"Struggle... to contend resolutely with a problem or task"/
So said CB yesterday morning, when he and I set out for a run. I chose the run deliberately, not because I thought I would struggle, but just in case. I am struggling a tad still, not with physical issues, but a few other issues that weigh a tad heavy at times.
Three days rest... well, rest from a run anyway, and here I am with another one tucked away!
The Yoga the indoor walking, the odd, ( very odd dance routine), and a few walks have continued helping to keep me strong.
So. I decided on Saturday night, to set out the running gear, plan a short route and see how it would go. A sound night's sleep, after a day, where I must have gone up and down the ladder to the studio loft, with boxes being passed to me and me passing other stuff down, and I awoke refreshed.
I love Sunday runs...Sunday, fun day, run day. I have over the years used them for very relaxed runs. As I progressed further in my running, Sunday was always my longer, relaxed run day, the, see where I get to, run. I think it may be a while before we are back at that stage but, no matter.
Anyway, cuppa drunk, biscuits eaten, teeth cleaned and squats done. Some lovely stretches, some faffage involving the size of my ears and my earphones being put on backwards and I was out. Mr OF had me on location share and I HAD told him I was going...UP the hill. I promised that if I was tired at the first turn I would head along it and back, but if I was feeling okay, I would head to the next turn and then come home. I would NOT run to the top of the hill.
Out into the morning. The sun trying its very best to creep through the crack in the grey shuttered sky, the curtains drawn the upstairs windows, and the gardens, green -garmented instead of white and with those small, almost imperceptible signs of things to come.
A warm up walk and then to the run. I have no idea why running uphill pleases me so; that which was a gremlin when I began running, quickly became a friend, so, when CB insisted, as he does, that the running should be easy, I did not have to try to hard. I wanted to run and look and smell and feel.
That tree has been trimmed, the tree that was there, has been cut down. Many of the green spaces have been thinned back and tidied whilst I have been away... the hidden lake has been cleared and there are ducks on it! The golfers, out in force, many cars on their car park. Sweatered and capped, they stroll along, in the gently strengthening sunlight. I have reached and passed the first turn. My legs are feeling strong and my breathing, although a tad laboured is not causing a problem.
As I listen very closely to CB's words, I am focusing also, very much on my body. I make the second turn and pause briefly for a photo shot back down the hill, and a sunrise that just begs for attention. Along the road and ready to head back down and home. CB asks, what have I achieved that I could not do before., What difficulty have I overcome... I answered instantly...a yoga move,,, one which eluded me previously, but thanks to Adriene and the past weeks, I am now able to do it! As I run gently through the aerodrome estate, I am really taking it slowly. I have no desire to speed up. Having got further than I expected to this morning. I do not want to push too hard.
As a few folk know, I host Catch-Up Corner each week, on C25K. We chat and share many ideas, on many topics...many aspects of our running, our own experiences and what we find useful and helpful. Although I write the post.. everything we share applies to me as well as everyone else. So, on my frequent body checks, I am asking myself, am I comfortable, am I running easy, and wonderfully, I am.
The signs of Spring are all around, and I greet each familiar landmark with joy. The little garden wood, where I have taken so many photographs of the snowdrops is passed with a fond glance. CB had assured me that even though the run is finished, I may if I wish continue.... I decide I do need to round the time up to 30 minutes...so I run for five minutes more.
Down past the school, playground deserted , waiting, breath held, for the hustle and bustle Monday will bring. Down to the pillar box and stop.
I feel good. I feel strong. I feel hungry.
Early days but 30 minutes..3.70K.... that will do me very, very nicely.
Back home...breakfast eaten... some chores, and yoga before lunch. A very good start to my day.
Did I struggle?
No, I honestly do not think I did, except for one thing. As some friends who follow me on Strava have commented, I do have a certain compulsion to round up numbers of time or distance...so, the fact that I finished this run without rounding to 4K, does this mean, that I am, in my old age, becoming, err... sensible?
No.... I don't think so!
Happy, safe running everyone
Floss x
Written by
Oldfloss
Administrator
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Good to hear it went well so well.Sounds like a lovely "fitness " day.I'm right with you on the rounding up! 30 minutes is a good round number.If you had rounded the distance up the time would have been messy!
