W7R2 Dem hills Dem hills is Killin me - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

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W7R2 Dem hills Dem hills is Killin me

31 Replies

But I did it and even went faster, though I thought I was chugging along at snails' pace. And yes I did clock watch...a bit...

I'm massively pleased with myself that I did it and massively disappointed with myself that parts of it were a slog, so overall massively conflicted...hmmm...

I think I probably needed to have had more than a mouthful of fruit juice before I went out.

If I'm posting too much, tell me, but I'm hoping this will be of use to anyone behind me on the program.

31 Replies
Anthie profile image
AnthieGraduate

Well done!! You can't be disappointed considering that you are running up and down hill, something I can't do yet. I can run on even ground but if I start going up and down the tracks on little hillocks in the park, I find it far more difficult on my legs and thus on catching my breath... So, you're doing much better than most of us!! Go confidently to R3! And keep posting!

in reply to Anthie

Thank you! i needed that reassurance. i'm still hoping to ship out to somewhere flat one day and see how i go. My treadmill run I hardly got out of breath at all.

Anthie profile image
AnthieGraduate in reply to

Yes, I remember your post about your treadmill. We have a proverb in French that says, "Those who can do/achieve a lot, can also do less" (not sure I'm translating very well...) but it's the idea that if you prepare on something hard, you'll find it very easy when you have to tackle something less demanding. So you may find it very boring to run on even ground!

in reply to Anthie

Yes, you are right. I embrace the running conditions here, despite puffing uphill :)

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate in reply to

When you find flat.. let me know:)

Elfe5 profile image
Elfe5Graduate

Definitely no need for " massive disappointed" - how very dare your brain be so rude to the rest of you?!!😂

You are doing brilliantly, please enjoy your running! ( Ok maybe not the slog bits!!) 😀

in reply to Elfe5

Thank you :) I do enjoy it, but i do worry a bit because doing so much up slopes means my heart rate spends most of its time in the maximum/red zone. I'm hoping that will ease in time.

Richard7 profile image
Richard7Graduate

I often find that my uphill parts can be faster than other parts of my run simply because I am having to push myself to get up the hill. My difficulty is maintaining the pace so it does not normally stay fast!

Keep posting and you can be an inspiration to those that have gone before also! Even to yourself in weeks to come when you look back.

in reply to Richard7

Thank you Richard. I'm ok with the earlier steep bits, but i flag towards the end of the run. I think i should take my inhaler now I'm running for longer. i have a couple of puffs before the run, but my chest is closing up again before i finish.

Richard7 profile image
Richard7Graduate in reply to

Ah I see.

Yesterday my final 1/3rd which is a uphill gradient was my fastest ever and I think it was because my first 2/3rds was my slowest. I find normally (for me) I go off too fast set a great (for me) starting pace and then for the last 1/3 do not have enough energy and fade. From yesterday’s run I learnt that I need to conserve my energy so that there is enough for the whole run and that means really slowing it up at the start.

With your hills so early on I can imagine that is quite difficult. Seriously could you reverse your route!?

in reply to Richard7

I'm laughing gently here, Richard7 :) They are not just early on, they are constant. i live in the highest town in the Cotswolds, so there is literally nowhere to run that doesn't incorporate slopes and hills. I dont drive so am stuck. In the summer i will take the bus into Oxford and run there sometimes, just to experience non hilly runs, but I can't in the winter because of having to lug a coat or jacket round while I run. I operate on the principle that what doesn't kill me makes me stronger LOL.

Richard7 profile image
Richard7Graduate in reply to

I used to live in Banbury not far away so know what you mean! I now live in Derbyshire and have hills too but I am lucky that I have some flat places I can go to nearby. You could always run around your house in circles! 😉

in reply to Richard7

LOL, already did that. didnt you see my post with the blue spaghetti strava map from when I ran round the house for 25 minutes? Or were you being ironic?

Richard7 profile image
Richard7Graduate in reply to

Thought you would guess from my 😉!!

in reply to Richard7

I sort of did. Still knackered from this morning, Brain not functioning...

Plus high screen resolution so your emoticon is hard to make out :)

Pm3eak profile image
Pm3eakGraduate

Please keep posting ! If I didn't come on here and feel pulled along by everyone else I'm pretty sure I would just pack up. I've said before...I am not a natural runner and probably never will be. I am 97 kg and have spent my sporting life lifting, heaving, throwing, scrumming and moving quickly over short distances: this is a new and very great challenge for me. If not for the many people like you making me feel part of something bigger i might just get to those hard bits at 20 mins and say, 'Ah, danker me, I'll pass'.

in reply to Pm3eak

It IS inspiring taking part in this forum, and I enjoy your posts and the pics of your lovely dogs. And of course you are a natural runner, we all are, we were built to do it. We just all do it differently xx

Bridget007 profile image
Bridget007Graduate

Well done! Getting to W7R2 is brilliant and uphill too! You really shouldn’t be disappointed uphill is a slog, when you get on the flat you’ll probably find it too easy 😊

in reply to Bridget007

Aw, thanks 😊 i would like the chance to run on the flat some time though!

Pm3eak profile image
Pm3eakGraduate

Come and visit us in North West Shropshire: we are flatter than flat at its flattest. I live in a bungalow because stairs would give me a nose bleed. You need wellies though because we do have lots of water...really, lots and lots and squelchingly scary amounts of water. A beautiful set of meres ( lakes) and very rare lowland peat bog (The Mosses). A total -but wet-wilderness. Oh, mustn't forget our beautiful canals. They get muddy. We also have lots of cows and mud and more cows and even more mud; we have muddy cows too. In winter we import everyone else's sheep. And mud. About now we start lugging fodder beet and other forage crops from muddy fields to feed to the muddy cows. We also fold the imported sheep onto our muddy fields to produce muddy sheep living in muddy fields. Every run involves crossing into Wales and back again several times. And mud. You cannot run here without running in mud....or in Wales.

But, it is flat.

in reply to Pm3eak

Lol, Ok, I get the picture. Ive lived in both Lincolnshire (though in the Wolds) and Herefordshire, looking across to the Black Mountains...I used to ride with the blue hills of Wales on the horizon, so Im no stranger to mud. And I have wellies.

in reply to Pm3eak

Joking aside, it sounds wonderful Pm3eak

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate

Well done you.. embrace the hills.. someone told me... they are character building! I must have a lot of character!

in reply to Oldfloss

Lol, Im not sure I need any more character, I’d be unbearable 😳

in reply to Oldfloss

And thank you x

Cornet-Carolyn profile image
Cornet-CarolynGraduate

Well done on conquering them hills!

in reply to Cornet-Carolyn

Thank you, but I think they half conquered me. But I will not be defeated 💪🏻

TedG profile image
TedGGraduate

Well done, I know Chippy well...hilly and damn cold in the winter.

That’s a very respectable time considering....keep it up, you’re well and truly getting there 🏃‍♀️ 🏃‍♀️ 🎅

in reply to TedG

Thank you! thank you! I really must run on the flat some time and see how I do. I'm hoping I'll become fitter and better able to cope. At the moment parts of my runs are an endurance test. But better than a few weeks ago :) x

TedG profile image
TedGGraduate in reply to

You’ve got a good plan in place there, the flat will be a breeze in comparison. I, on the other hand, try to avoid them so it’s often a struggle when I do encounter them as I did yesterday jogging with a local group I’ve joined 😱😊

in reply to TedG

Lucky those who have a choice ;( LOL

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