Hail to the <del>King</del> Queen!

[notoutofbreath]

Firstly, get some popcorn, I put the "long" into "winded"... Sorry!

I started Couch to 5K because I wanted to be fitter. Literally my only forms of exercise were gardening and that I walk everywhere (well "everywhere" that Him Indoors isn't planning on driving to!). I wanted to be able to walk up a hill and not be out of breath. I liked the idea of running because I like solo activities and I live in a beautiful part of the world. So being able take off by myself into a forest or round a loch or along the coast seemed like a great way to unwind mentally. Basically I had simple goals and they had nothing to do with speed. Unsurprising really as I'm not a competitive person.

Which means when I graduated in January I was very much on board with the "take it slow" mantra. I could run non-stop for 30 minutes, I was very happy with that. Sorry, I was VERY, VERY, STUPID JUMP UP AND DOWN HAPPY with that My way of thinking was to consolidate that, not become a speed queen. Since I'd done the whole programme measuring in miles (because I could visualise them from my usual walking, I haven't a clue what a km feels like! ), yes I was little niggled that I wasn't quite finishing that 3rd mile so the data my MiBand was giving back was incomplete, but that was the OCD kicking in. Anyway however, the plan was to keep on running for 30 minutes until it got "comfortable", rather than trying to ramp my pace up or hit a certain distance. W10R3 I actually accidentally went over the 3 miles. My OCD was overjoyed, my control freak "that wasn't the plan", not so much... LOL

Well the control freak won and I'm pretty sure I'm a freak in what I did next. You can have the MiBand vibrate if you're going slower than a set pace. I finally set this up on it. Since then I have run with it set slower than my average slowest pace. Yes, you read that right. Slower than slowest. Then I deliberately try and set it off by certain waypoints in my run. Yes, you read that right as well, I'm actively trying to extra slow myself down (I'm already not running at full pelt)! I'm sure I'm going to be told this is a bad idea. I just feel it's more important to be sure I'm going to finish, to not wear myself out in the first 10 minutes. Be more endurance focussed than race, if that makes sense?!? I always end up naturally picking up the pace in the last 10 minutes anyway, at that point I know I'm not going to wear myself out and it feels more comfortable to be faster then.

Most of these graduation runs have been done to Week 9 podcast Laura. Until the last 30 seconds of that had got me to the point of homicidal (don't want to spoiler anyone here, but seriously who thought that last bit was a good idea when they recorded it?! It's like fingers down a chalkboard. Shudders). So this last week I've been wrestling with the app and Spotify instead (I miss Laura ). Again, weird person alert, when running I don't like listening to music I would listen to normally. I don't want that association when I hear it elsewhere! That said, while I'm fine with EDM, so many of the Spotify playlists go too gym/workout dancey for me. Tonight (Friday 2nd, I'm slow posting this) I thought sod it, stick with a genre you DO listen to normally, just find one without tracks you own.

Hence I was so busy rocking out to Fall Out Boy, I suddenly realised I hadn't done my usual first couple of slow downs! Basically I got totally distracted by Matthew Shields' Running Rock (fast beat) playlist. Last 60 seconds. Hail to the King (ah, now the post title makes sense!) by Avenged Sevenfold is blaring out, I hit stop for the MiBand on the 30 minute mark, and....

OMG!!!! I've run 5K. In 30 minutes. Stoked is an understatement. From the times other people around my age (40) were saying it took them on here, I had prepared myself for it to take ages and I was good with that. Now I'm full on flabbergasted.

Oh and for full disclosure I was not @notoutofbreath, I was certainly out of breath! LOL. Not that that stopped a dogwalker choosing that precise moment to ask me directions. Seriously?! Well, I guess I had enough breath to give them at least. ROFL.

Then I actually got to savour the moment, staring at the amazing moon we had over the water tonight which my photo does absolutely NO justice to whatsoever.

Anyway, I'm a seriously happy bunny tonight. I'm going to stick to running 30 minutes and whatever distance is whatever distance it will be. However my OCD is euphoric that I'm truly "Couch to 5K" now!

I've run 5K. I can't believe I've run 5K. I might not actually suck at this...

[ju-ju- Graduate]

Fantastic, great post and the slowing down is good. I think when we try and slow down we mentally relax, so running is more comfortable and we naturally speed up.... I like your focus.

[notoutofbreath Graduate in reply to ju-ju-]

I'm so chuffed to get a reply from you. Thank you! Great to hear I'm not quite as weird in my reasoning as I feared.

I know you're starting a new 10 is the Magic Number this month, so I was after your advice on where a person should be at before starting that? Ultimately I want to be running more than 5K (look, that loch is quite far away ) but I want to do it the right way, I don't need to rush into it. So is there a sensible timeframe after graduating when you should be good to do it, or a you can cover x distance in 30 mins, or 5K in x minutes, or?!?! Thanks, O Knowledgeable One!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Great post.. and pikkie too. Well done!

Relaxing into the long slow and steady runs is fantastic...

[notoutofbreath Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

So glad folk have liked the post. I know I can be a bit long for some! Thanks for the congrats, much appreciated! Came back and *finally* thought I can call myself a runner out loud now. Which beloved hubby snorted at and said "About time, now will you let me buy you a proper running watch?" Lovely man. Clearly forgetting though that I'm still a cheapskate!

