Wet Wednesday Blues ?

[Carolecal]

As I stood at the window this morning taking in the grey and drizzly weather, clasping a big mug of Earl G , it occurred to me I could just skip the running today,put the kettle on again, feet up....but I didn't . You see the lure of a run in the rain was too great.

I began C25K on 1st July and I've run 3 times a week without fail through the hot French summer,leaving home earlier and earlier to avoid being fried before 9am and until today I'd never had a rainy run day. So I donned my new Capri length runners (thanks Lidl, a great bargain from a few weeks ago) as shorts just didn't feel right today and off I went.

After the first 15 minutes my brain finally got the message through to my legs to quit complaining and just get on with it.That coincided with turning round and running into the wind and rain....oooh ,lovely to get that cooling breeze on my face,as I was starting to feel the heat by then. Wet and windy it might have been,but the air was warm and claggy ( is that a real word I wonder ?).So there was some splashing through puddles and some mud ( like being a kid again) and much sidestepping of slug life -where possible .

Was I glad I didn't give it a miss today ?..... oh yes, with knobs on ! The second half was lovely

When I got back I checked my distance-just 4.3km...well,I'll need to tweak my usual route a bit, maybe a few laps of the sports field by the little campsite( once the last of the die-hard campers pack up and leave) its right near the end of my route and would be quite an easy way to get up to the 5K target.

........and was I disappointed that I've not achieved 5K yet ? Well, yes momentarily - then I remembered I've come a long way since that first day of July and if I'd been told at the end of W1R1 that I would be capable of running 4.3km in just over thirty minutes I would never have believed it.

I may not quite be ' panthering' yet ( mucho respecto to you Juicy Ju! ) though that's something I can aspire to, I hope.

Meanwhile, I'm more like the reluctant tabby who needs a bit of a boot up the bum to get out the door on a wild wet morning and then is very happy that she did

Happy running cool cats !

[birdistheword Graduate]

I love this and it's comforting to know others struggle a little with getting out occasionally, I started a couple of weeks after you I think and the last couple of weeks have been mental struggle getting out!

Keep on running! We've come too far now!

[Carolecal in reply to birdistheword]

Hi birdie, it's about 90% about the mental struggle,I fear; still,once we're aware of it that's half the battle .

We have come a long way indeed...I don't think there's any stopping me now

[Nerdio Graduate]

I have dropped down for two runs a week, been busy and a way. I too have looked out of the window and thought 'Rain, why would I want to do that'. Change of heart today. Big push now;

- 3 runs a week

- Better post-run stretching regime

- Run regardless of weather and stop being a Woos.

Thanks for the encouragement to just do it.

[Carolecal in reply to Nerdio]

Must admit, if it had been sheeting down when I looked out this morning like it was later on this afternoon ,I know I would have wimped out !

I'm definitely with you on the 3 runs a week though my post -run stretching leaves a bit to be desired...I almost never do...but I never seem to ache afterwards either.Perhaps I'm not pushing myself hard enough ?

[Nerdio Graduate in reply to Carolecal]

Just read your post again. Are you running in France? V. envious if you are. (Just come home from a long weekend with friends, and did not want to come back!)

[Carolecal in reply to Nerdio]

Yep...for my sins

[Nerdio Graduate in reply to Carolecal]

Envious

[c4ts Graduate]

Great post and just as true for me. Albeit during the week I do after work runs, but I got in tonight - not in a great mood, said I was not going out, sat down put computer on, but decided I needed to go out told myself I would do "Speed", set off went a slightly different way than usual and did just manage to finish it - without crashing out mid run from lack of puff.

I feel I am running with a devil monkey on my shoulder constantly throwing out the anchor to try and stop me.

[Carolecal in reply to c4ts]

Ha ,that little devil monkey/gremlin critter sits on mine quite often too,muttering all manner of bad stuff ...you have to shake the little bugger off and kick it up the jacksie !

Nice cat btw...one of mine's a lot like that ,except he's only got one ear now

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Carolecal, those of us who started our running careers in the height of the glorious summer, that has just been buried, really were spoilt by all that sun and warmth. Like you, my run today was the first one to start in the rain and once I actually started running it wasn't a problem and like you I just took pleasure in this most basic form of human activity. It really is quite primal to be tearing through the elements, passing the grim, nylon swathed dog walkers who seem even more disapproving than normal. It doesn't matter how far you ran, you got thirty minutes of good heart pumping exercise and you felt better for it. Hurrah!!!

[Nerdio Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

So true. It is not how far but the fact you exercised hard for 30 mins. I think of it as bonus calories for the day

[Carolecal in reply to Nerdio]

Trying not to look at it as bonus calories until got that last kilo off !

[Carolecal in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Yep, that's true Ian ...thanks for that ! Love your replies ,but your posts crack me up ....just read your Gwendolen one

[waletta Graduate in reply to Carolecal]

Well done but sparing the slugs? They never spare my plants. Don't be too harsh on the cat & you do know that Ian told me his relationship with Gwendolen was purely platonic? Huh!

[Carolecal in reply to waletta]

He lied !!

Nah..I don't give a toss about the sluglife ...I sidestep them cos I can't bear that slimy squish,or crunch if its snails,underfoot! Just the thought makes me squirm .

How are you getting on ?

PS I love my two cats really ...even though they only have three ears between them x

[waletta Graduate in reply to Carolecal]

Take your point about the slugs. I do hope it's not one & half each re the cats. I went out 3 hours ago & did W9 R3 yay. Really pleased but now sitting here with a cold compress around my ankle. Still smiling though. BTW, I quite like Julie & definitely like the reggae number. As for Laura didn't someone suggest that she should be beatified?

Julie x

[Carolecal]

Oh wow .....fanbloodytastic woman !!!!

Congratulations ...I didn't realise it was imminent..you kept that quiet !! You are going to post about it aren't you ? It's definitely an improvement having the Julie track in the warmup 5 minutes and not in the running part..it just didn't belong there

I love the reggae number too ....that's partly why I'm still running to W9 podcast ! So you're a Julie too...you kept that quiet too Again, really week done,so pleased for you ( hope the ankle isn't going to be a problem ) x

[waletta Graduate in reply to Carolecal]

Thanks so much, Still can't post but I'll work on that. When I used to listen to people talking about the Julie song I didn't realise it was a song. Like a child when someone shouts their name, I used to think what have I done now & then I'd realise my name wasn't known. Daft I know. The ankle's going to be fine. It isn't the same problem that I was having. I've gone over on it a few times this week since I've been in my work shoes (as opposed to sandals) now the weather has changed. Thanks again. x