Wishing you continued improvement
OldflossAdministrator60minGraduate in reply to Week7
Exactly right... a good round number... I am not a fan of odd numbers either! Thank you so much! x
what a lovely run you had Oldfloss , and nice to know that Mr OF is following you at home. I also like to round up to the nearest km, and if a race or parkrun is shorter than it should be, I just keep running until I get the distance in. However, I have been doing some timed runs with CB, so a 30 minute run is perfectly acceptable. Well done you; definitely getting stronger.
OldflossAdministrator60minGraduate in reply to Dexy5
I did thank you. Yes, it is very reassuring to know he runs with me ( even at home ). He knows where I am and I know too, where he is
I have always rounded up , I cannot remember who commented on it on Strava and I did try to shake it up, but it felt worn. Like you I have run more if the distance fell short on anything. Race for Life in Wales for example.. I ran through the finish and kept on until my Garmin pinged!
I was happy with that 30 minutes... no pressure, just so, so good to be out. x
You seem so calm and thoughtful whilst running Floss, looking around and taking everything in. I'm very envious. On my run today I remember thinking 'gosh this is hard work', 'how will I ever run for more than this five minute interval', 'maybe I don't want to? Shall I give it all up?' Then ' just got to keep going, probably be stopping by that post🤞'
Rather than noticing natures marvels I'm thinking 'oh, there is a chap with a dog up ahead, maybe I won't catch up with them' ....and then once past said chap and dog an elderly couple step out in my path and I think noooo, and have to call out politely coming through, thank you with a smile (I hope).
When the run is over, that familiar euphoria takes over though, and I'm happy to look around and enjoy the rest of the walk as I recover and plan when the next one will be....☺
Hence no run reports from me recently, but I do love to read yours and am there enjoying all your sights and sounds described so beautifully.🏃♀️❤
I'm placing my trust in Laura, but know CB will be there to help later.
Well done you, taking things steady and doing what is right for you as you leave that Covid bug behind.
Thank you my friend. Your reply, really gave me pause for thought. I am calm when I run, but have never really thought about it. I run for myself, and apart from that initial touch of nerves in the first moments of the first run,
after the IC, that is it. The running is just a part of the whole thing, It is a beautifully enjoyable way t take in everything around.
I suppose that running where I do, means I am in contact with very few folk, I do see runners, occasionally, ( not on my fields ), but apart from a wave or a smile, I don't really give them a second thought.
Maybe, the feelings you are getting right now can be turned around to your advantage ? That may be easier to say than do, because, I do know that you have had, and are still experiencing some worrying times x
Simplistically, the negative can be turned into the positive.
The start of the run... Relaxed, easy pace,( you know this plan inside out), so, " ..this is great, just being out here".
" So good to be here with a bit of time for myself". " That looks like a lovely tree up there, I may have a pause if I need one ".
" That dog walker is going to be so surprised to see me tootling along, as I go past him..."
" Hello.... runner coming through, thank you "!
Your posts in the past have kept so, so many folk , including me, running. ( I still tighten my glutes to get that lovely flowing pace at the end of a run). Full of advice, and tips and wonderful descriptions of the run. I know your time is not as readily available now, ( ...wonderfully occupied with a certain small person), but, maybe again, it is time at least once a week to write a post, either here or on Couch!
One of the Bluebird runner specials. Just a simple description of the run, that one you have just mentioned, and what happens and how you feel. So, so many folk on Couch are repeating this, and seeing how you feel and how you move on could be so helpful. The Corner there is full of us!
Laura is a great companion. I have only moved a tad further forward because for me, I need a slightly different run to get moving...
You are going to get back to where you wish to be and the best bit, we will be doing it, together x We have come through so much together...this is no different xxx
"Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative and don't mess with anything in between" ? xxx
All good advice from OF there Bluebirdrunner . I think we used to call those negative messages the gremlins. I found that Jo Whiley’s advice on C25k always worked for me. She told us to keep repeating “I love running” or “this is a lovely run”, even if not true. The positive thoughts make the run much easier and send those gremlins packing. It got me through many a treadmill run. 😉
OldflossAdministrator60minGraduate in reply to Dexy5
Thank you so much for your thoughtful and supportive reply Floss and Dexy5 too. I guess my being honest about that last run shows just how much confidence I have lost in my running ability lately.
I think I was applying too much pressure and the thought of week 5 looming got to me.
Your comments and suggestions have struck home. Where is the positive me?
Next run I will use your mindset and run more within the moment and hope to find that joy. Maybe I have been speeding up to much.
I will think about composing a report whilst running and this should help too.
