What is wrong with this week?

[Maddee_6333]

Starting last Wednesday, nearly all my runs have felt really hard. The only exception was Friday, which was a 20 minute run in new trainers that made my toes so numb that it hurt. (Update on those at the end.)

So I've posted about Wednesday, Friday was Numb Toes Day.

Sunday was beginners canicross in the morning and I ended up opting for the 5k route when we split up because I felt like I was struggling. Only... I think I might have miscalculated on that one as we hadn't had as many pauses as usual so I think we'd gone farther than I thought. If that makes sense?

Tonight I was definitely struggling. There was only 2 of us and I had to take the first hill in stages, run, walk, run, walk. I haven't had to do that in ages! Managed the flat and downhill slopes okay - even had a conversation - but I could not breathe through my nose at all. The final long, gentle uphill that always defeats me anyway was a nightmare - more running & walking, only at even shorter intervals while my running mate ran down and up so he didn't get too far ahead. That said, because Stephen got to all the gates ahead of me, I didn't actually stop at all, so I did 5k in 36 minutes. Cue head scratch.

The best thing about tonight? No numb toes \o/ p. Unfortunately I still may need to exchange them as even with locked laces - thanks Qscout - my heels were slipping

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Well... a mixed bag.. A good distance in a good time.. but not as comfortable as you would have liked. A mystery!

Maybe it is the time of the year... many of the posts have echoes of your post... runs that are a bit of a struggle, yet achieve great things in the sense of time and distance etc.

I think the dreaded lurgy or injuries, plus, certainly here, the weather, have also impacted on general motivation.

It is so much easier to get up and out on a glorious morning, ( for me anyway), but these times pass. We are runners and we will run through these blips!

Maybe a change of routes, definitely get the shoes sorted if your heels are slipping, and slow it down too maybe ?

Best thing is, despite it all, you were out there,and you ran...and as you say.. no numb toes !

Well done!

[Maddee_6333 Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

I was so pleased with not having numb toes, but nearly losing a shoe to the mud was not so great.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Maddee_6333]

Yuksters... there has been a lot of mud lately... I had to walk for a bit of my outing yesterday as i was getting stuck in the gloopiness

[Maddee_6333 Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

The woods were so muddy and slippery on Sunday that 5 people fell over - including both the run leaders (though one of them was taken down by one of us!) - but I stayed upright ☺

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Maddee_6333]

[Exmoorllent Graduate]

I've really struggled this week, as have a few friends. I hadn't run for five days, friends/work/social things, and gave up 12 minutes into run 2 of week 8. It's the first time in the programme I just couldn't keep going

[Maddee_6333 Graduate in reply to Exmoorllent]

But you'll try it again, soon, right? Lots of us don't manag every runfirst go

[Exmoorllent Graduate in reply to Maddee_6333]

Pleased to report I tried again last night, with fewer clothes on (think I overheated last run!) and I did it! Hurrah. One more run in week 8....

[Maddee_6333 Graduate in reply to Exmoorllent]

Well done!

I'm still find it hard to judge layers - when I'm not running I'm freezing, but then I heat up really quickly

[ANewMe2022 Graduate]

I'm with Oldfloss there are a lot of us struggling! But, if we struggle and keep going now, imagine what we'll all be running like with the weather finally improves. We'll be like Spring lambs ...xx

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to ANewMe2022]

Yep.. I can see us all gambolling around the tracks and trails...

[Maddee_6333 Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Bdoing, bdoing, bdoing, like Pépé le Pew?

[Maddee_6333 Graduate in reply to ANewMe2022]

And then summer will be here, and I will wilt in the heat 😉