D1/W3 complete - call me 'Popsicle' :)

[Irish-John]

Flipping MINUS 12 out there this morning!. Thank Goodness a shorter run than 5 or 10K

While it is sometimes a bit frustrating to be doing the whole programme again - mornings like this I am glad I get back to the Hacienda quicker. There is an upside to being a 'Born Again C25Ker" LOL

Went well - was a bit worried if there would be any post tooth knocked out problems but I took it slow and steady - and that is as hard to do as ever. I kept surprising myself with the unconscious pick up in speed I was doing frequently.

I am now convinced that the second biggest Gremlin in this programme ( and beyond) is the 'Speed Demon'.

Biggest of course is 'Lizard Brain' - that part of our grey matter that goes 'Are you COMPLETELY mad???!!!!" " when we do the hardest bit of this programme - the gearing up and actually going out the door and starting the warm up walk....

Take heart New runners - I absolutely had to force myself out this morning even though I literally LOVE running and cannot wait to be done with these pesky walk intervals and fixed times etc Redoing the whole C210K programme is reminding me of just how nonchalant I became when the memories of those first few months had faded and I was secure in my 'Graduationdom'

It is so easy to say to new people 'Take it slow and steady' and 'Just do it one step at a time'.....but I for one had forgotten just how damn NOT easy it is when you have not run before.

ALL us Graduates went through what you are presently going through - and ALL we did really to Graduate was - keep going out there on Run Days.

The programme does the rest, the runs take care of themselves be they 'practice' ones or 'success' ones on any give day

You CAN make it - and if you doubt me, go back and read the early posts of present Graduates

Wishing everyone many happy ( and warmer than this morning here) miles in your futures

[RunaroundSue]

We had snow the other night but it was nowhere near as cold as that! Well done for getting out there. Is the ground icy? That worries me more than anything in case of slipping

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to RunaroundSue]

Thankfully really dry air so not even frost on the car windows I layered up and made sure my face was well protected - ankles and wrists got a bit frozen but all went well

[Hidden]

Minus what???? OMG you are a star, especially as I'd want to be speed running when it says -12.

Well done I-J, there was me thinking I deserved an Arctic running medal at +5...

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to Hidden]

That was the challenge - slowing down Jan Mind was saying 'slow and steady' - amygdala was saying 'Hurry the heck up out of this !". and as soon as my concentration would wander ( mainly pondering on the awful situation that if we are indeed all descended from monkeys, hopefully Mr and Mrs Brass were not in my ancestral tree...) I would find that I had sped up...

And no way would I have gone out today for anything like a longer run - I bet you are doing 5ks or more in that +5 though

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Blimey.. that is very cold... and post tooth..too ! You are a tough cookie

Things are not always easy, and yes..how content we may become as we travel along our running path...I know this all too well right now..laid low by the current issues !

Well done you.. and thanks, as ever for a positive helpful post for our newbies: ) ( And the rest of us)

PS

If you do NOT keep it slow and steady...I will be right there !!!

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Thank Floss - I made darn sure I had a Bandanna securely covering my face - no way was I getting an unprotected blast of THAT air anywhere near my tooth! Plus - it hid the bit of bruising and cutting the corner of the brick did, which was a bonus

You will hopefully be soon up and aobut again on the Running trail - I'm feeling a bit lonely out here!

[HeleneCorsa Graduate]

Well hello there, Popsicle! 😆

Minus 12 is brutal! It certainly is a big deal to force yourself outside in that kind of cold - well done. I really am NOT a cold weather person and wild horses would not drag me outside in those conditions, so kudos to you.

Sounds like you're really going from strength to strength and will be a second-time graduate before you know it.

Keep those extremities warm though! No-one wants frostbite 🤤

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to HeleneCorsa]

I absolutely hate the cold. I loved living in Asia and other subtropical places - it can never get hot enough for me as long as the humidity isn't too bad

If I did not go out in the cold here though, I would be stuck inside for about four months of the year - and while it was tempting, VERY tempting, to give the cold a miss I really did not want ot give the run a miss,

But I was closely observing the time when I was running, I can assure you

[rolysmate Graduate]

A great write up John, my run last Saturday was just a bit cold and I finished the run with two belly buttons!

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to rolysmate]

ROFL!

But - you did it! Either we are tough old Dudes - or seriously stubborn old goats! LOL

[rolysmate Graduate in reply to Irish-John]

Bit of both John lol

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to rolysmate]

A fun mix it is too Roly

[rolysmate Graduate in reply to Irish-John]

Makes us what we are and takes us places others don't go

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to rolysmate]

LOL - my last Post, our motto was 'We run towards what everyone else runs away from" ( Cept I wasn't a runner then so in my case it was more eitehr shuffling or being driven LOL )

[jaynewoodbank Graduate]

Love it!

I'm a restarter too. Hat off to you going out in that temperature

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to jaynewoodbank]

Thank you Jayne The bonus of being a re-starter is we know what to expect pretty much out there in most conditions and can adjust accordingly First time around I would have been so worried about 'the effect of cold like that on my knees, lungs, heart, running in general etc" I would never have stirred outside the door LOL.

But as I always say - if you just gear up and go out the door, the Run takes care of itself. And this morning it did

Good to have another 'rethread' doing the journey with me - we have had many happy miles before, we will have even more ahead

[Richard7 Graduate]

Well said. And thanks for the pep talk. Was wondering whether to go out today or leave until tomorrow!

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to Richard7]

Glad I could help Richard

[Richard7 Graduate in reply to Irish-John]

You did indeed - was going for a slightly drier tomorrow - but ventured out in the rain at the start of my run for the first time.... and ended up with snow. Good fun though.

[Curlygurly2 Graduate]

Blimey John, you're in the wars AGAIN!. Never a dull moment around you is there? Massive thumbs up for going out after that, and in that temperature too. You qualify for my "made of girders" award. XXX

[Irish-John Graduate in reply to Curlygurly2]

It's all that Irn Bru I drank in Glasgow in '88 Lol. 😋

It's been a streak of not great luck for sure, but nothing irreparable this time so it sucks but could be worse.

I do hope that life will be boring for at least a while though - I'm beginning to feel like Frank Spencer would be saying I'm totally effing chaotic at this point 😂

[aliboo70]

sorry i missed your post John, you are doing great especially in those temps! Big hugs lovely John hope to see lots more of your progress xxx

[Irish-John Graduate]

Onward and upward, thank you Ali