After a disappointing ( to me) run 3 last week I just wanted to go out there today and enjoy the run for the sake of it. I wasn’t going to run fast or set myself any particular target but my one plan for today was to start my watch from when I actually started running to see how far I actually RUN in 30 minutes....just out of interest.
Well I set off and did my usual warm up walk, and I had the week 9 podcast running, when Laura said start running I set my watch going and off I went ( with our mate Julie) and just ran as comfortably as I wanted.
I was going to do my usual route of run down to the block that the park is in and go round it a few times ( 3 and a bit from my house is 30 mins) but today I went 3/4 of the way round then crossed the road, as it was clear, and continued on down towards the Industrial Estate as it is a nice straight stretch with no crossings. Laura interrupted to tell me I “was doing really well and had run for 10 minutes ONLY 20 to go” “ shut up Laura I KNOW!!’”
At the back of my mind I was going to cut through halfway and join up with my usual bit and carry on round..... but I found I just kept running ( touch of the Forrest Gumps I feel). And then when I got to the end of that bit I turned the corner and carried on up past the Secondary School, dodging dawdling youths on my way “ excuse me please... sorry coming through on your left... excuse me please... thankyou” through the clouds of vape and cigarette smoke before they arrived at school....tut tut.
This was when it started to dawn on me that I’d never noticed the ever increasing incline on the road when I walked it many times before. And back in the day when I used to run it with my friend we’d run it in the opposite direction so quite enjoyed it. Of course having gone past all these damned kids I couldn’t possibly slow down... or heaven forbid even walk ... so on I go determinedly, face getting redder by the minute, but trying to look as though I’m finding it really easy. I have carefully avoided any slopes in my running so far .... it IS in my long term plan ... honest!! Just hadn’t planned it this morning!!!
Anyway I eventually get past them all and start on the gradual downward slope in the other side which was a relief, then I turned down Abbey Road and halfway down there was another horde of school kids surging towards me. The pavements are narrow here so I just could not face hopping in and out of them again so I ducked down the side and cut through the bit that I had intended to come through originally from the other side, ran through that and came out to rejoin the road to the Industrial Estate but now running in the other direction.
It was at this point that my watch beeped to say 2 miles and this foolish thought crossed my mind....... “shall I just keep running till I’ve done the full 5k and then I’ll know how long it takes me and I can see about shortening the times in the future”. So I did!!!!
And it took me 40 mins!!! I didn’t look at the time, just kept glancing at the miles bit on my watch,when I knew I was more or less there.
So not a brilliant time BUT my FIRST 5k AND my FIRST 40 minute run!! And I could probably have carried on for a bit. Breathing back to normal by halfway into cool down walk. And when I popped into the Coop to buy some bananas before I got home and she looked at my beetroot face and said “ haha been for a run have you?” I casually said “ yeah only 5k this morning”. That wiped the smirk off her face !!! She said “ oh I couldn’t do that”
So as I gathered up my bananas and headed for the door, over my shoulder I said “ Couch25k love. Try it”.
🤣🤣🤣
Today felt like a really good run and it’s more than made up for how I felt on my Graduation Run. I’m not in it for speed or for running races particularly ... I just want to run and enjoy it and get fitter and healthier. And today I enjoyed it.
Happy running folks 😜
Week 9 here I come!
Week 5 accomplished :-).
week 9 - what a journey!
Week 9 run 1 ...
