Women of a 'certain age' will be familiar with the stark contrast feelings of kill or cry... well my week had been a kill week, I'd been so bad tempered that nobody dare even smile in my direction. Hence, this week, I have kept my head well below the clouds 😔
I did W8R1 on Saturday evening - a grumpy run after getting back from the rugby, where we'd endured a monumental thrashing..!! I spent some time on the cross trainer before heading out, to see if a longer warm up would help overcome those toxic ten minutes. It did help, but those 3 extra minutes of running were very apparent. I struggled getting into my stride and still didn't find those ever elusive magic robot legs. I changed my route to shake it up a little but that didn't seem to help. I was so glad when Sarah told me I only had 5 minutes left to run. I was waiting for the 60 second notice to quit... it seemed to be a long time coming "Come on Sarah, where the f**k are you"..?? I cried. With no pre-warning, she suddenly popped up and told me I could stop running. OK, Sarah had changed her strategy 🙄
Unfortunately, I'm really going off Sarah... for the first few weeks she was very encouraging and, after a run, told me to have some water and a light snack. This dwindled to having some water and a banana. In week 7 she only offered water. Week 8... nothing, absolutely bloody nothing. If she doesn't tell me, at the end of week 9, that I can have a mug of tea and a plate of buns, I'm going to be REALLY p*ssed..!! 😫
My knees really suffered after Saturday's run so I opted for an extra rest day on Monday. On Tuesday I took my running gear to work (planned to head out during the day if time allowed). It didn't. Got home, psyched up to go out and trample the streets, but..... I'd left all my gear at work..!! Not happy 😠
Never mind, my new running shoes were due to be delivered on Wednesday, I could take them out for their maiden voyage in the evening. I was way beyond stupidly excited..!! 🤗 Long story short... shoes didn't arrive on Wednesday because the Hermes man, as usual, couldn't be ars*d to drive out to my place of work (tracking info stated that an 'attempt' to deliver had been made). What the tracking info didn't say was that this was a load of b*lls and the Hermes man is a perpetual t*sser..!! The last pair of running shoes I ordered went missing after the Hermes guy had collected them from the local depot - I never received them 😡
Well, I was spitting tacks... and no amount of 'forceful complaining' on the phone was going to get me my shoes that day..!!
My bloody awful foul mood was going to drive my run that night... I got home, changed, and grabbed a quick look at my emails... which took me to a post from Mummycav about her dear friend Helen. This is when I went from kill to cry... last November I lost my best friend, unexpectedly and in unpleasant circumstances. It was heartbreaking and I miss her every day. A wave of emotion hit me like a brick wall. I gave myself a severe rollicking for being so petulant over the insignificance of not getting my shoes, sobbed my way through my stretches, and I ran... I ran with my best friend in my heart, I ran for her family and I ran for mummycav. All I can remember is that there were times, during those 28 minutes, when my legs just 'took' me... and, when I'd done, Sarah still didn't offer me sustenance... 😒
Thankfully, last night's run (W8R3) was more relaxed. My daughter travelled down form up 't north on Thursday and we headed to the south coast yesterday to stay with the rents for the weekend to celebrate my dad's birthday 😊 Happy to see my daughter (miss her since she moved away), happy to be surrounded by family, happy to have new shoes and happy it was a lovely evening, I heaved myself into my undersized tights (causing my daughter much side splitting hilarity) and used my warm up walk to head down to the seafront. MapMyRun and Strava were lost in their new location and both refused to work. New shoes felt good, but the left one kept dragging my sock under my foot. Removed said shoe and readjusted twice but it persisted. The only thing to do was get the socks off... but where would I put them..?? It's been many years since I've padded my bra out with socks, but there's not a sock in hells chance that I'd have room in there for them now..!! So on I plodded, with left sock stubbornly rolled under foot.
The seafront was thronging... people out for a moonlit evening walk with their dogs, cyclists and lots of runners. It felt good to be by the sea again. Sarah gave me the "3, 2, 1, off you go" and, because I always do what Sarah tells me, off I went...
I've started to use a metronome app on my phone and, initially, it helps me get into my stride until I ease into my music.
