Week 9 and I've had enough of you and Julie

[Razouski]

Week 9 run 1 just completed, but it felt like hard work. I have a feeling it was mind of matter, but I was determined not to let the gremlins get me this morning. After them hiding my front door key for last run (it still hasn’t turned up), I came downstairs clutching a spare and ready to go. My laces were gremlin proofed, and I got through my warm up exercises with no wobbles, so I was ready to go. Or was I...?

Those pesky critters had taken my earphone and hidden it. It seems like “careering round the house like a mad woman” could now become an official part of my warm up routine – strange that it doesn’t appear on the Runners World website. Fortunately I found it, they’d taken it out of my phone armband thingy and hidden it in a cupboard.

At last, with the podcast turned on and MapMyRun poised to record my progress I opened the door to be on my way. As I started to close the door, I could only just hear the phone ringing (pretty difficult for me with one ear completely the deaf, and the other listening to the Lovely Laura telling me to get a move on and walk – actually she was much nicer than that but the sentiment's the same). Interesting technical tactic by the gremlins, but they weren’t going to stop me. It would either be a cold call, or the caller could leave a message… The gremlins weren’t going to get the better of me.

My warm up walk seemed slow and laboured, and not helped by a lithe 20-something prancing past me like a circus palomino, looking totally stunning in her co-ordinated running gear. But on I trudged, ready to start the 30 minute run, with Palomino disappearing into the distance. I thought that there would be some new and energizing music to run to, but I nearly exploded. I wish the singer would get over the liaison. I’ve had enough of hearing about “You and Julie” !

I started to get into a rhythm and then a hen pheasant popped out of the hedge, cocked her head at me, as if to say "you call that running" and started to run alongside me, Road Runner style, for a minute or so to show me how it's done. If I’d had my wits about me I could have got Christmas Dinner sorted in one fell swoop.

Road Runner had had enough though, so she went off to annoy the golfers, and I ran on. The hilly bit was a killer, and some kind soul had put a bench at the top, just to tempt me into sitting down to get my breath back. I was sure it wasn’t there the last time I ran this way (pesky gremlins again?) but I resisted and carried on, wheezing all the way. Fortunately it didn’t take me too long to recover.

Knowing that I would be running for a full 30 minutes (that’s 2 whole minutes longer than my last run) was really playing on my mind. By the time Laura said I had 10 minutes left my knee started to feel strange. I ran on, then the twinges shifted to my hamstring, then a little later on my ankle went weak. But then my app told me I had completed 5km 6 seconds faster than my previous run and I was spurred on to complete the last few minutes with added vigor.

2 more runs left until I graduate… ☺

[Maddee_6333 Graduate]

You keep on showing those gremlins!

[Flossie22 Graduate]

Excellent post! Well done kicking those gremlins into touch! Take care of your knees/hamstrings/ankles though, won't you! I agree with you, "You and Julie" does go on a bit now! Nearly there! Very exciting! 👏🏻👏🏻🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏻🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏻😀😀

[Razouski in reply to Flossie22]

Thanks Flossie, knee, hamstring and ankle are absolutely fine. I think I was just imagining it, because 30 minutes seemed such a challenge when I thought about it.

[Inspiredmum Graduate]

You're so close now, well done and keep going !

[orchards Graduate]

Well done. Runners World have missed an important part of the warm-up routine I think - careering round the house like a madwoman is obligatory here, especially in winter when there is more scope for gremlins to distribute essential kit around the house

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Getting closer...pesky gremlins... you would think the would hate the cold weather

[melly4012 Graduate]

That post really made me smile. Those gremlins are trying every trick in the book, aren't they?! Make the most of Julie - you may miss her when she's gone. I look back on Julie with fond memories as I took her on holiday with me in Week 8. Great work reaching that 30 minutes and so speedy too! Graduation is within touching distance! Keep an eye on those niggles as we don't want then turning into anything serious on graduation week. Remember you can slow down should you need to. Will be looking out for your graduation post!!

[Bluebirdrunner Graduate]

Well done Razouski ...😊 you are smashing this.xx

[Hidden]

Great stuff. You just keep at it. The gremlins will get bored eventually