Post grad W2R2: Hi all, just finished my latest... - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

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Post grad W2R2

David_G profile image
David_G
β€’46 Replies

Hi all, just finished my latest outing round the mean streets of Croydon 😳 I know from your posts there are nice places to run out there, but this isn’t really one of them πŸ˜•

I managed to keep going to 5K and did it in 33:31 so not too bad. That works out at about 5.3 mph if my maths is correct, but that’s by no means certain! πŸ˜‰

I’m pleased to have done it though as wasn’t feeling too healthy when I started out. ☺️ That improved once I got going and felt good at the end πŸ˜€πŸ‘

Enjoy your running everyone πŸƒβ€β™‚οΈπŸƒβ€β™€οΈ

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David_G profile image
David_G
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46 Replies
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Ripcurlrana71 profile image
Ripcurlrana71

That’s a great time! Average pace of 6.6/KM pretty good. πŸ‘πŸΌπŸ‘πŸΌ

David_G profile image
David_Gβ€’ in reply toRipcurlrana71

Thanks, I’m quite pleased with it anyway πŸ˜€

sallenson profile image
sallensonGraduate

I think that under the Rules you get extra mileage bonus points for having to run in Croydon. I think it's related to Tram-Awareness Danger Provision under the Human Rights Act.

One of the Admin folk will be able to confirm tho :-)

Good for you anyway David!!

David_G profile image
David_Gβ€’ in reply tosallenson

Ahh yes, there’s an idea! An extra badge for running in dangerous places. πŸ˜‚πŸ˜€

sallenson profile image
sallensonGraduateβ€’ in reply toDavid_G

You might negotiate an additional "Kate Moss lived here" sympathy bonus too. Worth looking into. Amal Clooney's pretty good at this sort of Human Rights stuff - want to me to ask? :-)

David_G profile image
David_Gβ€’ in reply tosallenson

Another excellent idea and another badge for me πŸ˜‚πŸ€£

sallenson profile image
sallensonGraduateβ€’ in reply toDavid_G

Badge Delirium Central around here :-)

icklegui profile image
ickleguiGraduateβ€’ in reply tosallenson

Good point - I did cross a tramline on my last longer run. I'll give myself an extra 0.1 km!

sallenson profile image
sallensonGraduateβ€’ in reply toicklegui

A friend of mine whose elderly father still lives in Blackpool used to regale me with stories of him sitting on a bench watching drunken Stag Do refugees get run over by trams. It's another world Up North... :-))

Myrar profile image
MyrarGraduate

Well done😊

David_G profile image
David_Gβ€’ in reply toMyrar

Thanks! 😊

icklegui profile image
ickleguiGraduate

Ahem! We have plenty of parks and lovely residential roads for house-ogling while running. 5K should get you to a nice bit from whereever you are!

sallenson profile image
sallensonGraduateβ€’ in reply toicklegui

Is that a lone pro-Croydon voice? :-)

icklegui profile image
ickleguiGraduateβ€’ in reply tosallenson

I'm not an estate agent but I will happily sell you Croydon, 'cos it's not all bad :) (and then I'll have more running neighbours!)

David_G profile image
David_Gβ€’ in reply toicklegui

Yes, fair comment, but it’s not all good either 😊 I keep out of the town centre at nights, particularly Friday and Saturday, there’s just too many idiots about. 😳 I don’t suppose for a minute Croydon’s the only place that applies to these days πŸ˜•.

Maybe I’ll get a bus or tram somewhere nice next time I run πŸƒβ€β™‚οΈ That might improve the experience πŸ˜€

icklegui profile image
ickleguiGraduateβ€’ in reply toDavid_G

Yes! Do that! Many lovely parks in reach :)

And yes, I share your avoidance of the town centre on a going out night. Any town centre in fact if I can help it! I run through it when it's quiet though. Like at 5.30am!

sallenson profile image
sallensonGraduateβ€’ in reply toicklegui

There's safety in numbers too :-)

And let's be fair. You could be in Orpington or somewhere truly terrible. Croydon does at least have shops. And the Fairfield Hall :-)

David_G profile image
David_Gβ€’ in reply tosallenson

Fairfield Halls is closed now, for re-development apparently. πŸ˜‰ Orpington was Ok last time I was there, but that was years ago πŸ™‚

sallenson profile image
sallensonGraduateβ€’ in reply toDavid_G

It'll end up a Weatherspoons then...

David_G profile image
David_Gβ€’ in reply toicklegui

Do we? Are you sure you’re in Croydon? πŸ˜‰πŸ˜Š 5K might get me to a nice bit, but I’ve got to run through less nice bits to get there and back πŸ˜€

Bridget007 profile image
Bridget007Graduate

It’s not very picturesque is it πŸ˜‚πŸ˜‚ still plenty of shops! That’s a very speedy run πŸ˜€

David_G profile image
David_Gβ€’ in reply toBridget007

Thanks! πŸ‘πŸ˜€ Yes, quite a few shops around town but also quite a few shut down. πŸ˜•

Still, we’ve got the new Westfield development to look forward to if the papers are to be believed πŸ˜³πŸ€žπŸ‘

Fabulous450 profile image
Fabulous450Graduate

5K in 33:31 πŸ‘€ That's brilliant David_G! πŸ‘πŸ½πŸ‘πŸ½β€οΈ

David_G profile image
David_Gβ€’ in reply toFabulous450

Thanks! πŸ˜€πŸ‘

Jay66UK profile image
Jay66UKGraduate

Well done!

David_G profile image
David_Gβ€’ in reply toJay66UK

Thanks Jay, I’m getting there slowly 😊

Jay66UK profile image
Jay66UKGraduateβ€’ in reply toDavid_G

It’s the only way to get anywhere!

GoGo_JoJo profile image
GoGo_JoJoGraduate

Well done πŸ‘

Perseverance pays off πŸ‘πŸ˜‰

David_G profile image
David_Gβ€’ in reply toGoGo_JoJo

Yes, I’m sure it will. Thanks! πŸ‘

icklegui profile image
ickleguiGraduate

5k now though, instead of making defensive remarks about our town I will comment on your excellent run! Are you considering ... parkrun? I guess also if you are running through town there's a bonus for dodging pedestrians, never mind tramlines and celebrities - I don't know how people do it, running through cities.

David_G profile image
David_Gβ€’ in reply toicklegui

Thanks icklegui, I’ve registered for Parkrun but not plucked up the courage to have a go yet as didn’t want to show myself up. I’ll have a go soon though 😊

Thanks for your support πŸ˜€πŸ‘

icklegui profile image
ickleguiGraduateβ€’ in reply toDavid_G

I asked as someone who hasn't even registered! I am unsure about running with people I might know!! Go for it though, they do sound wonderful.

David_G profile image
David_Gβ€’ in reply toicklegui

Thanks! I’ll post on here when I’ve done my first one, probably in a couple of weeks when I’m back from my hols 🌞😎

I love the picture of the cat, by the way! 😻

southlundon profile image
southlundonGraduate

Catch a tram to Beckenham and run round Langley park or Beckenham Rec, my old stomping ground (Elmers End poss the nearest tram stop rather than Beckenham Junction) 😎

David_G profile image
David_Gβ€’ in reply tosouthlundon

Thanks Southlundon, I’ll give that a try and report back πŸƒβ€β™‚οΈπŸ˜€πŸ‘

Saartjie profile image
SaartjieGraduate

Glad you had a good run πŸ‘

David_G profile image
David_Gβ€’ in reply toSaartjie

Thanks πŸ‘πŸ˜€

Gilliano666 profile image
Gilliano666Graduate

Hi David, as a fellow pg week 2er, mind if i ask what device or app you used to measure your run? I'm tracking mine on my fitbit, but only know the distance when I've finished. Would like to set myself a proper 5k goal

David_G profile image
David_Gβ€’ in reply toGilliano666

Hi Gillian, I use Strava on my phone which I use for my music πŸŽ΅πŸ“±. 😊 It tells me every 0.5 K how far I’ve run and what my split time is for the 0.5K and pace per K and my overall elapsed time ⌚️It also gives me a map and loads of stats after each run, and tells me when I’ve done personal bests in sections πŸ₯‡ I’ve had no problems with it and found it easy to use πŸ‘

Good luck! X

Gilliano666 profile image
Gilliano666Graduateβ€’ in reply toDavid_G

Thanks David, sounds exactly what I'm looking for πŸ‘πŸƒβ€β™€οΈ

Jhill66 profile image
Jhill66

Croydon! Luxurious area that! You should try running in my old stomping ground of Wandsworth! Mugged and stripped to to your undercrackers before you got to the end of your road lol!

David_G profile image
David_Gβ€’ in reply toJhill66

Oh dear, that sounds horrible 😳😩 Hope it didn’t put you off running though - probably not, as you’re posting on here πŸ˜‰πŸ˜Š

icklegui profile image
ickleguiGraduateβ€’ in reply toJhill66

Pfft! I used to live in Tooting. Mind you the biggest hurdle to running there is the excellent curry establishments. I did get 'mugged' once by a child on a bike. I yelled at him and he dropped my wallet!

Jhill66 profile image
Jhill66β€’ in reply toicklegui

When I moved away after my son got mugged and bashed up for a non existent phone I spent the first two years looking over my shoulder! You can take the old girl out of London but not London out of the old girl!!

icklegui profile image
ickleguiGraduateβ€’ in reply toJhill66

Oh that's awful. I joke about my "mugging" but of course so many bad things happen - all over the city, I guess. But some places aren't half extra notorious :(

Jhill66 profile image
Jhill66β€’ in reply toicklegui

And Tooting! Poor you! I feel for you it’s on par with Wandsworth! Possibly worse!

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