Intrigued again!

[Gran4z]

I know the mantra well, often quote it myself 'slow and steady' when fellow C25K say they are disappointed with their time/distance. Yet this morning on a consolidation run I'm disappointed that I didn't run 5K in 30 mins. Did 4.3 k, I should be pleased...why do I/we push ourselves, why are we so hard on ourselves? Any comments/thoughts on this out there?

[Bridget007 Graduate]

You have done brilliantly! 4.3k in 30 minutes is really good! It’s actually a long way! I think we just get caught up in it all! I always think I don’t mind being slow and then I see others have run 5k in 30 minutes or less and I think why can’t I do that? Then I think mmmm actually I’m not bothered I just run because it actually makes me feel really good and it’s really good for my health and if I ever get to run 5k in 30 minutes (which I honestly don’t think I ever will) then that would be the icing on the cake 🍰 but for now I’m just going to do my normal plod and be happy that I am able to do it! 🐌

[Gran4z Graduate in reply to Bridget007]

Thank you Bridget, yes it's that mythical 5k that gets into our minds. It's worse when running in a group and I see them disappearing into the distance, but it's the doing it not the time thing - just have to put the boot in and give those gremlins the heave ho!! 😎. Good luck with your running, onwards we go!

[Bridget007 Graduate in reply to Gran4z]

Yes let’s boot them gremlins into outer space 👹👽we are runners however fast or slow 😃😃

[Gran4z Graduate in reply to Bridget007]

Exactly 😎

[Jay66UK Graduate]

5k has this mythical status and we attach too much to it (says he who has struggled like mad to get there).

I think part of it is gremlins. We are constantly building a narrative around our running which says we aren’t good enough, we aren’t “real runners”. Why not just return to the couch and be safe?

By beating ourselves up over the “failure” to reach 5k we forget to celebrate the fact that we got our act together and managed a run. Any run. Especially a long run like 4.3k in 30 minutes.

Just having the space in our lives to get the kit on and go is a big achievement and beyond many. Yet we now take it for granted (or grumble when life happens and we can’t).

Just enjoy your running. A wise person on here says “it is what it is”. Enjoy it.

[Gran4z Graduate in reply to Jay66UK]

Thank you, wise words. I do feel a smile within me knowing I have got off the couch - back to it now, it's tennis on the box 🙃