Welcome to a brand new month of questing! Autumn is well and truly upon us. Have any of you spotted the leaves starting to turn? I’m going to be watching for signs of the seasons changing on my runs. Have you had to dig out the cold weather kit yet? Let’s hope we get some beautiful, cold, crisp days that are my favourite of the whole year for running.
Any other autumn fans out there? I’ve already seen some beautiful photos from posters and would love to see more.
I’m extra excited to be hosting this month because I’ve got an event coming up in November (an 8k night race which I’m assured is masses of fun). While I love running just for the joy of it, I also really like having something in the diary to push me a little out of my comfort zone. Now I’m well recovered from covid, I can’t wait to try some tougher speedy runs as well as the lovely, mindful, easy one with Coach B for company! My quest will be to keep up three consistent runs a week (one speed, one 5k and a longer knee) plus three good strength and flex sessions a week to keep the IT band happy. My final quest element is to make sure my eating is as tip top as it can be to support the runs.
So what will your quest be? Will you be building your distance? Dialling up the speed? Keeping the consistency? Running with a smile? Whatever it is, share it below and Team Quest will cheer you on!
For any newbies, here’s what it’s all about:
What is the Quest?
The aim of the Quest is to help you find a focus or goal that you would like to achieve by the end of the Quest period.
The Quest takes one calendar month. You can join at any point during that time.
You need to be a C25K Graduate before joining the Quest. The reason for this is that pre-graduation your week is very much structured according to the C25K programme, and I wouldn't want the Quest to interfere with that.
Most popular goals are:
★ To run three times a week
★ To slowly increase distance
★ To train for a specific race
★ To add strength and flex exercises to your weekly routine
This is a personal challenge, so it's completely up to you! If you want to join, all you have to do is comment below with something like: “I would like to join the quest”, or, “count me in! I would like to...”
I can’t wait to see what your goals are and cheer you on!
MissU 🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️
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MissUnderstanding
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Those are such great goals! I’ve been surprised that since I’ve been running, my daily steps has actually gone down. Walking more is a great target, especially in such lovely surroundings. Enjoy!!!
🍏 Your recovery has been remarkable Floss and we salute all the thought and effort put into it through very difficult times, encouraging the rest of us too.
I love those goals! Stay positive is such a great one to have on the list. You’ve been doing so well with your couch to 5k rerun. Wishing you many more smiley miles and a happy time eating more!!
I’m a fellow fan of YWA…shout out about any particular good workouts and I’ll try them too!
Fantastic and congrats on a morning 5k. That’ll be a real boost to kick start the month! Slow and steady is a lovely way to run. You’ve got some super goals there-swimming once a week is always the one I struggle to tick off, even though I really enjoy it. Good luck to you!
Thank you for hosting the quest & to Mummycav for hosting last month’s.
So glad you’ve managed to recover well from Covid and your quest sounds perfect.
For me:
Run 2 or 3 times a week - no pressure. Will include a 10 minute treadmill run to mix things up (and to have a flatter terrain).
Strength & Core on alternate days.
Yoga / stretching every day.
Reduce my sugar intake - not that I eat many sweet treats (and only have sugar in my black tea which I will start to reduce) but being more mindful about my nutrition.
Great goals! Sugar is one I’m trying to work on too. I’ve snuck into bad habits with snacking on jelly beans when I’d usually be eating nuts (salt and pepper cashews from Lidl are my favourites) or bananas. Saving those for long runs is an immediate change for the better I can make!! I’ve heard once you give up sugar in tea, it becomes almost undrinkable-good luck reducing that!
I’ve been caught out by it getting dark early! That’s definitely the downside of autumn. Great plans. It’s always better to set something realistic that you can feel pleased about achieving rather than constantly behind or off track.
I love an interval run. Do you use guided runs like Nike Run Club or have you got something else that works for you?
Using a guided run and really enjoying it. I do 1 minute fast run, 1 minute fast walk, but I like to hear the voice telling me how well I'm doing! Daft really, because I know it's just a recording, but it is motivating.
Hi there MissUnderstanding 👋Yes Autumn if the best, but today it's SO warm out there and SO, SO muddy. I don't think I've ever been so mud splattered 😂
It's been a while since I've quested but I really need some goals to get some consistency back. I've been struggling to get my shoes on and get out there and my S&F had dropped to just my weekly yoga class. So if I share my goals on here hopefully it'll make me reach them🤞
So simply to ....
