New route & the toxic 14!

[LoungeLizaard]

Evening all - well after the requisite 2 days rest. Today was my day for W8R1- after W5R3 I think this is the one I’ve read most about.

Tonight I decided that I would drive to a wooded area next to a river called ‘Danish Camp’ Nr Bedford. There is a 3 mile / 5k circuit with various short cuts etc.

Laura is now back in town after her hiatus in R2 & 3 of W7 (because I knew the old route sooooooo well). Strava on, Laura warming up, car key ring on my index finger (never driven to a place to run before) - off we go.

5 minute walk on tarmac all good - as expected. Laura assured me I’ve got this, just don’t go to fast... almost immediately as I started to run ended up on a bumpy unkept lane and after 5 minutes I’m seriously concerned. Breathing not in control, legs heavy (again) - it’s the closest I’ve come to just stopping and chalking up the experience, but I kept on. I’ve cycled this route many times, I don’t remember a lane this bad!!! Maybe I took a wrong turn! (Nope, I was just on one of the short cuts!) eventually came back to Black top.... ahh that’s better.... but still not good. I settled in for a fight.... Laura announces that’s 10 minutes. OMG! Is that all..... then all of a sudden well done - 14 minutes....

Hmmmm I might just get away with this! There is definite pattern now, I’m letting my body just get on with it. And I’m losing minutes - I run by measuring songs, each song is 3.5 to 4.5 minutes long, so I tell myself I’ve got the rest of this song and the next.... and so on.... then I start to recognise where I was and the fishing bank ‘lots’ have suddenly gone from 28 to 13 (that was fast!) did i miss a song? How long was I ‘out’ for..... it feels like auto pilot thinking about it now!

Then I was back at the car, but Laura wasn’t done with me! Damn, run a bit up and down the long path and done. As I had no idea on how long I’d been going (apart from Laura) and with no visual ques - I probably could have gone the extra 2 minutes to 30 (but I didn’t!)

Pace doesn’t seem to bad, although the first 10-14 minutes felt horrendous (photo attached).

1st Moral of the story - new routes are good thing and don’t be completely thrown if you don’t really know where you are or end up off piste slightly!

2nd Moral - don’t put your car key ring on your finger. They swell when hot, which makes said key very very hard to get off 😂

[_SimonT_ Graduate]

Hey mate! What a great post and a great run. Good pace too. I’m glad you found your mojo again even though it took 14 minutes to find it!

You really are back in the game now! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[Dexy5 Graduate in reply to _SimonT_]

Well done, you are doing great. Note when buying your next running gear (as we always need more), look for a key and cash pocket- so useful.

[LoungeLizaard Graduate in reply to _SimonT_]

Cheers mate - I don’t know why it took so long. It was a huge argument with myself. It felt horrible, I didn’t want to be there, uneven track.... blah blah. Then all of a sudden flat track and half way!

I’m looking for a local sports massage therapist as well to try and sort out my legs!

[_SimonT_ Graduate in reply to LoungeLizaard]

Sports massage sounds like a good idea.

[Hidden]

Well Done! First K a little quick, that's when I find my runs the worst. I've learned, for me, it's better to start slow and quicken once legs are warm. Good run though and you didn't give in to those gremlins. 😉 🏃‍♀️💨

[LoungeLizaard Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Honestly I don’t know why -or even how. It certainly didn’t feel like it. Maybe auto pause got activated as I was going slow! Lol.

I’m just glad a made it round. I’m going back on Sunday, but I’ll go a longer route which will hopefully all be tarmac

[Dexy5 Graduate]

Whoops. Looks like my reply went to tbae instead of you - still getting used to this.

[LoungeLizaard Graduate in reply to Dexy5]

Lol - found it thanks.

Yeah - I’ve seen a few posts about a running fanny pack / bum bag..... might need to get one of those!

[ccarter100 in reply to LoungeLizaard]

I’m a low tech gal - I just (double) knot my key into the laces of my sneaker. 😎

[theoldfellow]

Thanks for that. I have done all my runs on the same two road routes from my house. I've been thinking of driving to a new venue, but after reading your experience, I shall leave that to W10.

And well done.

[LoungeLizaard Graduate in reply to theoldfellow]

Lol - I did it as I live on a farm at the end of a 1 mile lane - so I have one route in/out.

I know the place I went to, as I’ve cycled around it a few times. I just took a wrong turn lol.

Overall it was definitely better to go for a new route as once I was over the first dodgey path - I seemed to settle quickly and time went by faster than normal.

Maybe just scout something out first! 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Being lost can be a good thing Well done you!

[LoungeLizaard Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Ha ha - like I tell the wife/kids.... I’m never lost, I’m just finding a new short cut / route. Was definitely true in this case!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to LoungeLizaard]

Good one..! I got lost in the back lanes near to where I live.... like you , I had cycled it but never run it and took a wrong turn...had a long walk back home

[Agaig Graduate]

What a wonderfully entertaining post. But more importantly well done. Sounds like you stared adversity in the face and came out the winner.

[LoungeLizaard Graduate in reply to Agaig]

Cheers - the first 1/2 was utter sh@te! But I guess that’s the toxic 10/15 we all know and love!

[Jay66UK Graduate]

Well run! Great description of the battle we all have with our minds running.

[LoungeLizaard Graduate in reply to Jay66UK]

Cheers Jay - it’s actually ‘the voices in my head’. Part of the battle is what I imagine all you guys sound like egging me on and me alone crying in a corner saying “don’t make me do this” 👍

[Jay66UK Graduate in reply to LoungeLizaard]

Oh I know that feeling. One run I remember feeling like I was removed from it, watching my head have a row with itself. That felt weird and too close to madness so I’m not telling that story out loud!

[LoungeLizaard Graduate in reply to Jay66UK]

Lol

Did you make t back out for a ‘flat’ park run this week?

[Jay66UK Graduate in reply to LoungeLizaard]

No - my legs are still recovering from the shock of the 5k on Thursday so I’m going to run tomorrow instead. I will get back into a routine with a 5k Parkrun at the heart of it.

[LoungeLizaard Graduate in reply to Jay66UK]

Wise choice! If things go according to my plan, I’ve got W8R2 tomorrow then R3 on Tuesday (will be in Germany so hopefully ok). If I can do W9R1 on Thursday - I’m planning on a park run on Saturday 30th (with my 19yr old) as my R2....

we shall see, my life has a habit of throwing curve balls!

[Jay66UK Graduate in reply to LoungeLizaard]

Just bear in mind that is a lot of runs with only one day between - I’ve found it good to throw a two day break in every 3 or 4 runs.

[LoungeLizaard Graduate in reply to Jay66UK]

Yeah wise words! I liked the sound of it tho! I’ll see how I feel!

Another week or two wouldn’t hurt - watch this space lol (although won’t take a lot to back out lol)