That confidence will return... think how amazingly strong you are. Ease back, be kind to yourself...the positive you is there... you have just lost sight of her for a little while... but we can see her... xxx
Thank you Dexy5, I think I will listen to Jo Whiley next run that's a good idea. I'm afraid this time back has become a tick box venture rather than one I enjoy.🏃♀️🌿xxx
When I think back to my c25k , I’m not sure I enjoyed it until the session was over. But you’ve been there before and you know you can do it. I didn’t find the forum until wk 8 though and you know there is so much support here when you need it. Do put a post up when you have time.
Brilliant OF, great to hear you enjoyed your latest run and were actually sensible too 😜 I’m looking forward to some running in the spring again (the season I started Ct5k and my favourite season) 🥰 xx
Thank you, another one under the belt. This is a great time of the year that we are heading into...everything beginning to show and grow...You are going to have a lovely time as you move on. I graduated in December 2015 and I know the first months of the next year were sheer delight! x
Well done OF - I love your description - it sounds a perfect thoughtful and aware run. How wonderful it made you feel so strong too - well done for all the behind the scenes strength work!
Thank you... yes, I have felt great benefit from keeping a steady relaxed regime of gentle exercise every single day. Getting out there it is apparent how much it has helped keep everything ticking over! So many changes to see too in just a couple of months!
Great post and a cc lovely photo. Your enjoyment shines through in your words.
Please tell me how you came to love hills? I really need to know 😉😂
OldflossAdministrator60minGraduate in reply to dijep
Ha ha.. I think, because there was nowhere when I began C25K within my area where there was not an incline somewhere. What I thought of as hills then, I now call bumps in the road!
As I progressed, I realised that i could use a very steep hill as a warm up. really slow and steady, but as happens, the runs evolve, we get stronger and suddenly, I am going up things faster than don the flat !Hence having to practice at flat Park Runs before I could do my first HM.
My favourite road one is quite literally round the corner and goes from 450' slowly and gradually up to 800' I run it because it is a lovely warm up and so much to see...
Lots and lots written about technique for doing it but like so many things I feel we have to find what works for us ?
Just do lots of them. slow inclines short steep, off road as well as on road... just pace yourself, the more you do the easier they feel, truly. x
This is half way up, slow + gradual from the village, the last little bit is short+steep
How I feel too OF here in South Wales... hills are just what we do.... so much so that I smirk a little on a race with a hill that everyone complains at, but to me is a little blip 🤣 ooo how my opinion of hills has changed! It wasn't long ago I was moaning and wondering if I'd ever conquer a hill and not be purple!
Yes, it also took me 2 years into running to appreciate the hills I have on my route! Great report! Thank you! Hubby and I also have now find my iPhone always on, so we cannot get lost too far from each other! (What did humanity ever do without Smartphones? 🤣🤣)
Missed this! Thought it was the catch up corner post and then realised it was a different, beautiful picture. So glad you’re back to the runs and clearly loving it.
Spring is a gorgeous time to run. It’s wonderful to spot all the new growth starting to appear and the wildlife making itself known. The run I did yesterday (Out and back with Tom Sachs) was a Coach B classic run with added chatting to an American sculptor who does the same 20 minute run for a week and looks for the differences every time. I only chose it because it was the shortest one left on the power up playlist to get a badge but it was really enjoyable.
Have some well earned rest days…ideally with croissants!
Good to feel that I am finally running again...it is a true joy to see those first hints of the season to come. Sunny today but I have some extra time to put in with small runner in training and so I finished Yoga with Adriene and that will count as my last day of Red January too! That run sounds so interesting ! I love all the different choices there are and how we are able to fit them into whatever schedule we have!
Mr OF has said that he would like to try some Yoga so we are going to begin tomorrow, together! I think my next run may be tomorrow if the forecast winds subside!
Thankyiu fir your uplifting posts! I too have had an enforced break op of 2 weeks due to a virus, & was worried about getting back to it (I really missed it!), but did a gentle 20 minutes run & it was fine!
You will get back to it... we all worry that we won't be okay, but if we listen to our best friend ,( our body)... we do get there. You got out there, you took a gentle jogette...and felt good... slow and steady, on you go! x
brilliant post Floss and a lovely sounding run. I love recovery runs with CB…there’s absolutely no pressure, and there’s always something to feel positive about by the end.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Nettlestone Road & Trail run
A Successful Hubby Trail Run 😍
First run with a trail running group 
Lovely 7k mostly trail run, 2 degrees, wind chill -2 but brilliant with sunshine:
