Week 9 Run 2

[B0bP]

Hi everyone,

I completed W9R2 tonight and I found it hard!

I usually run either first thing in the morning or early afternoon but the earliest I could get out was around 7.30 pm and I think my energy levels are a lot lower at that time of night.

Between 5-10 minutes in I always tend to struggle but tonight I also had a stitch too and it was the first time I have thought about stopping and walking home. But I'm a stubborn old bugger so I carried on.

Since I managed 5k on my last run I decided to keep going after 30 minutes was up and complete 5k again.

It took me 34 minutes this time which is a slower than Sunday's run but all in all I'm happy enough.

So just one run left to do 😀 I'm either going to run my local route on Friday or go to the Market Haborough Parkrun on Saturday, I haven't made my mind up on which one yet.

Bob

[Running-scared Graduate]

Brilliant run again Bob, good job you are a stubborn old bugger, it's paying off! Even with lower energy levels on a later than usual run for you, you're nippy! That's fantastic... And it's nearly badge day! Enjoy your graduation run x

[B0bP Graduate in reply to Running-scared]

Thank you, yep 1 more run to go.

[Neverrunmum Graduate]

Wow, you're running really fast!

Graduation run next, lots of luck, not that you need it, you'll be fab!

[B0bP Graduate in reply to Neverrunmum]

Thank you, I'll take any luck offered ta, you never know 😀

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

You run really fast!!!! Makes me feel tired... and you are not even graduated yet.. well done!

Maybe, just maybe, you could slow down a tad, if it does not affect your running style, that may ease the initial struggle you talk about.. its as many have said on here, about stamina, and running for thirty mins, and not about speed or distance, as I am sure you know... but you know what is right for you and what feels comfortable.

Just that you are so close now...it would be horrid if you did not enjoy your last run.

Good luck anyway!

[B0bP Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Thank you Floss.

Nope I'm not going to slow down, I'm going to try to go even faster 😀 In all honesty I think I need to run a bit slower at the start as my first k is always the fastest by quite a bit.

I thinks it's pretty normal to find it hard work initially though. I've done a bit of digging and found this from a post over on runners world.

"The best description of what happens I've ever read is by Dr Mike Stroud (medic, polar explorer - with Ran Fiennes - and all round very knowledgable bloke) in his book Survival of the Fittest - Understanding Health and Peak Physical Performance.

I quote - "When you start to run your muscles need extra oxygen but your body is not set up to increase the supply immediately. For the first few minutes of a race [or any run] you develop oxygen debt as you use more energy than aerobic systems can supply. It is only when oxygen in the blood has been depleated significantly and levels of carbon dioxide have risen that your brain senses these changes and sends instructions to set things straight. At that point you will begin to breathe harder and your heart will pump more strongly. But by then , besides having to meet the demands of your continued movement, you also have to repay the oxygen debt and clear the lactic acid that has accumulated. This takes time, and so the first couple of miles of any run can be rough.""

Makes sense to me 😀

Bob

[Slowstart Graduate in reply to B0bP]

Thanks for that Bob, I wondered why I always have the "can't do this today" feeling at the beginning of my run but then manage to power on and then feel great. This explains it.

[B0bP Graduate in reply to Slowstart]

Yeah it's nice to have a reason behind the feeling eh 😀

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Okay... well having just got back from my run, I totally understand that...the first two miles were most definitely harder than the next ones... !!!!

Thanks for that...!