I gave my head a bit of a wobble over the weekend and recognised that I’m holding myself back by doing mainly 4k runs. Call it “an abundance of caution”, call it laziness. I know I can do 5ks now, so I should be doing more of them. So that the 4ks start to feel like an easy ride rather than 5ks feeling like extra work.
So the plan for now is 5k-4k-5k for a couple of weeks then three 5ks. Then try to extend to 10k using juju’s programme.
Anyway today I was awake at 4am. Lots going on at the moment, most of it stressful, as I head towards the end of the divorce road with my ex and as politics takes another wild turn. (Quite rightly we keep politics out of this place but it is my day job and the increased prospect of an autumn election is a major headache.)
4am is too early to run so I toss and turn for the next hour and finally give in. Get up. Brush teeth. Kit on. Run. I’m out just after 5.30am and back less than an hour later, when I’m normally stirring and then snoozing my alarm.
Confidently don the vest top and air con shorts. Cloudy out. Still warm here. Warm up walk set on watch and we’re off.
Loads of traffic early today. I reach the point my warm up walk usually ends and no haptic tap from my watch. Check it. 😳 I’ve not reset it from the last walk. 6k! Clearly I’m still half asleep.
Set off on the run - careful to ensure 5k selected - and all is fine. Slight niggles in my right leg again. No pain and I’m ready to stop if I feel any, but just niggling in different places around the knee, just above and below.
Breath good. Stride good. Feeling good. (For those who don’t know, my surname is Good!)
Get to the turning point and feel like I’ve been going quite fast. Second half feels relatively slow. Checking my splits after and the opposite is true!
On the way back I take Sirens Hill to “It’s not unusual” by Tom Jones, run powered by the Dad Dancing playlist again.
Overall 15 seconds slower than last time at 41:29. That’s fairly consistent pace, I’d say.
Got back and had plenty of time for a combined muscle soaking bath and then shower. Legs feeling achey. Mind feeling calm and clear.
From some other threads I’ve come to realise that posting all my numbers isn’t necessarily a good thing and so instead here is a peaceful shot of the Buddhist prayer flags I have in my garden.
I’m not a Buddhist but I identify a lot with its philosophy. The flags are meant to spread goodwill and compassion to all, which is how I try to live my life.
Whatever run you have next, enjoy it x
Written by
Jay66UK
Graduate
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Interesting. I’ve been doing mostly 4-4.5ks and the odd 5k ‘because of the heat’. At least that’s what i’ve been telling myself! Maybe i need to up my game...
No, Jay, I'm having a 2 week consolidation period after C25K grad - but it's hard to hold back and not 'just see if...'. But I have this big conference this weekend (job), I am hoping to get a run in on Saturday though. So next week, when I can refocus on running.
Lovely read Jay66, the bit that resonates with me is the " mind calm and clear " . I'm on a rest day today and so won't be getting the mind buzz / calm post run feeling. Bring on tomorrow, cant wait. Loving the posts, very motivating.
Thanks. Try to find something that works for you on those off days.
There is a meditation app called Headspace which has a free 10 day programme. The first one has some great explanatory animations. If you can settle to it, you may find it helps.
Wow,your runs are impressive Jay66UK ! Pleased that the runs are giving you a sense of calm & groundedness 😊 I also took that from mine yesterday, we are in the middle of house buying/selling ~ I would normally be eating chocolate, but I'm out running instead! Your prayer flags are beautiful 🌈 Sadhu 🙏
Love the flags. And the run was great! And you have a lovely view from your garden! The field behind me will soon have 38 houses on it....! I need to up my runs too. Out with my sister again tonight for the first time in three weeks. At 9pm. 😎😎
Hi Jay, that sounds like a sensible plan. 🙂 Just take it all slow and steady and you’ll get there 👍
The weather seems to be cooling down a bit too, if only for a few days. I’m very pleased with that 😊
I think I might be spending too much time posting my figures on here. Maybe I’ll follow your lead and post about how I’m feeling, things I see and hear etc. 😉 Never does anyone any good to focus on just results. It’s how you get there that’s just as important I reckon 🙂
The stats still matter to me - I want to get a little faster over time and go a little further - but I recognise they might be demotivating for people struggling with their runs. My aim was just to encourage, hence the slight shift of focus.
I have to say I never find it demotivating. Quite the opposite -but recognise that everyone is different of course. It’s encouraging because if you are in a struggling phase you can see that someone else who also had struggled, has found a rhythm (breaking into “cool runnings” in my head!) and it’s all coming into place. That’s good. Gives me hope. So sneak some times in randomly too.
Lovely post, Jay - thanks! I too was up at 4am - last week was stressful for me, different reasons to you, but stress does affect my sleep patterns. I also think being a middle aged woman doesn't help☺ Hope the divorce isn't too painful and you manage to resolve things as amicably as possible.
Well done you for aiming high with the 5K. I reckon i'll be lucky to manage 3K by the time I finally get out back out there.
Thanks. The divorce is as amicable as these things can be - there seems little point making a bad thing worse. None of the situation is what I wanted to happen but it is what it is. And still stressy.
Hope you get a better sleep and keep healing.
I’m trying to find my mini flan tin to make a small version of your crustless one...
I'm sure it is stressful - sounds like you're managing it well☺
Thanks - I don't worry too much about the sleep now as eventually I'll have a good nights sleep and I quite like being up and about in the early hours of the morning - the cat likes it too!
