The difference a pace makes

[Idolitorus]

W8R2 yesterday afternoon and W1R3 first thing yesterday morning.

I'd like to say I dragged the boy out for his morning run yesterday but in fact he was first and came in to me asking, 'Ready yet?'. Blinkin' cheek.

I considered using his run as a warm up and continuing with mine but after the struggle I had the other day I decided to wait until the afternoon.

This time, rather than try a new or untested route I favoured my old loop up to the local shop and round. I also started at a nice leisurely pace, despite Laura's advice to perhaps speed it up a little. It seemed sensible. I am so close to graduation and I am aware I have markedly increased my work load, doing boys run's as well as my own and starting TKD. Injury at this point would be a nightmare, so slow and steady is the order of the day.

The baseball cap was back. It was gorgeously sunny yesterday but I still could not bring myself to don shorts.

Now here's an odd thing. I start my warm up walk and get to the top of my road. Round the corner and what do I see......a chap laying carpet in the road. Now I know there are parts of Letchworth which are a bit posh (not mine) but carpeting the road? That sounds excessive. If it was a red carpet, then maybe they knew I was coming but it wasn't it was kinda stripey.

I think he was just finding a large space to measure and cut it.

After I had run the first loop and got back to that point a chap who had been walking past was so fascinated he'd stopped and was staring at the goings on. I was sorely tempted to behave like Speedy Gonzales and shout under-lay, under-lay before legging it - but thought better of it.

That was it really, apart from when I came round the 3rd time, the carpet fitter (and rather disappointingly the carpet) had vanished but the onlooker was still there. Quite what he was expecting to happen next is a mystery.

The sun was glorious, I ran quite gently and thoroughly enjoyed it. Soooo much better than the last one. After week 9, I may consider upping the pace but I find just increasing by a little bit difficult. I have just found a comfortable pace and that works, fiddling with it is a new skill. I think I'll remain a plodder for a little longer.

My son has finished week 1 and has two days rest. I am on for R3 possibly tomorrow, maybe Monday after his W2R1. I've never really done goals and aiming for them before. This is all rather exciting. 4 more to go. Yikes.

[mfamilias Graduate]

Great post, thanks for the giggle; "underlay, underlay" had my coffee coming out of my nostrils Carpet in front of the house is a great idea. No worries if there's a drought, and no need to get the lawnmower out.

[gary_bart]

I think the guy who's doing two runs a time is perhaps the one getting a bit cheeky? Next thing we hear, you'll be saying you've signed up to run across New Zealand, and to paddle round Hawaii after the sled trip to the South Pole. Nice post. I imagine I can see the events. Who would have thought there was all that life going on out there under the big blue sky (which I have neglected for the first time in ages today, myself).

[Idolitorus Graduate in reply to gary_bart]

Said the same to the boy. We miss so much zipping past in the car as opposed to actually being out and about, even on little local runs around the neighbourhood.

Plus the Batmobile only does 10 miles to the gallon.

[gary_bart in reply to Idolitorus]

You'll have to become the "running birdwatcher" soon. Obviously you won't be able to use binoculars like other twitchers, but you'll be able to quickly glimpse into the clump of reeds as you go past to see how the Yellow Rumped Chough's nest is doing, or something like that.

[AvatheGardener Graduate]

'Cheek staring warm-up' tags... I love it!

Well done! How crazy are you doing the programme double! And I love the underlay too... Ode lay, also, perhaps.

Keep up the superhero work 😀

[Idolitorus Graduate in reply to AvatheGardener]

Ha, didn't see the tags. They always make me smile.

I honestly don't see it as double running. As you know, as we progress those early weeks we found sooooo hard at the time now seem much easier.

I am not going to belittle anyone's current progress because I know how awful I felt in those first weeks and how close I was to giving up BUT the programme itself is some sort of voodoo black magic. It turns honest to goodness couch potatoes like me into proper runners.

Week 1, I was close to collapsing at the end of the last of the 8 runs. With the boy, over the last week, I could have done walk 1/run 1 until the cows came home. The point at which I struggle has just moved along a bit. He was red faced and hot (but happy) at the end of his run and remarked that I hadn't even broken into a sweat. I said that he is me, just 4/5 weeks ago.

I am going to graduate and in December I'm going to do the Great Ormond Street Hospital 5k Santa Dash. I have never done anything like that, even the thought of it would have scared me. Now, future 10k runs seem like a goal I might look to do, who knows.

The point is, getting out and doing this has been the best thing ever. Speaking to all you lovely peeps has been inspirational. I hope I can give little of what I have received back. Honestly, hand on heart, if I can do it almost any one can. I am a very average superhero.

[Hidden in reply to Idolitorus]

I'm going in for the Liverpool Santa Dash this year! Always fancied being one of those crazy bearded ppl dashing along the pierhead!

[Hidden]

Good work batman. Two runs in a day! Pass me those super hero powers! Good advice re pace. I'm doing the same. The concern over being a slow runner when other ppl say their times started taking the fun out of it a bit for me. Going to just run for me now and enjoy it no matter the pace. If it increases naturally, so be it!

[Idolitorus Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Quite right. Speed is a great motivator for some. Distance will be mine. I want to be able just to run and not worry about how long I'm running for, or how far.

Honestly, before this I couldn't catch a cold, never mind run to the bottom of the road.

How are you getting along by the way?

[Hidden in reply to Idolitorus]

I'm due to do w8 r2 t2 this evening. Wish me luck!!

[Idolitorus Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Good luck matey. Remember, slow and steady. After we graduate we can run backwards if we want 😆

[AbracaDeborah Graduate]

I think you're going to need a special kind of superhero graduate badge, or maybe you will be Idolitorus Graduate Graduate? Big question though can Batman be Santa? That'll be too confusing! Enjoyed reading your post