[Jen58 in reply to notoutofbreath]

I hope you have let you , hubby buy you that proper running watch ? He's obviously proud of his wife and what she has achieved , let him spoil you 👍🏻

Even though your a cheapskate , it's his way of saying he's proud of you

What a luck girl you are to have a hubby that cares about you so much 👍🏻

[notoutofbreath Graduate in reply to Jen58]

He is pretty epic. Not quite got it yet. I've picked one out, I just have to reassure myself it's the right choice. I have *tiny* wrists you see and the superduper watches don't cater terribly well to women's wrists if I'm honest. So when you literally wear children's watches normally, it narrows the field down considerably!

[misswobble Graduate]

Well done! 30 mins is really quick 😃👍

Keep running and having fun. Let it take you on all sorts of running adventures round your home and beyond. 😃👍🏃‍♀️

[notoutofbreath Graduate in reply to misswobble]

Thank you muchly! Nice to see the "really quick" part, I'm not very good at acknowledging such things about myself. After I did my first 3 mile run, I honestly made my hubby walk the exact route with his tracker as I was convinced the MiBand was mis-measuring the distance, because clearly that was further than *I* should have been able to manage in that time [sheepish]!!!

[Jen58 in reply to notoutofbreath]

A hubby who obviously is encouraging you very much , bless him 😘

[notoutofbreath Graduate in reply to Jen58]

He's been beyond fab. I mean the poor man has to sit there and look interested while I detail every run when I return!

[Jen58 in reply to notoutofbreath]

I tell my partner where I have run in the village total blank look 🙄 you would never believe my partner has lived in the village 26+ something years , 🤔

[Millsie-J Graduate]

What a fabulous post......took me on the journey with you!

Great time and distance, well done.

Love the photo 🌕

[notoutofbreath Graduate in reply to Millsie-J]

You're really kind. Thank you!

Oh the moon was even better on the start of the run, lower and quite orange. I was so tempted to stop to take a piccie then, but there was running to be done!

[Elfe5 Graduate]

Absolutely fantastic! - and great post thanks - loved your various antics! I substituted a fragrant mug of coffee for popcorn - hope you don't mind!

Gorgeous photo thank you-for a split second it made me feel as if I was in the final scene of Mamma Mia combined with my local beach at night. Warm Greek island and NE coast in winter was an odd combination! 😃

[notoutofbreath Graduate in reply to Elfe5]

Thank you!

LOL, love it. Yeah bring on the coffee, may it not have been a frappé by the end of it...

Funnily enough, that was the exact same spot I finished my W5R3 and it was very much more Mamma Mia/exuberant musical then. There was raised arms like the Y in YMCA and twirling and jumping and isn't-it-a-good-job-I-live-in-small-place-that's-mostly-deserted with whoops and fist pumping going on... LMAO

[Theziggy Graduate]

G R E A T. Probably one of the first accidental 5K posts I have read. Shame on you!!!!!!! I use a mi-band too.

[notoutofbreath Graduate in reply to Theziggy]

I know, it's disgusting isn't it?! I may have to trademark "accidental 5K"

Random MiBand question (I'm talking MiBand 2 rather than the original btw & I know that a proper heart rate monitor is a band around your chest, not light bouncing off your wrist, but since light bouncing off wrist is what I have...) do you find there is a link between it just refusing to register heart rate and the battery being at 30% or lower? I know the thing gets grumpy at sweat and other random things, but it happens so frequently exactly when the battery gets that low that I have been wondering if it's not just a coincidence???

[Theziggy Graduate]

I don't use my miband 2's HRM very often so can't really answer you. Hospital use a device on your finger now to take your pulse and heart rate and that is light based too. I have tested my HRM with my manually taken pulse rate and it was pretty similar. All in all I am happy with the miband 2 though.

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate]

Wonderful! I've got a MiBand and I don't really use it much so will definately look at the running options on it. I tend to just use it for sleep and steps and the time! 🤣

Congrats on the (easy!) 5k 👍😁

[notoutofbreath Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

Just open up MiFit then Activity>Outdoor Running. Top right there is a cog, hit that and then you get your options for a pace alert etc. It's easy to miss, which is why I think people do! Otherwise Hit Start and it will count down from 5 DON'T put your phone to sleep until it's started or it won't record it } ), long hold the button to pause.

[Jen58]

No popcorn , bottle of Desperado ? Seriously loved reading your post but got a bit lost MiBand ? EDM music yes ? I am so not down with the kids any more 🤔😂

[notoutofbreath Graduate in reply to Jen58]

Thank you for including me as being one of the kids! Yeah, I try to spell out acronyms on here, but then I'm rubbish with the techie stuff! Sorry! You know Fitbits, wee fitness trackers that the world and his wife have in little plastic bracelets on their wrists? Basically MiBand is that style of thing but the cheapest thing in the universe, whilst still being made by a reputable brand (if you REALLY want to show off then that brand is Chinese and called Xiaomi, pronounced "show me", they're mainly known for smart phones). Click here to see what I mean techradar.com/reviews/xiaom...

EDM = Electronic Dance Music. Think background music. That can be a bit fast and squeaky, often droney/trancelike & repetitive with eye wincing lyrics. [Cough] Apologies for the sweeping generalisations there and to any big lovers of the genre!

[Jen58 in reply to notoutofbreath]

I sort of did understand some of your answer 😳