A change, as good as a rest

[Yesletsgo]

The last couple of days have been dull and rainy but this morning was beautiful, sunny and not too cold. The only thing putting me off running was the thought of the mud which would inevitably cover the first part of our route. Never mind, we can always run in the opposite direction, the quayside by the historic waterfront to the marina and back. Fantastic.

The surface in town is naturally very different to what we're used to. Instead of rough grass it's brick paving most of the way. I realised I was going quite a bit faster than usual . I glanced at my heart rate - well below 130, much slower than I'd expect at this pace.

When we reached the path alongside the marina the surface got worse, it's gravel with a lot of big puddles. If you stray from this there's a grass verge but it was waterlogged and very muddy at the edges.

I trod in a puddle I'd attempted to avoid. One cold wet foot. Had a little think and decided that at least the road surface under the puddle was sound so I'd embrace running through the water. I now had two wet feet but they soon warmed up, especially as I'd turned towards home and the good, solid path.

So that's another 3km completed. Not very far but I've given myself permission not to push it this month. The weather is not our friend, it's cold and slippery outside. Better to complete fewer, shorter runs and end the winter in one piece than to push too hard just for the sake of it and do oneself a mischief.

I found it very interesting how much easier physically, judging by my heartrate, it is to run on a hard flat surface rather than the mud.

Happy running everyone

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

Mud , like sand is harder going, well done you, getting out and running. It's funny about wet feet isn't it? Step in a puddle and almost shriek in shock but just a few metres on and they have warmed up

[Yesletsgo Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

With decent socks you get a sort of wetsuit effect when they get wet, don't you? A moment of 'Aaaa!!!' then they warm up, the moisture wicks away and you're fine

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Yesletsgo]

Yes that's it exactly, I got wet feet in Gran Canaria, was trying to put my fingers in the sea when a little wave came along and washed both feet 🤣

[Oldfloss Administrator 60minGraduate]

A muddy but good run... well done you... sand or mud... lots of impact on all parts of our running body.

[Yesletsgo Graduate10 in reply to Oldfloss]

Glad I got out there. I very rarely run on hard surfaces (want to be kind to my knees) so I didn't realise what a difference it would make

[Oldfloss Administrator 60minGraduate in reply to Yesletsgo]

Absolutely x

[5KCouch]

You got it right. Sand, mud or snow - all three reduce traction, and make distance and time less reliable as objective measurement of effort. That leaves heartrate.

[Yesletsgo Graduate10 in reply to 5KCouch]

I can't run at all on loose sand. I wouldn't run on snow here in England, too wet and slippery, but did a lot of running at lower temperatures a couple of years back. The snow was fine and powdery and a joy (not sure about the effort though, heart rate was probably raised to keep me warm at down to -10).

Mud is my default, fine when it's dry and hard but if it's wet, slow slow slow

[5KCouch in reply to Yesletsgo]

Dry and hard snow is wonderful.

We're close to zero temperatures now. It's been snowing all night, and it's going to keep snowing all day, and I'm definitely not going to run, because it's not going to be dry and hard, and there will be too much of it everywhere. I know.

We're going cross-country skiing tomorrow, so I'll make up for it then ❄️🌝❄️

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10]

Great post. It’s all hills around here so when I’m actually on the flat, it feels like I’m on easy mode! It sounds the same for you when you’re on a solid surface instead of mud. The trickier terrain must have made you stronger though and that’s definitely something to recognise!

[Oldfloss Administrator 60minGraduate in reply to MissUnderstanding]

...on the flat, I feel like a plane that can't quite take off, on a runway!

[Yesletsgo Graduate10 in reply to MissUnderstanding]

Good point about hard work making one stronger, my heart obviously agrees with you

[GTFC Graduate10]

Love this...'I've given myself permission not to push it this month.' They all add up and keep you active. Well done 🙌

[Yesletsgo Graduate10 in reply to GTFC]

There's a time and a place and December is grim and demanding enough as it is!