W5R3 - Run of the year (so far)?

[JaySeeSkinny]

Well I ran a whole 20 minutes today. It wasn't too bad, but I didn't get that kick and feel I was really running as in the previous runs in W5. More of a slog. The gremlins stared intensively at my knee and looked reproachfully at me when there was one slight twinge. They also opened their mouths at 5 minutes "is that all? There's no way you can do another 15 minutes" they howled. I slapped them down with a "yeah, look how far I've come, I must be getting faster". There was never any chance of stopping. The uncomfortableness also came from my glasses steaming up, me forgetting to take a cap to keep the rain off my glasses which meant I was almost blind sometimes, or fumbling around trying to wipe them dry. The podcast stopped somewhere around about 4 minutes - those pesky gremlins again. And I was too hot. But hey, I did it! Roll on week 6. And my fastest km was 7 minutes. A long way from 5 k in half an hour. But for a plod OK.

[mfamilias Graduate]

🎷🏆🏅🏃👍 Well done you!!!! Congratulations for giving those gremlins what-for. You DID IT!

[Karen214]

You did it! Well done! And you proved that you're tougher than those gremlins! Fantastic!

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate in reply to Karen214]

Thanks. I know I can from past experience - at least one off. I've never done the programme before and I'm doing this to give myself a structure, build a rhythm and try to see some progress. Have been running on and off for years, but after a longish run I always lose motivation and could never get a proper 3x a week running rhythm going. I'm loving the programme and am actually seeing progress, which is brilliant. But sometimes I feel a fraud when I see how many people are really struggling and pushing themselves and are terrified of the 20 minutes. The challenge for me will be later on to get 3 longer runs a week in. Not that 20 mins isn't great😎

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Plod on! Go you!

So difficult to run when you cannot see where you are going!

Onwards and upwards!

[Running-scared Graduate]

Cracking job, you did it! It doesn't have to be quick or pretty, you just have to do the time I reckon... That said, I believe you were nippier than most (me for sure ;)) and STILL pulled it off with foggy glasses, that's some impressive hard slog, grit and determination. Well done you

[Phoenix891119 Graduate]

Well done!!!!!!

[tinab]

Well done for running 20 minutes! Sounds like those gremlins were out to get you, but you showed them! 👍

[PumpKim Graduate]

Well done. I've got my 20 minuter tomorrow. I like knowing other people face the exact same struggles I do but succeed. I think about that when the gremlins try to do their worst!

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate in reply to PumpKim]

Good luck! It's definitely doable, just keep going. And once you've finished you forget how horrible it was at the time. I almost wish I could run every day at the moment - really addictive. And I think you can call yourself a runner if you can run 20 minutes. So tomorrow evening you'll be a runner!