I did it 5K!! ( sorry not sorry if you had my gremlins)

[Tombenoly]

After all your fantastic advice last night and this morning I have just done my first 5k in 38:03 mins. I decided that night that I would go further as many of you suggested. I made sure I was completely ready and was actually quite excited. The gremlins did tells me I was going to get a stitch and would have to stop even before I started but I banished them elsewhere ( sorry if you ended up with them). The first 3 k were actually ok which is good to know that is now comfortable for me, 4 and 5 k were hard as they were over my usual 30 min run time but as I got to 4:5k I was not going to stop I fairly dragged myself the last bit but am now so so pleased to have done it. I know it's silly but I really thought something awful would happen if I went over the 30 mins and I would never want to run again but no I m still here with a big grin on my beetroot red face.

[Fat_stab Graduate]

Well done you !!

[Tombenoly Graduate in reply to Fat_stab]

Thank you!

[Simmypie Graduate]

That's brilliant!

[Tombenoly Graduate in reply to Simmypie]

Thank you

[Hidden]

Doesn't it feel good when you do that first 5k - I am still smiling two weeks later (although I haven't managed it since)😁😁

[Tombenoly Graduate in reply to Hidden]

I am not expecting to do it again for a while but it would be nice if........

[Tombenoly Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thank you I still feel a bit red which is odd all these hrs later!

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

Well done that first 5k is magic!

[Tombenoly Graduate in reply to Ullyrunner]

It sure is. It's the first time in about 15 yrs I ve run a while 5k I still feel a bit red is that normal!!

[jt24 Graduate]

Well done

Reaching your first 5k is awesome and that is a great time too

It's amazing what you can do when you set your mind to it It really is a mental as well as physical 'game'.

I tend to find that I can run what I set out to do. It's not fast, pretty or easy AT ALL(!) but if I'm mentally prepared for a longer or shorter run then I find my legs follow! I've also tested this out and tried to make a planned short run longer but it was VERY hard!

I had started to write a reply on your 'faster or longer' post. All I can offer in my limited experience is that 'faster' does come but it depends on your focus and goals and usually after you've targeted 'longer'. Run a good 7k and you're likely to have gained a great 5k time in that run too.

I'm reasonably competitive with myself and I like to see progress but after running my first event in my slowest time it changed my perspective. I LOVED the event, I ran the best I could on the day and it was covering the distance that I was proud of. The time irked me a bit but it was secondary. It was far more satisfying to have got out there and 'done it'.

Good luck, this is just the start Reckon you'll get your 2nd one under your belt sooner rather than later, you've a benchmark time now

Happy running 🏃🏃🏃

[Tombenoly Graduate in reply to jt24]

Well done you. I think we all get a. It hung up about the time and use it as a benchmark but really we should use how any one run made is feel. I still feel pretty red now or is it a hot flush!!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Yeay! 5K🙂 Hooray for you 😃

[Tombenoly Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Thank you old floss. I did enjoy it( I think!) still feel a bit red now after all these hrs which is a bit odd but also very menopausal!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Tombenoly]

I remember it well... but then. I think beetroot red is a great colour! x

[Britts4ever Graduate]

congratulations and a very big well done !!

[TessHardy Graduate]

Well done!

[Tombenoly Graduate in reply to TessHardy]

Thank you