W8R1 - Slooooowest progress through C25k ever recorded ;)

[HeleneCorsa]

Hello all! I managed to get out this morning for a run, exactly a week after my last one. Getting a tad fed up with having such long intervals between one and another but my situation is still tricky and last week was positively evil, both in terms of work, chaotic preparations for my eldest daughter's 11th birthday party and having a stinking cold. My husband was home for the weekend again but it's only for a couple of days which doesn't really enable more than one run (plus Saturday I tend to be very tied up with work).

I had very low expectations of this morning. I was feeling better but still a bit grotty, a week always feels like a long time without running, and I didn't even get to do very much else in terms of exercise this week - just one very half-hearted kettlebell session as I recall. The gremlins were noisy this morning and made me faff like a faffy thing before leaving - I usually like to throw on clothes, clean my teeth and go, but this morning I messed about making cappuccino and so on.

But it was glorious. October days in Rome - "ottobrate Romane" - are famous throughout Italy for the divine weather and beautiful light, and this was a perfect example.

Admittedly there were far more people out than usual as I didn't leave until 8 and I did a but they were mostly runners and cyclists (apart from the massive crowd of tourists waiting outside the Colosseum - I gave them side-eye as the Colosseum is MINE when I am running, and mine only). This meant I could not do my lap of it so to increase my distance on the way back I decided on the home run to take a detour up to the Direzione Anti-Mafia building. I couldn't help smiling at the fabulous Italian-themed clichés of today's run which basically took me to the Colosseum, to the Direzione Anti-Mafia, and finally to the Vatican.

And the crowning glory - after I finished, just a few metres down the road I found myself in the midst of a swarm of Fiat 500s in every colour of the rainbow - a gathering of a 500 owners' club. They were just beautiful. A gentleman was getting out of a lovely glossy red one as I passed and struck up a conversation, seemingly oblivious to my puffy red sweatiness. He was like a sort of old school Toad of Toad Hall, with his cravat and rigid brown leather suitcase, but the style was very natural to him and he was exquisitely polite. We chatted a little while about those wonderful cars and I marvelled at how good it is for the soul to get out and about doing fun things on a Sunday morning, whatever your own personal fun thing may be.

I am very aware that it takes more effort to me to get to the end of my runs now that I'm only managing one a week but that's hardly surprising. Still doing ok though and can't wait to increase the frequency again. My husband isn't coming back next weekend so I'll have to make some special efforts to get babysitting cover and am unlikely to manage a morning run at the weekend, which is a pity, but I'll figure something out.

Hope you are all having a good weekend!

[Hidden]

Well done H. I am full of admiration for your determination to keep going with this programme despite all your challenges. Now next weekend.... I could manage a trip to Rome to babysit

Good luck and I hope you are fully recovered soon!

[TJMazz Graduate]

Well I admire you for keeping on going when it is so tricky to fit in. Well done for completing the first run of week 8. You must feel proud of yourself. 👏🏼Sounds such a lovely setting to go running too, a far cry from the streets I go running. Keep up the determination and you will be graduating in no time 😀

[MrsT82]

You are amazing!! The situation you find yourself in would make a lot of people give up. I’m not sure I’d have your determination and it’s very admirable. Your route sounds delightful. A bit nicer than my home route of UK suburban streets. I think on my next run I’m going to do a collage of points to show how miserable it is 😂 seriously though, keep going. Xx

[Mummycav Administrator Graduate]

Wow HeleneCorsa ...wow, what a spectacular place to run?! My runs passed MacDonalds, greasy spoon, car wash, plumbers merchants & chemist sound nearly as fabulous...said nobody, ever!!! What a beautiful place Italy really is & Im not surprised you yearn to get out there more, not only for your fitness but for the wow factor!!! Having a week in between runs doesn’t seem to be hampering your journey through this programme but I understand you just want to finish it in the quickest possible time & you are, because every opportunity you get to go out, you do it....& I can feel the sense of satisfaction you feel when you’ve been...carry on doing it as and when you can, you can’t change it at the moment so just carry on enjoying it & posting these lovely posts that take us all to Italy for a couple of minutes when we read them!!! Huh...I’m going to pretend that the sights I see now are where you are...not sure MacDonalds would pass for the Vatican though??!!!! X

[Hidden]

Well done you for carving out some me time and sounds like a glorious day to have been out and about. The 9 weeks were never calendar, so the good thing is with all your other physical activity it may take you longer but you will do it. I love the old school cinqs, they are beautiful to see even when they are battered to pieces, as invariably they are around here. Kettle bells - where do you buy them in Italy? I can't find any locally am thinking am going to have to buy one in London and transport it back in hand luggage and not entirely sure airport security will be happy with that.

Well done again on getting out, despite all your hurdles you are sticking with it.

[HeleneCorsa Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Re kettlebells - Amazon is your friend! You definitely don't want to have to carry one home, and certainly not by air (though I dare you to try to bring them home on a R***air flight 😀)...

I'm sure the couriers have me at the top of their hit list though, after having to drop off kettlebells and all the kids' school text books.

[Hidden in reply to HeleneCorsa]

That's the plan then... I can imagine I will become second on their hit list!

[Polly2810 Graduate]

You are amazing I don’t think k would get past the gaff stage if I had the work/Home juggle you do...well done for persevering!! 🎩 off to you!!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Devon fields.......or ........the Colosseum........... Devon fields.......or ........the Colosseum???

Can't make my mind up

A run is a run is a run.........sounds lovely, if a wee bit crowded.

As others say your sporadic dedication is admirable.

[MichaelH070862 Graduate]

It might only be one run but atleast you are still getting out there hopefully you can sort some cover so you can get out again.

[25kdown]

wow think you're route is slightly more interesting than mine right now, although i will be running along the beach at sunset once i've graduated.

[25kdown]

what about a treadmill for the times you cant get out and about

[HeleneCorsa Graduate in reply to 25kdown]

I've thought about that but I really don't have the space at all - there are five of us in a tiny city centre apartment (with a really dodgy floor that bounces! I think I'd risk ending up crashing through into the apartment below, or at the very least incurring their wrath because of the noise). I knew this transition period would be difficult but will gradually get things sorted out and free myself up a little. I need to be patient...

[HeleneCorsa Graduate]

Thanks all! It's such a pity as I don't have any sort of motivation problem - whenever I can get out, I'm out there - but I am really just under house arrest. I've decided that my best bet is to find an au pair or help who can live in as the periods I need cover are awkward to manage otherwise. It looks as if work will be extremely intense at least until Christmas as I will hopefully be taking on a major additional commitment in these coming days (great, but at the same time, eek). So now I need to find a person and adapt the house... I did the same thing when my husband went away for a couple of years before, and basically moved into the kids' room to free up my own for the help, but it was easier in terms of space as my third son was just a tiny newborn.

The fact that Rome is so lovely is a major factor for me in enjoying my runs although the fact it gets so busy can be a limiting factor. The very early morning is wonderful as there is no-one around, but already by 7.30 the streets are starting to fill up. It means that planning afternoon or evening runs is very tricky.

I loved running by the seaside during the summer though, and wish I had more opportunities to run, and spend time in general, in the countryside.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to HeleneCorsa]

You must try Devon fields.......