New Garmin, New Route. So Excited!

[Irishprincess]

Well, my wonderful hubby gave me my Garmin early (it was a Valentine's Day pressie). We went shopping together on Saturday and I was like a child in a sweet shop. So excited. I don't think he had it in him to keep it from me until the 14th!

I ended up with a 220 in girly purple and white. My new best friend. I love her!

Decided to take her for a test drive on Monday and wanted to try a different route. There is a beautiful lake close to where I live where I've walked loads of times but never, in my wildest dreams, thought I'd be able to run around. Now that I'm a runner (I love saying that!) I still didn't use the lake as a route because parts of it are isolated, and years ago there was a guy with a hammer on the loose who attacked a woman! Seriously. So I was a bit reluctant to go with this memory in my head. But running has really increased my confidence and my thinking now is I could probably make a run from anyone with a hammer whereas before I would have been caught easily!

Anyway, I drove to the lake and I was gobsmacked because it was so busy I struggled to get parked! There were dog walkers galore, numerous runners and mums with pushchairs. I felt much better. It took a few minutes to get a signal but off I went with my new BF. It was fab. I loved the fact I could see the screen as I'm short sighted, I loved how she bleeped after each kilometer but what I loved most was how I could check my pace whenever. After I left the treadmill I found it very hard to judge my pace outside so my BF kept me updated the whole route.

The lake is beautiful and the run was so much nicer than my usual routes of roads, traffic and noise. I'll definitely do it again. The image of the hammer wielding man is gone!

It's about 6K around the lake and I thought I'd just do 5K as there were a few hilly thingies which were hard and I was puffing a bit, but in the end I couldn't stop and did the whole thing!

My BF told me I had 4 new records which of course meant nothing as this was a first run and so there was nothing to compare to, but it felt good getting the message! I felt like an Olympic champion!

So happy with my new BF, so happy with my new route and so, so happy that I found this site and all you lovely, supportive runners.

As you can see, running makes me very happy!

[no-excuse Graduate]

Well done Irishprincess! Sounds like you had a great run. 6K woohoo! And what a lovely present too. Enjoy your running x

[Irishprincess Graduate in reply to no-excuse]

Thank you. Enjoy your running too.

[Oldgirl Graduate]

Lucky girl (twice) having such a lovely hubby. Hope you enjoy your new Garmin sounds like you will. Also lucky runner having a lake close to home, much nicer to run in the countryside than city streets, the air is fresher for a start and the obvious scenery much easier on the eyes. I'll bet the time just flew by. Well done and thanks for sharing, it was a lovely read on such a wet and dull day here (again)

[Irishprincess Graduate in reply to Oldgirl]

Thanks Oldgirl. We will be moving soon to the "real countryside" so have to find nice new routes!

[nextjenn Graduate]

Yey! Isn't the girly 220 lovely!? Mine goes everywhere with me, I'm still not sure why! Sounds like a splendid run well done, and enjoy looking at all your new data online!

[Irishprincess Graduate in reply to nextjenn]

If you'd told me a year ago I'd be so excited about a running watch, I'd have laughed heartily! Honestly, what's happened to us?

[nextjenn Graduate in reply to Irishprincess]

I know, bizarre really! I blame Laura

[Fitfor60 Graduate]

Wow how exciting Irishprincess Purple sounds fab Sounds beautiful run Looks like you and new BF going to have lots of fun together

[Irishprincess Graduate in reply to Fitfor60]

We're going to be together for a long time!

[lemondoodle]

Yay, new garmin! Irish Princess is in luurve

[Irishprincess Graduate in reply to lemondoodle]

I am!

[misswobble Graduate]

Wowsers! Lucky you. I want one but am saving up. It could be a while. Sob

I was road running today as my trail shoe lace snapped, and the traffic fumes at rush hour were vile. Yuk

Open countryside is the bees knees isn't it

[Irishprincess Graduate in reply to misswobble]

I agree. The fumes are awful. FYI, we got the watch in Sweatshop. On the website the 220 is priced at £249 but in the shop it was £219. I know it's still a lot of money but don't go by their website price.

[RoRoMama]

Wow, check out those endorphins! Great post, great run, great new memories of the lake. Well done, and thanks for sharing with us all. Helps me to get up and out on my w3 r2.

[Irishprincess Graduate in reply to RoRoMama]

Thank you and glad you enjoyed it. Go and love your run!

[RoRoMama in reply to Irishprincess]

Your reply just pinged as I got back into my car - having just done my run. Thank you for motivating me this morning. And it stopped raining as I did it.

This weather is the pits! But having done w3 r2 I feel great , whoopee.

[Irishprincess Graduate in reply to RoRoMama]

Whey hey! Well done.