I feel like a new man (Ooo err missus)

[chalfont_chump]

This is a huge thank you to you all. At Parkrun this morning I set my 3rd PB in 3 consecutive weeks! (this week knocking 43sec of last weeks) how come? you, all of you that have picked me up over the last few weeks, dusted me down, kicked my back side and told me not to be so silly!

Seriously for those of you that have followed my trivia, I am having a tough time with this, I simply can not get up to the 20 min run on W5R3 and I didn't this morning either but. Clearly repeating weeks 4 and 5 are having some effect, I am not getting any further before having to stop jogging and starting my walk 1min run 1 min to the finish line, but I recovered quicker between runs and my run segments were clearly quicker.

Why post this, because I could not have done this without you and I want to share that to anyone struggling with this program. I had a huge number of replies stop my last two posts, all fantastic and 2 or 3 possibly life changing, in fact I have printed one off and re-read it before going out this morning.

So the moral is, if you are struggling let this community know, be honest, be sad, be angry, be frustrated what ever it takes. I know I go on about struggling for 20 years (so why the hell have I not done something about it before) well have truid and failed and tried and failed etc.

Its different now, very different. Ok end of the lovely duvvie stuff.

For those of you that ran today I hope it was enjoyable.

Good luck to all, take care out there and thanks

[poppypug Graduate]

Well done Chump !

I knew you could do it and you did !

Onwards ! xxx

[samsonandrew Graduate]

Well done indeed!!! It matters not how far you run. Just getting out and doing something is great for your health and we'll being! Congratulations and keep trying. You'll get there ( wherever that maybe) in the end. It's the journey you must enjoy along the way.

[useitorloseit Graduate]

Good man yourself! I may need a reciprocal kickup as my mojo has definitely done one over the last week or so.

[ju-ju- Graduate in reply to useitorloseit]

You ok??? Need a boost??? X

[useitorloseit Graduate in reply to ju-ju-]

Summer blues have kicked in! Holiday has been and gone and British summer is living up to all expectations. My enthusiasm and pace has dropped away. Probably only temporary, but it's the first time in my running life that I have been finding excuses not to get my gear on and get out there. I hope this phase passes soon because there's not much else going on to get excited about at the moment!

[chalfont_chump in reply to useitorloseit]

We can't have this, what will I do without you? I am hardly an expert here, but how about doing something different for a while. I am not sure what mind you Change your route, even drive a distance to somewhere you would like to go and have a run, by a river, through some woods, how far is the coast from you? run along the beach (in the rain mind you!!!) What about a couple of weeks of swimming, different muscles and all that and if you are rubbish at it you will realise just how much you want to run. Come on girl, I want to hear by the end of the week what you have been up to.

[useitorloseit Graduate in reply to chalfont_chump]

I did a 'garage' workout on Friday and quite enjoyed it again - stepper machine and rowing machine. It made me realise I've been neglecting my arms recently!

You're right though, I need some new fields to look at. I have always resisted driving anywhere to run, but I think I might give it a go this week. We are totally landlocked here in west Cambridgeshire (and, let's face it, who wants to drive to the coast only to find themselves in Hunstanton, where the sea is a mile away from the shore across a vast empty landscape of mud!!).

I forced myself out for a run this morning and, being completely uninterested, I decided to go short. Which meant I went faster than normal, which was actually quite constructive because I realised that in fact I CAN go a bit faster when I put my mind to it, albeit in short bursts.

Absolutely pissing down here now, and the heating has just been flicked on, so I shall go and root around in the freezer to find something interesting to cook for tea while my husband watches the cars going round and round and round and round ad nauseam on the telly.

Thanks for the kick up, CC. See - it works both ways!

[Prune]

Awww, CC. What a lovely post. So glad to hear of your progress this morning.

Sounds like you're making incremental gains, which is what it's all about.

P x

*Waves from injury couch*

[chalfont_chump in reply to Prune]

Thanks - You still suffering? Tea and biscuits not working then! Take care and don't rush back

[Prune in reply to chalfont_chump]

Thanks CC, no tea and biscuits not doing the trick and I need to Put the Hobnobs Down Now.

Hopefully will have a physio appointment before too long though - payday is tomorrow!

[Hidden]

3 pb's in 3 weeks ? That's very definitely progress. Keep doing what you're doing....

[Pigivi]

Well done, and lovely words!

The quicker recovery time is a very good sign - it is one of the ways to measure fitness levels!

Don't dwell on not having done something before - it's just the way things have gone for you, and thinking too much about it won't change anything - what matters is that you are out there running now!

x

[Dunder2004 Graduate]

Great stuff CC.

As has been mentioned by Pigivi, the quicker recovery is a good sign of progress. Getting up to that 20 minute 'barrier' is a mental hurdle that you will get over soon enough.

[ju-ju- Graduate]

What a beautifully honest blog... Thankyou for sharing, and I agree I would never have achieved what I've done without this forum, there are some beautiful and caring people out there and this is testament to that... Well done Chalfont, you are doing brilliantly and you will get there

[Hidden]

well done, really happy for you. keep going!

[davelinks Graduate]

Always great responses on here, well done chump, you have no great pain, but legs get a bit tired and heavy? but just keep plugging away at it and it will come. Take it easy!

[dottiemay Graduate]

Well done CC!! Blimey, wish I had three PBs in three weeks.. ;-))

The quicker recovery time is almost certainly going to result in you getting past that 20 min barrier - don't force it, just let it come to you when your body is ready.

Here's to the next PB!

[Frank-ntj]

Well done CC, it's not easy and it takes determination. I think all your effort will come to fruition maybe not as quick as you had hoped but it will, and you will be able to give yourself a pat on the back. Keep up the good work as 3 PB's in 3 weeks is a great achievement.

[Sandraj39 Graduate]

Lovely to hear that positivity back, CC and those words of encouragement for all of us who need it. ME!😁 My progress is very slow at the moment, and am now going to have an ultrasound scan just to check on the healing of my glorious calf tear, which I am now 'sick to the back teeth' of! I just want to run - simple as that! Physio has suggested easing off the running for a couple of weeks just until I have had the scan and we know exactly where we are. In the meantime I will cycle instead, with the kids.

So, yes, we keep on keeping on don't we and I will get there too, although when is anyone's guess! What I do know, is that I can do it and when I run I love it and when I graduate I will be so PROUD! 😀😀 Good luck!

Sandra

[chalfont_chump in reply to Sandraj39]

I think the only advise to you is, don't push it and overdo it. A couple of weeks now could end up being far longer if you don't make care. These bodies of ours are stubborn buggers and lets face it we didn't get this way over night so we can't really expect to get fit any quicker. Thanks for your support and good luck. Maybe try and find something else to do in the mean time, I read on someone elses post a suggestion of pilates although I have no idea what this is, it sounds like something you should put cream on!