Sunshine, baseballcaps, butterflies and cramps

[Idolitorus]

No, these are not 'Some of my favourite things........' but things that happened today.

W4 R2? Tick.

Getting rid of those 'orrible thoughts about looking silly and what other people think? Tick.

Running with a baseball cap on? Oh dear - Tick.

It was not looking too good when I forced myself to get out of the front door this morning. It wasn't raining, which was a plus, considering the downpour all of yesterday but it was still grey and cool (almost cold). So, it was time to try out the latest investment, a new long sleeve running top from Amazon and (Oh my) a baseball cap, just in case it started to piddle down again.

I ordered a medium size long sleeve top just like my running T-shirts but this has come up a tad tighter than those. I am sure it looks great on svelt, racing snake types but it is a little tight for my liking - makes my tummy look bigger than my chest (which it is but I don't like to go round and advertise the fact!)

But hang it! I am not getting chilly and I don't care what people think. And I'm putting on a baseball cap too. So there!

Well God smiles on the righteous. Apparently God smiles on the not so righteous too; just as Laura said to start the first 3 minute run the sky opened, the sun came out and there was a definite warmth from the rays on my back. Off I plod.

A slightly different route to usual and 3 minutes done. Then 5 minutes. Now, not sure if everyone does this but at the end of the run, when Laura says, 'OK, slow down to a walk now.....', as soon as she starts to make the sound 'O' of OK, I AM WALKING!!! Crikey. 5 minutes. Not running more than I have to.

This was a mistake. I think I slowed too quickly, literally as I came off of the pace onto my right leg, my right calf tightened straight up into what I expected to turn into a full blown cramp. Luckily it didn't but I then feared I had done some sort of injury. It was very uncomfortable, verging on painful. Fortunately I had a 2 minute walk and I did an exagerrated heel/toe walking motion to try and stretch the muscle - but it would not pass. I wondered whether when I went to run again, was it going to go PING completely and make me hobble home.

I started run 3. I try and keep my mind occupied rather than think 'have I run for 2 minutes yet? Am I nearly done?' So, I think about what I am going to post to lovely guys - you really do keep me going. So I was desperately thinking about cramp and baseball caps and passing a lovely little 3 or 4 year old girl out with Gran tottering on her bike with no stabilisers ( the girl, not gran - actually the girl's bike not the girl. Stop wittering), when a suicidal butterfly attempted to end it all in my mouth. I immediately thought of your posts about 'Ate my first bug!' and almost laughed. They always seem centred on week 4. Why do insects go crackers on week 4? I also thought there is probably somewhere particularly hot and fiery for someone who eats butterflies so I was lucky it bounced off my lip (try again on someone else, butterfly! You are fooling no-one. Your just a moth with make-up on.)

I forgot the cramp though. And the jogging motion must be different to that of walking and slowly it eased off. Lesson learnt, when Laura says 'slow down now' I am going to do just that, not go straight into a jarred walking mode.

The final bit of rambling? I enjoyed the run. W4 R1 was horrible. My ankles hurt. I felt disheartened. I actually wondered, maybe it's just not for me. I went for a walk yesterday (even though it was raining. I know! Get me!) and did some of the stretching exercises from the strength and flexibility podcast. Then MADE myself go this morning. I am glad I did. A reversal of previous posts where run 2 was always the hardest. As Dylan says (kinda) 'Things they are a changin'. Go figure.

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

Well done! Loved your post! This running is just great isn't it!

[Hidden]

Haha, great post Idolitorus. Have you found the stretching exercises on here? Here's the link in case you haven't nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/... I used them last night after w4 r1. Before that I had been doing a couple of stretches for calf muscles and quads, but I did all of them last night. Surprised by some of them - some muscles were really tight without me realising. Good luck with w4 r3. How exciting, we're really getting through these weeks fast.

[Idolitorus Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for the link. I will look into it quite soon. The strength and flexibility podcasts seem good, they are structed along the same lines as C25K but I am not sure they are for me yet. You need certain items, like a tree or park bench - these are easy enough but also a shoulder height bar or railing. Not so easy. The stretches were good, though I looked a complete muppet walking along doing 'rowing' actions in the rain. I looked like some eejit who'd lost his canoe! In for a penny, in for a pound as my dad says!

[poppypug Graduate]

Ha ha ! Your post made me chuckle , Brilliant !

Really enjoyed reading that , great stuff .

Ooh a fly flew up my nose this morning . It was weird ! It flapped about a bit and then flew out . Felt a bit icky - bluerrghhh !

Well done , keep going , you're doing great ! xxxx

[Idolitorus Graduate in reply to poppypug]

Honestly, it is insect lunacy day today. It is like Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds but with more legs.

[poppypug Graduate in reply to Idolitorus]

Yes Centipede Central ! xxx

[AnnieW55]

Must have been the day for kamikaze butterflies! On the lane to the trail there were loads of the little, and not so little, blighters. I got hit in the eye, head, shoulder and arm - must be some sort of record. I almost nearly try on one, luckily I always look down on that bit for horse muck, slugs and snails - all of which I've slipped on.

Love the tags, there's plenty of them!

[Idolitorus Graduate in reply to AnnieW55]

The tags are mad aren't they. I was going to delete some of them but thought what the heck and left them all in. 😝

[Anaverageman Graduate]

A moth with make up on.. excellent.. by the sounds of it a kamikaze one too. Prayer headband on all ready to immolate themselves in your open mouth..

I TOO , the instant Laura says ' OK.. you can walk now' am stopped on the o... WAY before the k hits the airwaves my legs are walking..

sounds like you are doing well.. and wearing that baseball cap with pride..