"Let's all do the conga......let's all do the conga....da da da da....da da da da..."
I could not have been better prepared. Armed with my own personal playlist (bikergirl has got me all wrong. I'd never have Bucks Fizz on there!) and my freshly laundered running clobber, I set out at 9am into the grey dull day and started my warm up walk. Laura had been left behind on this run and I think she appreciated the lie in.
I tried NOT to think about timings and set off at a decent pace. But once Lady Endomondo announced the results of the first K at 5'33sec I thought "Hang on! That was a bit good." I was feeling pretty satisfied and my legs were in good shape. Breathing still a bit heavy which worried me a bit cos that's the only thing that I have slight difficulty with. I can't do the "in through the nose, out through the mouth" thing too well. Still, time will take care of that.
Across Richmond bridge and two walkers taking up the entire pavement. "They're bound to hear me" I thought, and I made my footfall heavier so that it made a kind of "runner coming along behind you, can you get out of the way purrrleeeease?" sound. It didn't work which meant I weas going to have to speak. Not an easy thing do when you're breathing like a rhinocerous giving birth. "Excuuuuuse me!" - the bloke hopped out of the way thankfully and I was on my way to my 2nd K.
2nd K - 5'42sec. "Tasty" I thought. Onto the third K across the park and I'm doing well - another 5'42sec. It started to rain and it was at this point that I noticed that my pants had somehow manoeuvered themselves into a rather alarming position. Let's just say that Tom, Dick and Harry weren't too happy about being strangled. "I can't complete the entire 5K with the boys in this state" I mused. There was nothing for it. I'd have to go in and free up what had become quite an uncomfortable feeling. At this stage I was running alongside an A road with traffic coming towards me. They would all see me reach down to liberate the crown jewels but I didn't care. Lady Endomondo announced I was at the 4th K in a not too shabby 5'55sec. I took the plunge and sorted out everything in record time and adjusted aforementioned boxers into the correct aligned position. All was well and I sighed a massive sigh of relief. The boys were back in the barracks.
I was on the last K, feeling very tired but kept pushing pushing pushing. I thought if I keep the pace I'd been doing, I could do this in my best ever time. I\'d already clocked a 29'24sec 5K earlier in the week. Could this be the best run of my life to date? Surely I can't graduate with a PB?
I DID! 5K in 28'42sec!!!!!! What a monumental feeling of accomplishment. 9 weeks ago I was crap. Useless. One single minute of running made me wanna die. Now, I've graduated in a Dan Land World Record PB time over five kilometres! I'm stunned.
Thank you for all your support along the way. It's given me strength and determination and I will be back blogging about PHASE 2 - whatever that might be?!
Tally ho for now!
Dan (graduate)
Written by
danzargo
Graduate
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Well done Dan, I've been looking forward to reading your Graduation blog and you did not disappoint. Really pleased for you and delighted you got TDH all sorted out without being arrested
nonpheidippides (my other half) has just invested in some m&s active pants which support really nicely though I say it myself! marksandspencer.com/Pack-Sp...
Glad the boys are sorted and back in order in double quick time, maybe that's what got you your pb! Well done on a fantastic time, I have enjoyed your blogs and look forward to the next part of your running journey!
In a strange way it's good to know that men have pants trouble too, I had the joy of falling down knickers all day due to weight loss making my knickers too big; then during my run had to put up with hungry bum syndrome, running knickers disappearing in unmentionable places!
I can see a gap in the womens underwear market and me and my friend have some ideas...not boring but sexy and practical ( no camel's etc and comfy)....I think you need to go shopping, I have the same problem so we could go together
Wow that's impressive and I'm impressed with your slick manoeuvres! Richmond bridge... Ahh how lovely, we used to live near there at Kew, it was a great place to live. Hope you are celebrating, welcome to the club.
Well I've read a few graduation blogs now (most of them since last December) and I have to say that was one of the funniest - and also one of the most impressive time-wise too. Go, Dan, go! Keep on running!
Congratulations on your graduation! Also, great blog - that could have been a very nasty moment or two. I can just see you in court: "Well, your Honour, although my invisible friend Laura wasn't with me today, she wouldn't have let me stop and I just had to adjust my boys so I could manage a personal best..." Fantastic time too, well done!
Wow! Congratulations! Was looking forward to your grad blog! Hope you keep writing. Fantastic time too, I was chuffed with my personal best of 31.31 but man, you've upped the game! Awesome!
Well done Dan. Great to hear you have done it. Fantastically huge massive well done to you. That is a stonker of a good time. Get that badge on graduate.
Looking forward to seeing what you do next. Have a fab weekend.
OK you got me. I ran to the entire back catalogue of Bucks Fizz's Greatest Hits album. Next run will be Sinitta's entire back catalogue followed by any other crap 80's band I can think of!!!
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