I cannot bloody believe it! I am really not the luckiest of runners recently, and I'm starting to think I must have done something very wrong in a past life.
Sorry lovely running family,
I'm back again with another moan in quick succession to my last. I'm just in from R3 of W5, two lots of 30 minutes running with a 1 minute run interval. It was going fantastically and I was feeling strong. I took a good route, more hilly in the first interval than the second, the way I like it.
By 51 minutes I was on easy street, flat road, 10 minutes to go, I thought I'd pick up the pace and edge as close to 10K as possible. At 53 minutes I saw a young mum, in the middle of the road, with a buggy, looking with some concern at her smart phone. It's 10.15 pm. The roads are quiet and I wonder if she's lost. As I approach she turned, signaled at me to stop and said something, I halted reluctantly but knowing my conscience wouldn't let me go on. I took out my headphones and smiled breathless. She stopped looking so concerned, smiled back and said
'Would you take a photo of me?'
WHAT?! I thought, it's dark, it's late, this is hardly a tourist hotspot, what!? At this point my brain kicked in and I realised I should pause Gretta Garmin as this to-do would surely be playing merry hell with my stats. She handed me her iphone and I took two shaky and unsatisfactory photos of a woman, with a buggy, stood under a lamppost in quite possibly the most nondescript street in Cardiff. I indicated I had to go and she thanked me.
I went on my way, restarting Gretta as I did so. My legs had seized slightly in the minute and a half I had stood there, but I took off again. In the confusion I had forgotten to pause Sami while I stopped. Perplexed I ran until my Garmin read 62 minutes and stopped again. Sweat pouring and that familiar cocktail and elation and apprehension washing over me.
Despite the debacle at the end there I'd ran 9.43 km in around 61 minutes of running. Up until the end my splits hovered nicely (by my standards) around the 6.5 minute/km mark and I'd knocked 4 seconds of my Fastest Km bringing it to 5.52 minutes. WooHoo.
So there it is. Strange running incident #436 If anyone would like to see my running exploits on Garmin Connect message me and we can connect *tries hard not to look shifty*
Happy Running,
Emily
Written by
emkeenan
Graduate
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Oh very, but then who am I to talk, panting my way along an empty street, soaked in sweat, clad in lycra, checking a little green watch and muttering to myself
Thanks- it was a good run, it would have been nice to have it go smoothly but that's the way of the world
You've certainly not had it easy the last few days, that's for sure. Incredibly silly of that lady. Frustrating as it was, it sounded like you did well and are on track for a good solid finish:- so long as there are no more interruptions! Good on you too for getting out there after the taxi incident too.
I don't think non-runners understand that sometimes we really 'shouldn't' stop - I know I didn't when my Dad was getting into endless bother because of the way he dealt with dog-owners whilst out running (except that as it happened he didn't usually have a specific goal that would be messed up if he'd stopped running for a moment, it would just have been being put off your rhythm)
I feel slightly guilty that I may have given some Duke of Edinburgh expeditioners a wrong answer to their question in my anxiety not to stop near the end of my own first 10k on Monday (I've not dared check, though to be honest, it was the kind of question that would be answered by looking at a map). I've always been very anxious not to turn into one of those self-obsessed runners (see above) - although I might have been just as navigationally useless out for a walk I suppose!
Congratulations on your first 10k! I'm so nearly there.
I have been asked for directions before while out running and managed to jog on the spot while breathlessly answering, I also jog on the spot at traffic lights which my boyfriend finds very amusing! This time though I was so concerned I'd pulled up before I could really stop myself and I think that's quite normal- if she had genuinely been in need of help I wouldn't have thought twice about my run being ruined.
I wouldn't worry about those DoE's either, the whole point is that they learn to use a map
Funniest one I ever had is the 'amateur orthopaedic doctor' who I pass now and again. Pretty much every time he shouts out "Oi mate, watch them knees, be careful with them knees... OI MATE... THEM KNEES.... Them k n e e s...."
I have two knees like most other folks and I don't consider them to be a threat to my safety. I wonder if it's only me he shouts at?
What the hell?! Who in their right mind would flag down a passing runner, unless it was a genuine emergency? For a medical episode or some sort of other serious event, fair enough, but to take a photo?! You weren't out for a leisurely meander, you were clearly busy!
And as you said, it was hardly a tourist hotspot. Very odd indeed. Other than Photo Lady, very well done on your run, and your times, that's excellent! You're doing brilliantly!
What happened with the taxi tanyag mentioned Em? Couldn't have had an RTA (thank goodness) else you would most likely not be able to run THAT far THAT fast (wow! that bridge is working for you!) - i've only been gone a few days and am all out of touch again
What was in the crazy woman's buggy??? Why was she stopped in the middle of the road? With a buggy? Possibly a buggy with a child in it??? Next time just keep on running ... weird behaviour!
Three runs ago now I had a nasty taxi man decide to crawl along beside me while I was on my run, as explained here healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
I really haven't been very lucky recently AND they say these things come in three *looks around nervously*!
The woman who stopped me had a toddler in her buggy, who, understandably was fast asleep and unaware of her mother's misdemeanors! I'm glad I stopped though, had I run on I would have worried that she was lost, or needed to call someone and had no battery...the list is endless!
*ewwwwww* freaky weird taxi bloke - you handled that like an absolute BOSS! You really really did well to get out again and run on .... very bold!
Oh okay, you're obviously a nice person Em! Hang around and be helpful if you must
Maybe your last B210K run is tomorrow? I wish you all the very best for a super smooth incident slash drama free finale
Dear me, you do seem to meet the strangest characters on your runs Em...
With the exception of Crazy Photo Lady that's a great run - well done. You're doing awesome work on B210K... is next week the "60 minute non-stop" week? Good luck!
My next run is 60 minutes non-stop, slightly panicked and thinking I may cover less distance than I did in this one, but after all the effort I'd put into B210K thus far I won't be bloody stopping!
Well, you two, the vote of confidence is just great, innit?! Tsk tsk, and to think I'd just run off and leave you two fine folk?! Nevers, I'll happily run alongside and chat!
Although if cold drinks at the end are in order I'll nip ahead and sort those out for the pair of you, if required!
Oh probably, she was probably filming for one of those hidden camera shows, seeing how many bizarre requests she can make of runners before someone throws their water bottle at her!
Glad it amused you though! Happy Friday to you too!
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If anyone would like to see my running exploits on Garmin Connect message me and we can connect *tries hard not to look shifty* 
Gah! Garmins.
W5r3, oh the elation!
Yes W5R3 completed - I did it !!!
W6R2 "Horrible sugar crash, I think!"
Bridge-to-10K: Week 4 Run 1
