NRC 6k(ish) run: A sky too pretty not to share!

[MissUnderstanding]

This was my view yesterday. I wish I was Vincent Van Gogh and I had the talent to capture the swirly clouds and just the most perfect shade of blue that seems to radiate happiness. On the other hand, I also need both my ears to make my Shokz stay on so I suppose I’m happy being me instead of Vince!

I hadn’t run in a few days. Looking back, I’d been pushing through feeling sub par and I don’t think it’s done me any favours. I decided to wait until I really did feel ready to run and yesterday afternoon was the day. There’s also nothing like spending two hours on zoom (with breakout rooms…bring back memories anyone? ) to make you want to head for the great outdoors.

I’m at the beginning of a new training plan. I decided definitely no speed, aim for about 5-6k and see what happened. I loaded up Coach B’s 6k run and set off on my old faithful couch to 5k route. It was a faffy start with traffic, shoelaces, podcasts not playing, seeing someone I knew and me being incompetent at pausing and unpausing the NRC app. I totally forgot to unpause it after a long chat with my friend and realised 1.6 miles in that I hadn’t heard from Coach B in ages-he was stuck on 0.5km. I couldn’t figure how to skip ahead (I don’t think you can) so for the rest of the run, he was consistently telling me I hadn’t run as far as I actually had! My own silly fault.

A little way in to the run, he asked for a couple of pace pick ups. I’d decided no speed but they came when I was warmed up nicely and feeling good. It was actually really nice to just channel feeling strong and see what my legs did. Just a short time at 10k pace and 5k pace but enough to highlight that I was actually feeling better.

This was just an out and back. The familiarity of the route was really nice-nothing too hard to think about so just settle into a nice rhythm and turn on cruise control. When 4 miles came up on my watch (about 6.5km), it felt weird stopping Coach B in full flow but that felt like the right length for that run, I know he’d be pleased with me for making that decision!

When you’re ill, you sometimes forget what it feels like to have a comfortable run and I’m so glad to remember!

Happy running everyone! I think this run is on the NRC 10k plan so you’ll have this to enjoy if you’re currently doing that one. Hope your views are as nice as mine was!

[Sax64 Graduate10]

Sounds like a super run, well done 👏

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Sax64]

Thank you! It was so nice to be back out and feeling good.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

That sky is beautiful and I'm glad you are better 😻 it's not nice being unwell.When I arrived this morning my legs said a run would be nice, but by the time I'd unloaded the car, made a cup of tea and unpacked what I've brought with me my head said sleep. I'm still waiting for my bed to arrive and when it does sleep might win. I'm struggling not to doze off.

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

What was the result of sleep verses run? Doze would have absolutely been the result for me!!

Hope the unpacking and settling in goes really well ❤️

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate10]

Just grand.... I am so glad that you are well on the way,. back... and a beautiful run too... ! But believe me, having done a paining in the style of Van Gogh in art class... you are better with a photograph

Very well done to you ! x

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Oldfloss]

Thank you!! If anyone here was going to paint me a beautiful sky picture, I’d be commissioning you!! ❤️

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10]

Sorry to hear you've been poorly. This sounds like a perfect comeback run, that really is a most amazing sky, got a bit of everything in there! A good choice of podcast too, I'm always amazed at what CB draws out of me, an uptick in speed just when I thought I was finished! And of course he will forgive you for cutting him off, you can always go back and do that one again. xx

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Curlygurly2]

Thank you! I was a really nice run-still feeling smiley about that one! You’re spot on about coach B-it’s amazing what he can spur you on to find within yourself. No wonder he has so many fans here!!

[Fiadh79 Graduate10]

Glad you are feeling better!

That run is on the 10k programme, I did it a couple of weeks ago. I'd never done pick ups like that, but they were amazing.

Also, I did a run recently where I accidently paused the run so had literally no idea what I'd done! Had to just guess.

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Fiadh79]

Those pick ups can be brilliant, or awful!! Glad you had fun. That 10k programme is a nice one! Also nice to hear I’m not the only one with an occasional tech fail! Here’s to both of us having gremlin free runs next time!!!

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

That is a beautiful sky MissUnderstanding , and it sounds like a beautiful run, on your terms. I’ve had those days too, where the tech doesn’t want to behave. I have now got NRC on auto pause so if I stop, Coach Bennett does too.

[MissUnderstanding Administrator Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

Thank you so much! The sky is a bit of a contrast today-rain all round. Maybe it makes us appreciate the blue skies more when they come!

I’ve had to turn auto pause off because it messes up my music. When it restarts, it swtitches to the Apple Music player regardless of whether I was using BBC sounds or the podcast app. It’s annoying. Usually I just don’t bother pausing but this time because it was a while I did. Ah well! It was a lovely run anyway!