PGW2 - or week 11

[Richard7]

So life after C25K continues with another week of running under the belt. At the end of last week I started the C25K+ Stepping Stone and continued into my first two runs of this week.

Sunday morning I set out and repeated the Stepping Stone run. I could feel that the beat was driving me forward and got for me a brilliant time and my pace was up. Hey this is working - I could sense improvements in my pace for the first real time.

Tuesday was a different story, I could not go out first thing as usual and so had to run in the evening. Rather than running into daylight I was running into darkness. Gradually the dark fully descended and I was really glad for my head-torch as I moved along the canal towpath. The run felt like a real slog and I have to say that although the exhilaration (maybe relief) of getting to the end was great I really did not enjoy it.

So today ... I decided I had done 3 runs using C25K+ Stepping Stones since graduating and that to get me to "run happy" I would just do a free run today. I contemplated running for 10 mins and walking etc but set my face to do the full 30 minutes just like I had learned from C25K. Off I went slightly later than usual and despite the 3' temperature was greeted by the sunshine. The canal looked great with a low mist hanging over the water and the wildfowl enjoying themselves. This was a treat as my last run along the same route was so dark you would not have known it was even there! My second highlight of the run was being accompanied by a walker's dog for about 30 seconds as it trotted gently beside me ... not bad considering how small it was - I considered asking it for some running tips!

My speed today was slow compared with the other 2 of the week, but you know what I don't care. I was a little achy from the previous pushed runs and I deserved a more gentle one. Better to be running even at my speed than sitting at 0km/h on the couch.

Keep running everyone and believe in yourselves.

[misswobble Graduate]

Well done., you have to run slower in the dark but that’s ok isn’t it 🙂👍

Take care!

[Richard7 Graduate in reply to misswobble]

I think these early runs are challenging to make sure you stay on the safe and narrow - temptation is there to try and go too fast now that the training wheels are off. In reality no harm in pushing a little but still need to have fun. My preference would be to not run in the dark at all just in daylight but chances of that are getting slimmer week by week!! I might map out an "its dark" route that takes me around the streets instead of the canal for next time!

[misswobble Graduate in reply to Richard7]

Yep,,the last thing you need is to trip up over an unseen hazard and tweak something. I once fell over a speed hump in our dark park. It was clearly signed but I failed to spot that as well 😎

I’m run round our local streets but some of them are really dark, especially round your lower legs where you need to see,,hence the head lamp 👍

[Sandyscroll in reply to Richard7]

I did that. I've got a few 'it's dark' routes now. I figured if it's dark nobody can see it's me anyway. 😀

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Well done... on the run, in the darkness, taking it slowly and not falling into the canal. All good experiences... and you are doing brilliantly!

[Richard7 Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks - yes falling in would have been fun - not!!