunning Graduate10 in reply to Teresa1632]

Thanks Teresa1632. Maybe i could run in my golf mittens. I'll give it a try 😀👍

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10]

Oh gosh.... ! Just Oh Gosh!

Time to do something really tricky now... time to start being kind to yourself!

This time of the year, especially with the current weather, news and everything else. You're not long back from your holiday and this is a tad different heat wise!

Okay:

First off...you got a run in ! That beats me hands down! No run for me, here for two weeks! Your run was a blooming good one too.

Cold weather, -2, chilly at the start and frozen hands.... yet... YOU still did it. You found it safe to run and you did not go home!

You ran with your daughter, you ran up a steep hill....

You ate a great breakfast prepared with love... you cared for a granddaughter and on top of that you lost WEIGHT!

I am not even going to begin to weigh you down with my issues right now, but suffice it to say, I think you are doing brilliantly!!!

Life throw all sorts at us but you are showing your strength in what you are doing.

Now, you need to try to turn the thoughts that are working against you into positive ones! How?

Don't look out of the window. You are defeated before you begin... or if you do, think, yes, look at that, beautiful, I am going to get out there and run... WOW!

More practical:

Gloves.... I have arthritis, I get really cold fingers, white and stiff, and wear the ones that are supposed to help. I out them on the radiator to warm them before I go out. I do that with all my gear, form my Runderwear ( shhh) to my socks and my long sleeved T shirt, leggings, and even my hat and Buff.

You can too, buy heated gloves. They do work ( my butcher who has Raynaud's, told me). BUT you need to pay for them... a decent pair costs.

Cold:

I warm up inside the house.. ( You read the Catch-Up Corner post re that didn't you)? Not with all my gear on obviously, I would have heatstroke,,, but I warm up, then get togged up and out. I am too warm probably to start but with the temperatures, that soon settles. Try it.

You knw as you say, that you get warm running anyway.

The practical bits are the easy ones...the mind gremlins... quite another. You have to try to make that which works against you, work for you

You graduated, in great style 2 months ago... 2 months! Look how far you have come in those two months...

You are running, when you are able and where you are able, for as long or as far as you are able.

It is cold, life tries to upend us...but we come through as will you.

Okay, well that was a long ramble and as much for my sake as yours... because I do know exactly how you are feeling l the only difference.. it is driving m bananas that I cannot get out into the cold and just run around the field!

So... stop being hard on yourself, Be proud of what you have done.

Keep trying; get some strength and stamina work in , I shall totally expect to see you in Catch Up Corner next week ( just wait) I have some really great workouts coming to keep us going !

And, if there is a time when you simply cannot get out there, then console yourself with this thought. The ice and cold will abate...the runs will wait...

" If winter comes, can Spring be far behind?"

You, my friend are doing just fine!

[OldManRunning Graduate10 in reply to Oldfloss]

Thank you for such a thought out reply. It's lovely you took the time to think and write that to me. What a world this would be if we were all Oldfloss's. How inspiring 😀

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10 in reply to OldManRunning]

I just write what is true. . Xxx

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

Don’t worry OldManRunning, with the icy weather, and Christmas preparations, there are many of us who are not getting out as much as we would like at the moment, so you aren’t alone. It has been much colder than we are used to, and my running gloves have not been good enough. Next cold snap, I’m getting my ski gloves out!

How lovely that you can go out running with your daughter, and very well done on your hill run. It definitely gets easier, the more you do it, but I live in a flat area and have to seek them out.

Keep running when you can and keep smiling.