🍄Run twice a week
🍄Run a 10k this month
🍄Do at least 2 S&F sessions, either Pilates or YWA ( plus my usual weekly yoga class)
There were go it's written down so I've got to do now 🤞😄
Consistency is so important and sometimes so elusive! Let’s hope we can all keep each other going to get back into that consistent groove where it’s so much easier to keep going!!
You’ve got some really great goals and I’m wishing you a very happy quest week.
I’ll be recovering in the next 4 weeks from my pulled calf, slowly starting regular rows and runs again. I’ll have to work out some sort of strategy but will post this on S&F as it all connects strengthening my legs and making my ankles more flexible.
So a bit vague, but I’m listening to my body but also pushing forward. Today, having done my physio exercises and gentle rowing, I feel good and on my way.
Wishing you a speedy and full recovery! Did you see a physio for those exercises you’ve mentioned? They’re such magic people!
The injury couch is a frustrating place to be but it sounds like you’ve got some great plans to make the best of it and come back stronger. Have a great week!
My favourite time of year and I am so pleased to be getting back to my running after time off with an upper hamstring injury.🤞
So, 5 runs back now - starting with a couple of run/walks and now starting to feel better over 3k runs. I have been seeing a very lovely and wonderful physio (also a runner🏃♀️) who has been guiding my rehab and giving me lots of exercises to improve weak areas. If all remains good over the next week or so then I’m allowed to run further….
So, my 3 simple goals are: Run three times a week
Keep up the strength work
Be back to 5K and hopefully on my way back to 10k’s but the end of the month.
So pleased that you’re back again and it’s going so well. The injury couch is rubbish and you’ve done a great job building back. Take it steady, listen to your body and nail all those super goals. Physios are the best aren’t they! Have a wonderful week.
Hello and count me in. Last month I didn't quest, just ran when I could, but now I'm back properly. So for me, having bagged the 60 minutes running, I'm now going to try and improve my distance. To do this I'm going back to Juju's magic plan, so
🍁1 interval/fartlek run weekly. They're such fun and they really seem to be increasing my pace and stamina without me really thinking about it.
🍁5k weekly. Did a PB at parkrun, whoopidoo.
🍁Then a longer run. I'm up to 7k so far.
🍁All interspersed with S&F and cycles.
Let's see how it goes. I have to admit to feeling great at the moment and the running feels good, so I want to hold on to all that and be mindful of my running body.
Congratulations on the PB! You’re flying at the moment-hold on to that feeling! Sometimes it’s tricky not to push it when you’re feeling really good-having a plan and sticking to it is great. It sounds like you’re doing all the right things. Are you using particular interval runs? Im a big fan too!
Thanks, I've done the first fartlek many times. Today I did slow down 2 speed up, which I'll definitely do again again. I've not done a mindful run before, let alone one with intervals, , but it really worked for me this morning, paying attention to my body now and enjoying the feeling now and appreciating my surroundings now. I've also done triple 7 once, which was hard going but hey it preceded a PB for 5k, so I must have done something right after all. I like a plan, but I'm definitely going to tune in to how I'm feeling more and not overdo the pushing forward to the next goal.
Love this! I haven’t seen guitar and singing make a b appearance on quest goals before and I totally approve!! You’ve got a great selection of things to keep you busy. Enjoy those wonderful autumn sights too!
Hello again MissUnderstanding , I feel I should be giving myself a Quest but am finding it hard to decide what.
Lots of travel over the next few weeks but I'll be spending most of the time with my sister in Greece. She lives at the top of a very steep hill and it will be warm (I hope)
So...the Quest:
To average at least two runs a week over the month (already did one today so go me!)
To do at least one Parkrun if I'm back before November
To maintain my VO2 in the Blue (excellent) zone, just 'cos I like being told I'm excellent, even if it is by an app 😂
Greek running sounds awesome-I hope you can find lovely routes and hoping for some photos! I went to Rhodes last year and loved it. Great goals-adapt to include extra beach time as necessary!!
Funnily enough I was looking at my VO2 max this morning - it literally hasn’t changed at all since I got my garmin a month ago! I’m also blue so I can totally relate to enjoying being “excellent”! Fingers crossed we can both stay there! Have a great week.
