Follow me into the sunshine!!!!

[runner56]

He sang.

The sunshine? Said I as a I got to the garden gate, soaked to the skin (this was the garden gate on the way out for the avoidance of doubt).

Run 2 of week 6 dawned to a rainstorm of biblical proportions. Undaunted, myself and doggy56 ventured out. When you get up so early (4:30am) there really is no point in waiting for the rain to ease. Or so I thought.

Doggy 56 was having none of it and promptly turned tail and went back to a warm bed. For the first time in the programme, it was just me and Laura and we went for our romantic stroll down the road.

Neighbours drove past in cars, wipers at full speed, looking perplexed at this dripping vision in shorts and luminous yellow running vest and shook their heads. I had visions of an ambulance and two strong orderlies lying in wait and the end of the street but I continued on.

At the park, there was no sign of any of my fellow runners so I was truly on my own. Perhaps I could cheat my way out of this and return home?

No chance. Laura was now insisting that I ran so run I did and have to say that running in the rain is fantastic. Cooling, refreshing and gives you something else to concentrate on while you trundle along.

10 more runs until graduation (fingers crossed) and no more walking which I have to say I am glad about. I tend to struggle to get going again after the walks.

25 minutes awaits on Saturday.

Good luck to all C25Kers out and about today. Enjoy the rain.

[no-excuse Graduate]

Sounds like a lovely run and peaceful too. Its great running in the rain, I want to go out in it now but its a rest day for me today, so I may have to have a walk in it later! x

[runner56 Graduate in reply to no-excuse]

It was grand. Who would have thought it enjoyable?

Living in the west of Scotland I am sure that it will not be my last soaking.

[Jaqs99 Graduate]

Sounds a lovely run. I know what you mean about the walk breaks. I like keeping going and slowing to get my breath back rather than walking ( always surprises me that there is a 'slower' at my pace!) Happy run on Saturday x

[runner56 Graduate in reply to Jaqs99]

Thanks jaqs. My slow is similar its almost reverse!

[aliboo70]

I'm heading out in an hour! only drizzly here but i'm sure it will be refreshing! well done on getting out that early, i'm impressed! Good luck for your next runs!

[runner56 Graduate in reply to aliboo70]

Thank you. I have to 'fess up and say I am out so early so that no one actually sees me. I have discovered tho' that there are a number of folk out and about at that hour but are so busy going about their business that they have no interest in me.

[kickibro Graduate]

I haven't run yet in full on rain just a bit of spit but it is something I can look forward to having read your post.

I am back to intervals as I am now training for a 10k and downloaded an app for it. I find it easier to run without stopping so that's going to be a challenge.

Happy running peeps x

[runner56 Graduate in reply to kickibro]

10k. Impressive. You will love the rain.

I am looking forward to one of those really heavy summer thunderstorms. That sounds like ideal running weather

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

I like running in the rain although I prefer light drizzle to an all out deluge! If we Brits were put off by a bit of rain, we'd never get out there at all. Enjoy your running!

[runner56 Graduate in reply to Ullyrunner]

Yeah I get that. That kind of 'sticky' drizzle would be good.

[misswobble Graduate]

I've been in an all out deluge and it was fine but it did get in my eyes as I'd no hat on.

I'm a lot hardier since becoming a runner. Anyone else found that?

[runner56 Graduate in reply to misswobble]

I had a very short haircut yesterday (a number 2) and the water was just running off my head. Thank goodness for eye brows or I might have had to detour to a 24 hour tesco for some goggles.

[Hidden]

Well done on completing your second run of week 6, especially in the rain. I don't mind a light drizzle but it's hard rain here at the moment so I'm stopping in with a Pilates DVD. I found the solid runs better than intervals, in fact, since graduation I've tried taking walk breaks and it just makes it extremely difficult for me to get going again. Intervals are not for everyone - there are those of us who like to get into our stride and keep going. Only thing I would say when you get to week 7 is that the continued long runs can feel a bit relentless at first - just go steady and you'll probably enjoy them. Well, good luck with your last run of week 6 and best wishes.

[runner56 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thanks again fitmo. You are like a personal trainer. Always good sound advice. What is your plan now?

[Hidden in reply to runner56]

Thank you for your kind comment - I just like giving a bit of support to newcomers and encouraging those who are chasing my tail at the moment. Once you get towards the end of W7 the time will fly by and you'll be looking at your own graduation before you know it. I should have run today but it's been raining hard all day - I'm a wimp in that respect. Future plans? I've got the R4L next month (15th) so have got to kick start my running to train for it although I plan to walk part of it. I shall go out tomorrow and try a short but continuous run and see how I get on. I've downloaded a different podcast so will see how I get on with that and probably run a different route as well. Long term, I just want to be comfortable with 5K so hope to work toward that. I do want to get my Pilates back on track though because I'd love to train as an instructor at some point - maybe next year when I've saved up some money for the course. I've also got final exams on a couple of nutrition courses so need to revise a bit for that. Lots to be going on with - the running will be a part of the healthy lifestyle but not the be all and end all. I'll be keeping you all posted periodically. Cheers.

[runner56 Graduate]

Wow. That is some schedule.

Good luck fitmo and thanks again for your encouragement