Week 7 - abandoned by Laura :-(

[BoPeep9009]

Hello all you lovely people!

Laura deserted me

I was stricken but otherwise i have LOVED W7, can i tell you a little bit about it?

She was there for W7R1, doing her usual thing. I didn't suspect for a moment that she was planning on leaving me, she's been so perfect up until now.

Have to say that run was my favourite to date .... Prodigal Son came with me (on his bike) in his new, self-appointed role of Coach!!! He got kind of fed up with with all those run/walk intervals and me being so slow but now, 25 mins straight, that might be fun again, plus it fitted in with his own teenage schedule!!! I had Laura with the podcast, so launched after the warm-up walk - that usually is longer than 5 mins so i don't have to cross a road or negotiate anything weird whilst in those stumbling first 5 mins of getting into running mode - we each had our adjacent earphones out so we could talk - i made it very clear that i was supposed to be going slowly enough that i could stay alive AND talk - first thing i hear from Coach is "From this moment on and for the next 25 minutes you shall address me as Sir" ahahahhahahhaaaa!!! Laughing is great for stabilising breathing i discovered! It was so much fun, he coasting in the cycle lane, me on the pavement - changing my body angle, my hands, arms, relaxing shoulders, head carriage, lift of knees, placement of feet - all according to the various sporty clubs he goes to - have to say tho, his directions worked for me .... easier forward movement, quieter, lighter feet down, steady breathing, a little pace increase here and there, it was BRILLIANT!

W7R2 6.30 Sunday morning - very very hot, very very sunny and, straight after the warm up walk, Laura conked, she just disappeared - so i replayed the walk, that's 10 mins now and boof she conked again .... i decided i'd just have to run solo (having stuffed ipod into my pocket in appalled panic!) and check the clock when i got home! Being as how i was in my usual route area i pretty much knew how far i travel in how many minutes depending on the various weeks/intervals, so i extended the distance a bit further than ever before, just in case, and did my best Forrest Gump impersonation! Plenty to keep me busy, trying to remember all my instructions from the last run with Coach! Turned out, by the time i got home and checked the clock then dashed out to walk down that i'd done the 10 mins walking plus 40 mins running! Och nooooooo ....... why did i add that extra bit on???

W7R3 was this eve ..... Coach came too ..... tried Laura again but she couldn't get past the walk, how disappointing was that? Like a personal loss but, things were pre-planned today - i'd taken instructions from Coach on how to find his music whilst walking hard in case Laura failed me and he had instructions to start his timer going for 25 mins as soon as he saw me launch into a shufflejog!

Laughing again as Tim Minchin comes on the ipod with one of his ridiculously wordie songs. Laura, i have a lot to thank you for but, honestly, i feel betrayed by your desertion and it was so nice running to music that i love! I was so happy that the music on my son's ipod was stuff that i'd listen to myself too! Anyway, i'd picked the route to go gently gently uphill for about 1.5km and then back down and then level again..... a real challenge at the beginning but felt great! Only thing was, Coach was working quite hard to go slowly enough to stay with me on the rise and then enjoying freewheeling on the down so i didn't see much of him! We got confused in a little pack of people from a running club at one point; that was tough as they seemingly sprinted off like Olympians into the sunset Never mind, Coach announced i could slow to a walk, after 31 minutes (he thought that was funny!!!) and, as i struggled to rearrange my legs to a walk, i realized he said i'd been running for 31 minutes!!! It was true!

Woweeee! I simply cannot believe how amazing this programme is! Thank you Laura but i don't feel i can trust you anymore. I'm off to buy a watch!

Cool Runnings everyone

[PandaRunner Graduate]

I love your blog! Your son sounds like mine! He is my coach too 'when he can be bothered' haha! He is a runner and says I shuffle along at his normal walking pace! Good luck with week 8

[BoPeep9009 Graduate in reply to PandaRunner]

PandaRunner!

Teenage lads huh?!? I do really quite like mine, i wouldn't swap him for another, but he doesn't understand the significance of 6 extra minutes breaking the plan! However, it has to be said, i had no clue so it didn't seem a long time .... quite a valuable lesson in brain trickery really.

We SHALL be fit enough to run alongside them PR .... my W6 R3, it's the 1st 25 mins i think? You're coming up to it about now? Anyway, Prodigal Son (before he appointed himself Coach) said he'd run this time - he's not a runner like yours, mine plays basketball, football, tennis, golf ... so off he dashes, all the way round in 20 mins ... i come striding along at least 15 mins later on my warm down walk and he's zonked - he ran well over 4km in 20 mins but couldn't take another step! Secretly they think we're SuperMoms, i'm sure of it!