Lovely photo. I love this time of year too as it's cooler but not too cold. I struggled when it was hot but now relish the cool breezes. I'm in training for the Nottingham Morun in 4th November. Just doing the 5k this year so plan is to run 3x a week various lengths/times with 5k Park Run on a Saturday. I have to exercise for my back every day anyway but I'll add in some weights on alternate days too. Diet getting back to normal after our hol and not forgetting vitamin D especially now the sun is getting so low. Happy October quest everyone.
I’m not built for hot running either. Give me rain over heat any day!! It’s so much nicer now it’s cooler. You’ve reminded me to pick up some vit D on my next shopping trip.
I’ve just looked up the Morun and it sounds brilliant. You’ve got some great training plans that I’m sure will set you up for a great run. Have a great week!
My goal is easy -- to define. I've signed up for a 10k at the end of the month! I'm a bit nervous as I've still never run that far, but I do have a plan, of sorts. I'm juggling swimming classes twice a week with the two weeks left of the Nike 10k program -- only there are 5 runs per week and I'm not sure I'll be able to squeeze them all in. Also I'll complete the push-up challenge this week (will I continue to do them? 🤔) and I'm doing a bit of yoga every morning. I hope it's not too much...
I love the photo. And trees -- they're very photogenic! Here's one I took on my anniversary 🍾
I’ve done the Nike Run Club half marathon plan a couple of times and that’s also five runs a week. I just chose three-the long run, a chilled one of around 30-35 minutes and a faster one. You definitely don’t need to do all five. Are you already spreading them over a longer time period than an actual week? That’s another thing you can do. What’s the longest distance you’ve run so far? MrU did his first 10k in June having got up to 8k before the day. It sounds like you’re in a really great position for the race and you can take a lot of confidence from all the training you’ve already done. Nerves are normal! Coach B describes them as excitement in disguise!
Have you been over to the “Fun Beyond 10k and Race Support” board? They’re really friendly and will give you loads of cheers and encouragement for your event. Keep an eye out for the November pom pom post!
That's a good idea - aim for three runs a week, and take some pressure off. I've run 8k twice. When I was supposed to do the 10k run, I chickened out! 🐔 and repeated the Five Mile Run. I stopped running for about 2 weeks for various reasons, and then yesterday I ran a little over 4k. How many runs should I do before another 8k? It's true I've done a decent amount of training but confidence has always been my biggest problem. My husband tells me "you're ready, you could run the 10k tomorrow" - but I'm convinced he is SuperHuman and cannot possibly understand mere mortals like me.🤪
So here's my tentative plan. Tomorrow I'll do an interval run. Thursday, a 45-min recovery run. Saturday, another 8k. Then I'll feel back on track toward the 10k. Thanks for your words of wisdom! I'll keep you posted!
I agree with your husband-physically you are ready! Sometimes it takes a while for our brains to catch up. You’ve made some super progress-it’s harder to see when it’s ourselves!
I haven’t done the NRC 10k plan but have just looked at their long run progression. You could look at the final weeks of the magic plan instead-that goes 8k, 8k, 9k, 9k, 10k instead of going straight from 8k to 10k. That was the plan I did. If that looks better to you, it’s absolutely fine to play around with the distances to suit you.
Ooh lovely, count me in please! My Quest for October is to do something active every day - whether that's a run or a walk or yoga or other stretching or some as yet unknown thing.
That’s a brilliant quest! One of the podcasts I was listening to recently was talking about how runners massively benefit from being active in other ways apart from running. Have fun with all your different activities! Looking forward to hearing what you’ve been getting up to.
Hi missunderstanding, thank you for hosting this month! The arrival of autumn is very welcome. While it will curtail some of the trail running when it gets muddy, the lower temperature and humidity more than compensates.
I missed a run last week and slow of the marks this week, logistics at home have made fitting runs in a little more challenging.
This month my wife and I are doing the Cancer Research UK skipping challenge. 100 skips per day every day. Surprised myself how quickly I've got the hang of it - longest streak so far is 49. Can I do 100 without stopping by the end of the month?! It's a harder workout than I expected too, plenty of burn in the calves and upper legs, so doubtless will support running indirectly.
Otherwise my quest is to fit in the usual 3 runs per week and to be disciplined about bed time between 10 and 10.30.
Skipping! Really good luck to you and your wife with that challenge. It’s a great charity and great cross training too!! I bet you’ll notice gains in your runs.
You’ve got a great set of goals there. I always forget about bedtime-such a good plan to consciously focus on it. Nicking that for next week!
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How did your parkrun or (not)parkrun go?
week 2 begins!