Week 9 Run 1 - and hello

[TurboTortoise]

I've been reading this site for a while but finally thought it was time to join and say hello. Just did my first 30 min run of week 9 tonight.

What a difference slightly cooler weather and a breeze makes! The last two runs of week 8 were so hot and so, so tough, I kept going but really wanted to stop, felt a bit sick and that I couldn't get my breath, beetroot face, burning legs... But tonight, despite being quite tired after work, I forced myself to go out and was amazed and delighted to find I really enjoyed the run - relaxed, energised, in control and like I could have just kept going.

I'm not entirely a beginner but might as well be as I hadn't run for 15 years before starting this C25K programme! In my 20s I used to jog round the park a few times a week and did a couple of Race for Life 5Ks - best time was 25mins, which I thought was quite slow at back then (ha! the ignorance of youth).

I'm in my 40s now and decided to try running again a couple of months ago, and I'm really glad I have. But... I am SO SLOW! Tonight's run was definitely less than 5K. I know I'm middle-aged and things are going south, but will I ever get at least a little of the speed back? 25 mins for a 5K though - in my dreams perhaps...

So the weather forecast tells us it's going back up to 30C in London on Thursday! Which means a return to the heavy breathing and lovely beetroot face I reckon...

[wilmacgh Graduate]

Well done getting this far and welcome to the bloggers. It's a great site for keeping you motivated and maintaining the progress you've made (despite the technical problems they've been having).

If you are keen to get your speed up see if there is a Parkrun near you. You need a barcode to get your result and they give an age related percentage figure as well as your time. I don't claim to entirely understand what it means but it gives you the slight satisfaction that some of the youngsters passing you aren't actually doing that much better.

[rita57 Graduate]

A very big and warm welcome. and very well done, only 2 more runs till you graduate, Don't worry about speed just now, that will soon improve. I have changed my running time to early morning, much cooler and fresher and enjoyable and don't worry most of us are slower than we would like and suffer from a beetroot face.

[TurboTortoise Graduate]

Hello and thanks for your replies and encouragement. I'm looking forward to graduating soon and wondering about the C25K+ podcasts, as I've been buoyed up by Laura's calm and encouraging tones (and even the cheesetastic music, on some level). Which ones would you advise starting with - stepping stones? Or a couple more weeks of easy 30 min runs to consolidate and then rotate all the podcasts?

I am not a morning person, at all, never have been. Realistically I can't see myself running then (it would have to be pre-7am when I am grumpy as sin), though it's a nice thought and I admire anyone who can function so early.

There's a parkrun not too far from me in SE London and I've been thinking of giving it a try when I can pluck up the courage to be mowed down by bendy 25-year-olds. Actually one of by 'bad' week 8 runs was a section of the Richmond Park parkrun, as I happened to be in the area with my running kit. I think I managed 4km in the 28 mins, looking at the map. It was at noon so I also came back with a touch of sunburn...