Thank you and all the best to you for your next Week

[PandaRunner Graduate in reply to BoPeep9009]

My son is very proud of me (he told somebody who told me! Haha) which is fantastic to know! Like your son he is amazing and he is a pleasure to know! How fantastic that they do so much sport and keep active. We are SuperMum's indeed! When I ran with mine I made sure I was in control of the timings! Haha. I have got W6R2 tonight - really looking forward to it.

[Miles_Yonder Graduate]

You should post more of your running adventures, BP! That did make me laugh! You have your own Coach! Just as well really, given the propensity of Laura's misbehaving antics! It is SO annoying when she does that; it can cause quite the kerfuffle, as you found!

It sounds as your progress is going really well; I'm so pleased; you're even running a bit further than the allotted time! A watch is essential, as far as I'm concerned. When Laura vanishes, all is not lost then and you can keep a good track of what you've done, as opposed to being left stranded like that. She did that to me once; it's most disconcerting.

I really hope Laura works for W8 as you have the lovely Julie to look forward to!

Cool runnings, always, BP and the very best of luck for week eight!

[BoPeep9009 Graduate in reply to Miles_Yonder]

Hey you! Pleased you were amused Honestly, i knew from all you lot that she could be temperamental but i'd decided that it was Smart phones + Laura causing the issues, not a little ipodpidpad thingie - i shall have to take her to task tomorrow. Seem to remember someone saying they cleared all podcasts off except the one they wanted and that worked fine. I'll try that cos i would like to experience Julie, having heard so much about her!!!

I didn't at any point intend to exceed the 25 minutes, or deviate from the plan in any way, in fact i am amazed i managed ... simple fact is in both cases i didn't KNOW how long i'd been running so it was just kind of normal ..... very exciting though M_Y, very exciting indeed #beaming smile

Yeah, my self-appointed Coach - i think he's in it for the celebratory milkshake at the end of W9R3 (all things being equal i'll get there) - it strikes me now as i write - i told him i run past this lovely ramshackle bar on those promenade runs when i get stuck driving him about to lessons on running days - and that for my Grad celebratory treat i'd like to sit there with a frappe and watch the sun finish setting - he knows i suppose that if he's with me on that run he'll get his heart's desire - a chocolate milkshake!

He is great company tho - when he doesn't desert me for his need for more speed!!!

Cool Runnings yes indeedie thank you and to you too

Tha-anks, i'm ready to keep it steady!!!

[misswobble Graduate]

You gotta get Laura back for Week 8. You just have to meet Julie!!!!! Can't graduate til you're word perfect

All together now ...............

[BoPeep9009 Graduate in reply to misswobble]

Oh misswobble hello! Y

Yes, like i said to M_Y just now, i'm going to try to sort her out ready for Friday (may have to hand task over to Teenage Techie!!!) So can't wait to hear what Julie's all about

[BoPeep9009 Graduate]

Hello KittyKat! Yeah, he makes for amusing fun-filled runs - the time just races when he's there!

Thank you, plodding along (getting just a teeny bit paranoid about how far and fast quite a lot of people can travel but keeping calm, for now!) and really looking forward to the week ahead!

Cool Runnings to you with your Post-Grad Plans

[BoPeep9009 Graduate]

Oh no, are you still on the couch recovering? I've got a bit behind with my snooooping Thought you were better now Sorry and thank you for the sensible tip .... i think by the end of these longer runs i'll have settled a comfortable pace that i can maintain and, like you say, we want to run, often, not be broken and need fixing ..... get well soon you No more tears ...

[MightDieTrying]

Bo I'm so absolutely delighted for you! But feeling incredibly sorry for myself. I have kind of abandoned this place since I hurt my knee and know that I won't graduate till I come back from my holidays. I'm trying to keep it all in perspective!

Anyway...keep going girl. I will pop on now and again for an update. I will live vicariously through you.

Xxx

[BoPeep9009 Graduate]

MDT!

I was wondering where you were, hello ... oh nooooo ... what happened to your knee???

I'm gutted for you .... unless you're being all balanced and philosophical about it and accepting of the minor delay in which case i'm fine about it too!!!

You're going to Greece when? In 2 weeks? For 2 weeks? Are you not signed up for a race somewhen soon? Good! You'll be HAVING to get back on your bike, so to speak, and rumble through ... which? Where have you got to? Which week? W7R3 done?

Thank you though for your delight re: me Very muchly appreciated! Not too much vicariousness from you please MDT, you only have a few runs left too you know ...... best you're fine for your hols tho, don't want to spoil your treat with a rubbish poorly knee ....

Yep, i fully intend to keep going, all things being equal .... W8R2 tomorrow for me .... since the long runs started i've accidentally dropped to 3 runs per week rather than alternate days .... the extra time-off helps i think!

You take care of yourself, lovely to hear from you, keep in touch before you depart to sunny climes .... Cool Restings to you