First post and I just wanted to say a huuuge thank you to everyone who takes the time to give out wise advice and to post about their experiences. It’s been such a great help along the first three weeks of my journey. I’ve found all the answers I needed to my questions and there have been loads!
I think the hardest part for me was probably taking that first step or two in week one. Mr Maybe-I-can is a bit of a runner, but I’d convinced myself it was something that I couldn’t do. I’m a walker not a runner and the thought of putting those steps together to run was a bit terrifying. So I didn’t for ages. And then I found the app. And then I found all this advice. And I thought maybe I could. So on went the Lycra and I took myself off to the forest to hide 🤫 and off I set with Michael and it turns out that I could do it after all. I think sometimes we tell ourselves stories about what we can and can’t do and after a while they seem like truths, but they’re not.
That first run was hard, but there was such a sense of achievement at the end of it. Week one taught me a lot about my fitness, about myself, and about naming specific muscles in my legs to try and find out what was hurting and what to do about it! Many many things hurt in the first week, particularly my adductors, but I worked on stretching and things improved. I’m a bit of a strider when I walk, so I had to reign myself in and slow down.
Week two was still hard, but I couldn’t’ wait For each run. Michael and I parted ways and after a bit of experimentation I’m settled with Laura. New muscles found this week, particularly the ones on the inside of my knees, (which I can’t name) and I spent more time focusing on running tall and landing on the mid to front of my feet. By run 3 it felt like the muscles were doing better.
My week 3 started with some really foul weather, but I was raring to go and I really enjoyed that run in the rain and wind. Run 2 was after a day at work and I was really looking forward to it, but it was probably the worst one I’ve had so far. I’m deskbound for most of the day and when I started the run my legs felt like lead. It didn’t really get any better from there and I had to drag myself round. I was nearly crawling by the end. It’s strange how your mind works - maybe I can’t do this after all, maybe I was kidding myself. I’ve had in my mind from the beginning that all three runs need to be done within the 7 days, but that would have meant running after work again for run 3, so I treated myself to an extra day off and ran this morning instead. What a difference. It wasn’t easy, but for the first time there were no muscles complaining and I wanted to keep going at the end (but didn’t).
I don’t know what week 4 holds. I’ll find that out when Laura tells me on Tuesday, but I do know that I,m looking forward to it.
Everything that I’ve learned that has kept me going for these three weeks has been from these posts, so thanks again 😁. Turns out I might be a runner after all.
Week 1 run 3
Week 8 Run 3 
Week 8 Run 3 - Best run yet
Week 1 Run 3 done!
