I've registered for the Great South Run! And reuniting with an old friend :)

[sarah469]

I decided not to parkrun today but instead have just done a run to Couch to 5K Week 5 Run 3. Hearing Laura’s dulcet tones again after all this time was like meeting up with an old friend, it was lovely. She encouraged me through the run. Recently at parkrun I’ve been having 3 walking breaks as I am out of fitness. I decided to do Week 5 Run 3 this morning to prove to myself I can run longer. It was nice. I will definitely be back to parkrun next Saturday and hopefully down to two walking breaks tops!

This leads me on to my latest news… I have signed up to run the Great South Run for Mind, the mental health charity. Hooray!/Aaaah! I am a bit scared but mostly excited. Especially to be running for Mind.

This is a flat 10 mile race (which is 16km) in Portsmouth and I know others on the forum have done this race before (maybe see you there?!). This will be my longest distance by some margin, but it is not until October so I have plenty of time to regain my fitness and increase my distance. In April, I will be starting a new job with a much shorter commute and I am hoping this will mean that I’ll be able to get back to 3 runs a week.

Here is my general plan:

By end of March - be able to run 5K again non-stop.

By end of April - be able to run 6K.

(realistically, as long as I feel “solid” with my running again by end of April, that’s all I want. I know the mental/physical difference between 5K and 6K is not that much).

By end of May - be able to run 7K.

By end of June - be able to run 9K.

By end of July - be able to run 11K.

(sometime in the summer, I would like to run another 10K event)

By end of August - be able to run 13K.

By end of September - be able to run 15K.

End of October - the race!! 16K.

My weekly runs will incorporate one long run (I will probably alternate weekly between parkrunning and not parkrunning as I don’t want to lose the ability to do a nice long weekend run. When parkrunning, I will do my long run midweek), one short run (I am thinking of redoing C25K but trying to run ‘faster’) and one average run.

It obviously is quite far away so I think the hardest thing will be keeping my training up and my discipline. There is definitely some contingency in that training plan, though!

[Dunder2004 Graduate]

Good stuff, Sarah and your plan looks like a very sensible, and achievable, progression.

The most important thing is enjoying the journey.

[sarah469 Graduate in reply to Dunder2004]

Thank you

[Millsie-J Graduate]

I love a plan, and yours looks really sensible!

After IC , as I built up again, i used Sami Murphy week one to get back to constant running, dropping a walk break along the way until no walks. It worked really well for me. I used it at parkrun.

Also you could consider doing the parkrun but then running another loop if you wanted your weekend long run. I suppose it depends if you want to socialise after your 5k.

I keep looking at that race 🤔😳

[sarah469 Graduate in reply to Millsie-J]

Thank you! Regarding parkrun, it's more that I enjoy the occasional relaxed, lone run (like today) which is why I don't necessarily want to parkrun every weekend! I am currently at 24 parkruns though so another aim for 2017 is to get that elusive 50 parkrun t-shirt! Even if I mostly alternate, I still have time! And I probably will go twice every 3 weeks at least for March and April which should give me some extra contingency too.

Tempted, are you?! Go on, you know you want to! Plenty of time to prepare!!

[Millsie-J Graduate in reply to sarah469]

Little bit tempted ............

[sarah469 Graduate in reply to Millsie-J]

Well, you have plenty of time to decide

[Sandraj39 Graduate]

Glad you decided to go for it Sarah and you have plenty of time to build up sensibly.I am hoping to do it again this year too - missed the c25k meet up last year but let's hope for another one this year.☺

[sarah469 Graduate in reply to Sandraj39]

Indeed! Thanks

[ancientrunner Graduate]

Great thing to look forward to. I did it last year and it was a good day out. Crowds were brilliant and supportive - and met some folks from here beforehand.

[sarah469 Graduate in reply to ancientrunner]

Thanks!