Pre work run!

I'm going out for tea with a friend after work tonight and realised after we had fixed it that today was a running day and I usually run straight after work. Oh no. Panic set in, do I have two days rest and throw my now established pattern of running alternate days ? Do I have a light meal and run just before bed instead? But I decided to get up early and run before work. Luckily I work flexitime so was able to do some preparation for today last night, which means I can start a wee bit later today and so not run and the crack of dawn.

So up at 630 it is, downed some water and donned my running clothes. Out into the mist with the sun trying to break through. Peaceful streets although the fact it's bin day means doing little dances around the wheelie bins on the narrow pavements. The mist is amazing, it's hiding everything. I am glad to be wearing bright fluorescent clothes so traffic can see me. Lots of spider webs on the plants and buildings and some strung like strings across the pavement, like invisible trip wires I had to break through! The village is stirring into life with people heading off to work, walking dogs, putting out the wheelie bins and starting a new day. For the first time I put my running time on Strava which means fiddling with the phone after the warm up walk and the challenge is trying to get it back in the pocket in the rear of my cropped trousers. The pocket is small and doing this at the start of the run is impossible and throwing me off so I end up shoving it down my bra. Very pretty looking chest I have ! The wires to my head phones then slide around too, annoying me , so I stuff those down my top too. Ah well, more minutes passed sorting that . Round the play park field which is deserted, and very wet. It must have rained heavily in the night and the grass is sodden. Within seconds my shoes are wet through and I have to schqelch my way through the rest of the run.

I continue ... Plod plod along the well familiar streets. Past the recycling point, church. The shop. And round by the new houses being built. They are coming on really well., bit like me with my running I think. We are both being transformed them from wasteland and me from couch potato . Phone nearly falls through my bra now as its wet from my sweat, so fish it out and somehow manage to get it in the pocket at the back of the trousers. Another wee distraction taking up time as I jog slowly. Up the lane by the stream avoiding the puddles and round to the the flattish games field to finish off and avoid any uphill roads. Mistake - this has long grass in need of cutting and of course it is soaking wet. Still "only" about eight minutes running to go here so round I go, feeling the water ooze out my shoes as I run and my feet feel getting heavy. The sun is breaking through now though and the mist is lifting and I can see the hills, and feel a bit of heat on my face and arms . Five minutes to go says Laura , phew I think, I am tired . Let's keep going round again and see how far I can get. Speed up for the last minute she says, oh no I say, need to get the phone out ready to stop but I will keep running...but no faster this time..

And finally she says stop. Well not really stop, just slow down to a brisk walk or a slow aching amble in my case. Perfectly timed today to be five minutes from home.. Check the phone. I've run for 24 mins 53 seconds ( presumably the other 7 were lost setting it up) and done 1.8miles. Not bad I think. Get home and convert that to km - it's less than 2.9 Km. feel slightly deflated. How on earth am I ever going to run for 5 km if I'm not even doing three now? Husband checks my stats as I gulp my water. "You're not very fast " he says .... " it's stamina not speed " I retort, hoping that I can build up to 5k soon as hubby has planned some routes for us to run together in France on our holiday next month assuming I can Run 5k by then..

Onward and upwards though , that's week seven now done , I have mastered 25 minutes running albeit slowly, and I must go to work now and calm my excitement at the thought of finally meeting Julie in week 8!

Happy running everyone!

[Ellymeg Graduate]

Well done you - hurrah💫

What a great run! soggy you well may be, Lycra fishing you might have been, think of all the extra effort it took and you got that last run and popped it in your bag and opened the door to week eight - wow ⚡️💥⚡️

[Sandraj39 Graduate]

What a beautifully described run Hilary - I felt like I was there with you! You are doing really well and absolutely right not to worry about speed at this point, so do not feel deflated at all! You will speed up naturally. Also, of course, despite the name of the programme, the goal is to get people running for 30 minutes. Very few new graduates are running 5k in that time. Lots of luck for week 8 and well done!🙂

[McFitty Graduate]

That is fantastic! Believe me, if I saw I'd done 2.9km after my runs, I'd be jumping for joy! Well done you, you'll be running with Julie next week

[RainbowC Graduate]

Well done - sounds like a lovely start to the day. As everyone else has said, don't stress over the distance; 'Couch to 5k' is just a snappier title than 'Couch to 30 mins non-stop running', even though it's considerably less honest!

Why not plan some 3.5km runs for the holiday next month, rather than stressing about needing to run 5km? That way, if you can go further it's a bonus, rather than leaving you disheartened if you can't do the full distance planned. Or remember to include your warm up and cool down walks in the routes you're planning, as they will add a bit of distance too.

Above all, happy running!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Loving that post!!!!

Good on you getting out there.. and you are right.. it is stamina not speed

Graduate.. that is all.. graduate at running for 30 minutes.. distance, style, speed and anything else, can come afterwards.. When you begin your next running journey.. your way!

[AndyIoW Graduate]

I do like the mornings so I can just run and not be to worried about dodging to many people.

I use Strava myself and just start it when I leave the house and stop when I get back. I can then review the route at my leisure at home. I know where 5 minutes walking takes me on most of the roads leaving my home.

It the only one I found that records my heart rate over the whole run as the others need an extra payment for that option.

[melly4012 Graduate]

Try not to worry about your distance or speed. You have your whole running life ahead of you to work on that! For now just be proud of your achievements. You can run for 25 minutes and you're a runner!!

[Clairratc Graduate]

I'm loving your distraction techniques, I took 10 minutes to take a hoody off whilst out the other day, I was considering just running in loads of layers then by the time the run has finished I'd of been so preoccupied trying to remove them I wouldn't get chance to realise how knackered I was. 😂 as for the elusive 5k I think we're all in similar boats, I have just posted about the very same thing. I'm on week 7 just done day 3 and only did 2 miles in 26 minutes, it is disheartening that it's still so far from 5k but it's a lot closer than sitting on the couch.

Keep at it we will get there.

[Hidden in reply to Clairratc]

Love it! Distraction techniques rule. I also try saying things in my head (too much to talk aloud) like poems, work stuff, planning what I might Post here....

I only did 1.8 miles in 7-3 so you are ahead of me but as you say we are beating everyone on the couch ! I sure after graduating we can build it up to 5 k even if it takes 45 minutes!!