I'm, like, the Iron Lady

[TurboTortoise]

I just started running again after a six-week break – my first outing was two days ago.

It was another really good run. It felt more difficult and tiring than Tuesday's but I was pushing myself a bit harder. In fact, I totally smashed my personal best! My goal since starting C25K has been to do a sub-30min 5K and I think I did it, or at least got very, very close today (I keep trying to measure my route on Google maps/Endomondo but get different results each time)...

Here's the thing - I recently found out I was anaemic (which is meant to make you feel tired etc, though I hadn't noticed anything) and have been taking prescription iron tablets the past four weeks. My run on Tuesday was also uncharacteristically fast and I wondered if it was a fluke, or placebo effect, but I really do think it's down to new haemoglobin – now when I run I really do feel like I've come back down to sea level from a high altitude - I don't have to gasp for air and I can zip up hills so much more easily. It's made such a difference. Amazing!

[Turtle525 Graduate]

Wow way to go.....good job....I'm motivated!

[TurboTortoise Graduate in reply to Turtle525]

Thank you! Still feeling good...

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

I think your theory about haemoglobin is highly probable and it just goes to show that to make our bodies work to the optimum, we need to keep everything balanced. Very thought provoking. I do the same run twice a week and neither Endomondo nor Runkeeper deliver the same distance two runs in succession. This variation is, apparently, down to the quality of the hardware in the average smart phone. Dedicated GPS units are supposedly more accurate.

Well done on the PB. Keep running, keep smiling.

[TurboTortoise Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thanks Ian, I am most definitely still smiling having run for 50 mins non-stop today!

[Irishprincess Graduate]

Brilliant! Well done, especially after such a break. I think I might get some iron tablets!

[TurboTortoise Graduate in reply to Irishprincess]

Thank you! I think the iron tabs only work if you're iron-deficient (though this is quite common in women) but gosh they've made a difference.