It wasn't long before a runner passed me. I mustered a smile, he mustered a half hearted sneer back. Charming 😳 A few minutes later I smiled to another, he gave me a sideways glare - nothing more. I felt somewhat miffed 😟 I also noticed that, aside from the fact they sprang like gazelles, were light of foot and silent of breath, they didn't look the same as me. I offered my best running camaraderie smile to the third gazelle that sped past me... nothing..!! It was then, and only then, that I learnt a very valuable lesson... snot bubbles are NOT a compulsory running accessory..!! 😤 Why did no one tell me...??? 😫
I had a good sniff and plodded on.
The shoes still felt good and I didn't feel as though was 'slapping' the ground quite like I usually do. I was also grateful that the rogue sock wasn't causing any discomfort.
The sea air was a treat, my surroundings felt great and the reflection of the moon across the inky sea looked beautiful. My legs, although not great, certainly felt better than they ever had done before. Pharrell Williams burst into "Happy" and filled my head with Minions... I upped my pace, dodged a Labrador, nearly got hit by a cyclist and sang my heart out... yes, I was "Happy"..!!
Week 8 has been full of hormonal emotion, snot, uncooperative socks, a p*ss taking daughter and new running shoes... but I did it and I survived..!!
With much excitement (and even more amazement) I start week 9 tomorrow, with another run by the sea.
Happy running my lovelies, I hope your week has been more 'level' than mine 😉
Written by
HeadInTheClouds
Graduate
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Can definitely relate to the 😡 or 😭.....it's a lovely stage of life, isn't it, especially for those who get to "enjoy" it with us 😆😂😩😤. Way to get through the week.....you're so very close, the finish line is in sight....
Oh HITC, that was a rollercoaster of a week you had. Will you thump me if I say your post made me laugh in places? I too have experienced the Hermes rubbishness. Hermes was the messenger of the gods. They use his name in vain! The gods are fuming.
It also made me sad. So sorry to hear about the loss of your best friend. <Hug>
But look at how persistent you are with your running! Week 8 down! Well done! Good golly lady just 3 runs to go. You are doing bloody brilliantly.
Great post what a rollercoaster of a week. You had me in tears of laughter and sadness well done for keeping going. Your on the home straight now 3 to go keep going my lovely with that determination you will fly. 🏃♀️🏃♀️👍
Sh*t a brick my lovely - what a week! I thought you were quiet, I hoped you hadn't left I'm sorry you've had a crap one... and thinking of your friend... running is very emotional we can laugh and cry and blow snot bubbles (frequently) and get it all out all in the space of 30 minutes. And that is the best medicine. You are doing AMAZINGLY - your friend would be massively proud of you doing this. As we all are too
I've been an aggro cow this week (well I've had ENOUGH of d*ckheads and we all know just HOW much woman can take before she breaks....) I wonder if it's anything to do with the full moon? Awooooooooo!
Unfortunately some other runners (those who aren't on here of course) can be miserable gits. They probably aren't getting it all out in a run and may well be waiting for a surgical procedure to remove the stick up their a*rse. I don't live too far from the south coast (although depends which bit!!) I would have come down and sorted them out for you. I can see the headlines now 'Kung Foo Fatty Karate Chops Innocent Runners whilst listening to Pink and Shouting Expletives' ..... I'd never make a journalist!
My daughter constantly takes the p*ss out of me.... a 13 year old's 'no holds barred' brutal truth of how I look in my running gear certainly brings me up short!! Funny thing is I can take it from her.... anyone else and I'd crawl into a hole and never come out again
Spoiler Alert - Sarah gets teary Week 9, she cares about you, just like we all do too! Last week!!! Go you - pretend you are chasing the Hermes bloke! Can't wait to read your graduation post xx
Thank you, really, thank you for those lovely words. I have kept a low profile on here this week so as not to be the bringer of gloom (much rather bring laughter) 😊
I'm sorry that you've had a crap week, I hope it has improved now... maybe it was the lunar influence 🐺😂
Would have loved you to join me in some Kung Foo and 'stickectomies' on the miserable gits 🤣 I'd have brought cake and booze to celebrate..!!
