Favourite walk

[jadaromi]

A change of plan this morning and arranged to take a friend shopping. She lives in a village with no shops and her car was in bits in the garage while her husband was re-living his childhood pretending it was a giant Meccano kit. We had a lovely chat and both got a good weeks worth of groceries. Once home I decided on going for my run. Yesterday I drove round my favourite walk to see how far it was, 4.5km from outside the house, so would need to add to make up for the walking section. I have been wanting to run this route as it is the only manageable circuit from the village. The only thing stopping me was the two steep hills. Even in the car I have to change down to 3rd gear on one of the hills. Once the shopping was away, a quick change then off I went deciding to run down the steepest hill and plod up the longer, gentle one. To start with great, after a couple of minutes all I could see was fields and hills in the distance, no sounds apart from some cows and birds. Bliss. Kept the pace under control as I kept wanting to go faster. I wasn't comfortable, was finding it difficult to get into a rhythm. Couple of nice flattish sections and gentle inclines, past the most beautiful part of the run, an old water mill, normally during the walk we stop here to look at the water and the mill. Turn round the mill and the long hill started, when looking at the profile of the run almost half was uphill this section. Even when walking I usually stop half way to turn round and look at the view ( and get breath back ), but kept going, looking down so not to see the slope. Eventually made it back to the point where I know the walk home will take 5mins. I felt terrible, thought I was going to be sick, was soaked through and having trouble controlling my breathing. When looking at the RK saw that I had only managed 3.9km, ran for 27mins. The walk down walk was very slow. Stripping off to get in the shower I found out why I was uncomfortable, when changing into the running kit had not put on a sports bra. Although I feel shattered, part of me is still amazed that I did it. For the foreseeable future this is a route to be put on hold as it was a bit too demanding, will definitely try again. But for the meantime my favourite walk will remain a walk and not a run.

[useitorloseit Graduate]

Hills are horrid. Well, I assume they are: I live in a very flat place, but there is a bit of a hill down towards the river from my house (and you would hardly notice it at all in a car). When I'm running I usually incorporate the downhill bit into my run, then the uphill bit back home into my warm down walk. Last week I got it totally wrong, and ended up running my last bit up the hill. It was not nice, and made me realise I am very grateful that I don't live in a very hilly place. Some of the posts on here give me the heebyjeebies when they talk about hills which look like they need ladders!

Why not take this new route as a training challenge, and run some/walk some so you get used to it, but in smaller chunks?

[jadaromi Graduate in reply to useitorloseit]

Thanks, might try that. Somehow I feel that I would be cheating if had to walk, but this has certainly become a goal.

[Rupertlebear Graduate]

What a lovely account of your run. I really felt part of it. I had to stop and catch my own breath!!

Hills are definitely something that need gradual training for (in my opinion).

I'm surrounded by them and it's taken me months to get to the point where I can run up them, so don't be too demoralised. What an achievement though when one does find a hill undaunting (but never easy!!)

I often used to get that sick feeling whilst out on a run. I have a couple of almonds now before I set off and it seems to have done the trick.

Onwards and upwards

[jadaromi Graduate]

Thanks for the tip about almonds - not something I tend to eat, maybe an imperial mint might be a substitute.

[runswithdogs Graduate]

Egad! It's horrible to run without a sports bra! That alone is enough to create a crummy run, and potentially a painful one at that!

Good luck on those hills. They make for good goals and a great feeling when you conquer them. And something to curse when they don't go quite right. No need to put the route on hold, just tackle it every once in awhile to give yourself a challenge.