Ah yes, daughters are certainly something special 🙄 Mine is a fully fledged adult (apparently) of an age that truly depresses me 😩
Did W9R1 this evening (posting shortly) and I take back everything I said about Sarah... bless her ☺️
I'll certainly be chasing that Hermes bloke - and kicking his ar*e when I catch him..!! 😂
Darn those sneery MALE runners. I feel female runners are generally so much more friendly to their fellow runners. You feel giving them bird don’t you 😎
I must go down to the sea again. Ah what a lovely poem 🙂 I’ve only run by the sea twice but it’s always on my mind to do again. I hope to see the sea in a few weeks when I attempt a marathon.
I had an errant sock in my half marathon of a few weeks ago which left me with a whacking blister between my toes. I kept trying to haul it up. These irritations make you unreasonably cross on the vexation Richter scale and you feel your annoyance Mercury bubble rising. All pointless of course, and so daft in the wider scheme of things. I think a run does help serve as a useful pressure relief valve. 😃
I wrote a poem recently about the no-show delivery man who sneaked to my door on tip toe and left a card. I was camped out on my sofa from dawn to dusk waiting for the so and so to arrive 😩😤
I hope you and your new shoes have lots of wonderful adventures 😃👍🏃♀️👍
You're right, it's the men who are bloody miserable..!! Having said that, a male runner said "Good evening" to me last night when I was walking my dog. Wonder if he'd have done the same if I'd been running..?? 🤔
I think I'm going to have sockless adventures with these shoes. I'll try with a different style of sock when I get home.
Absolutely LOVED your ditty to Yodel ... priceless..!! 😂😂😂
Maybe I'm beating the temper thing by running at 5am. Nobody has time to p*ss me off then. Met some runners this morning, out later than usual, but they were the stone faced gazelle type too. However, 5 guys on cycles were very polite and smiley.
Sorry to hear of your problems with hermes tho. My delivery fella couldn't be nicer. He puts everything through the conservatory window for me, and once he came looking for me on the refuse round because it was too fragile. Keep your chin up, you're nearly to the end of the course, but pity me, Ive only got to end of wk3
Oh HeadInTheClouds ...you’ve made me laugh & cry with this post!! I can imagine how fast you must’ve been typing & how much better you must feel for getting it all out of your system!!! Those delivery drivers don’t know how much stress they can cause!! Thank you for thinking of me too...it’s been a very emotional week for me but, even though we don’t know each other personally on here, I have felt completely wrapped up with virtual hugs & felt the love through everyone’s posts & replies...your best friend will be out there with you every time you’re running...without a doubt...& she’ll be there at the end on your graduation run that isn’t very far off now! Enjoy your last 3 runs, week 9 was my favourite week...we’ll all be looking out for your graduation post xxx
You're right, they have no idea how much stress they cause... especially to menopausal women with really bad attitudes 😂
I can imagine your week has been extremely emotional, such a terrible time for you and those dear little boys. I hope your running can find you some peace when you most need it. I have felt the love for you too, everyone here is amazing and they genuinely care.
My friend absolutely loved her bike, so I imagine her wobbling along beside me as we both sing, off key, together 🙉
Hi HITC - LOVE your post - thank god you’ve found running otherwise I fear it might end up like a Quentin Tarantino film... Anyhow, one thing I find interesting (puzzling?) about other people’s responses to runners is that I think people don’t necessarily know how to respond to runners - even the most basic response, like, should you acknowledge them or not? (Heaven knows I love the invisibility cloak that running gives me!)
Where I run, the parks are used by scores of parents/kids, dog-walkers, runners, cyclists... as a parent, dog-walker and now runner, I think the etiquette shifts with each role - and it can be very difficult to know how to respond to other people in a way that doesn’t irritate/cause offence... I’m not experienced enough to know what the rules are for running, but, in case it’s helpful, always say a dog is very handsome and, if it’s utterly out of control, bouncy!
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Fish, chips and mushy peas!
Hello all - 71 years old and hoping to run!
FAQ Post C25K COMPLETED…….WHAT NEXT?