Just managed to do 5K in 11.5 minutes.....on a stationary bike in the gym! It was so boring, but I don't want to completely lose the tiny bit of fitness I've built up over the nine weeks of C25K.
Listened to a political podcast, which helped alleviate some of the boredom!
Mini flan tin sounds like a great idea - I've got so much left despite giving some to my daughter. Happy cooking. x
Thanks! I do the same re cooking as I live alone, but do often cook for my daughter as she lives fairly close. Curries are probably one of my favourite things and a great way to use up veg.
Veggie massaman curry for dinner later.
Just watched the RAF flypast from the top of the building - brilliant!
Wonderful. Really positive start to your day and to ours when we read the post. Thanks. Well done for the new stage - it sounds like it’s going so well now.
I’m also dreading the autumn election but only cos I have politics fatigue with it being so relentless the past few years so I pity you if it’s your day job! Mine is doing aromatherapy massage and reflexology. Couldn’t be more different! 😊🙃😊
I also have view envy! In a good way. How lovely to look out on that every day and take a deep breath x
Yeah I’m dead lucky. I restarted yesterday. Can only do Reflexology and facials for now but it was good to be back. Probs another 6 weeks till i can massage cos still leaning heavily on the crutches 😄so would be tricky. You have a load on moment and one large life change at a time is enough. I hope it goes as smoothly as possible with these things. Crap times x
Thanks. There are often sheep or cows in the fields around. The only problem is when it rains I get a flow of water through the garden. This means I have about 1cm soil below the grass and then solid clay, hence no flower beds.
One day I’ll get my act together and put in some raised beds and grow some food. It’s too big to be just lawn.
What an inspiration you are! I like this how I feel post ps I also liked the numbers gave me something to aim for as I don’t know what is or is not realistic for me Thank you☺️
Re the numbers, we are all so different it’s hard to read anything into other people’s stats. Some people today have graduated doing 5ks; many others have not. Main thing is to record and spot progress in your stats.
Haha! I know what you mean. Roll back to the start and I could barely managed the first bit of running in W1R1!
I want to get to 10k. To get there I need to be much more comfortable running 5k. And the last couple of times my 5ks have felt comfortable. So I need to cut the apron strings to my 4ks and move on.
Another great post Jay, those 5ks are coming thick & fast now. Your doing great! I’m another one progressing slowly, but progressing all the same. It’s good to remind people we are all different and not to chase other people’s runs.
I also love the view you have from your garden, what a lovely place to sit and enjoy a drink 🍷 👍
I love my view but it’s all a bit slopey and there is no patio/deck. Something I need to sort over the coming year or so. I’d like a partly covered sitting area but I need to plan the whole thing out to work out where to put it.
Long term project - I’ve only lived in this house 19.5 years!
As always Jay, that was a great progress report. I think you might be right in that your caution is slowing your progress, but it's also keeping you injury-free! I think you're now ready to move on, you're recognising yourself it's time. You are listening to your body and I think it's great that you're so in-tune.
What's more, I think many people leaving C25K but lacking confidence to go it alone and aren't ready to do the C25K+ podcasts and haven't reached the elusive 5K would benefit hugely from your plan.
It was very sensible and achievable and personally I'd vote for it to be a Pinned post to assist others.
You continue to impress and inspire me, and countless others. I know I keep saying it, but it begs repeating.
I'm watching for your new emerging plan with great interest!
Thanks Jay, an interesting read and thought provoking in a subtle way.
You are not lazy, you were just waiting for your body to tell you that you are ready for the next step. Listen to your body and then you will know if you are doing too much or could go to the next step. You are doing great, we are all made differently and as such we are all ready to move on at different times.
I am secretly pleased that you did not post your results. It was giving me an inferiority complex. My tech is way more antiquated than yours. It should probably be in a museum. The staff at the local running shop describe my garmin as the 'brick'. It looks like one of those 'beam me up Scotty' gadgets from Star Trek. I sure don't get all the data that you do.
Keep posting, keep your chin up (re stress), Lots of people here love ya!
Well done jay. We all need to pep talk ourselves from time to time 😉😊I been doing it myself as I've done 5k's from week 7 once a week but I've got a wee bit lazy I think so had to have chat to self 😉🏃🏃♀️😂🤣😊
I hope you've kept eye out for the lady from the bus stop?
Well done you! And your back garden view! Wow!! Lovely! Glad the legs are continuing to run and not succumbing to any injury. And yikes! 10k has ben mentioned! 😊🏃🏃🏃
I should have said yikes 10k has been mentioned again, not just mentioned as in my distant memory I think you may have said that you have already entered a 10k race for next year! Great aim!
Thanks for the prayer flags - I’m definitely getting view envy too though! 😃 And I agree with whoever said 4k IS NOT BEING LAZY, Jay. ❤️ But well done on bagging another 5k. I’m going to try the Stepping Stones podcast tomorrow, so will see how that goes. Sounds like we may hopefully both be moving onto the bridge and Juju’s 10k plan at roughly the same time. 😊🏃♂️🏃♀️😎
We call it tough love school, only joking, if the worst you come across is Ripcurlrana71 you won't have a thing to worry about, and there's plenty of room for a new intake. Love the way you keep a great balance between being grounded but challenging yourself to go further, quicker, more often, to me that is the essence of this running malarkey, draw inspiration from the achievements of others but measure progress against yourself and yourself only
This photo captured my attention. I love Buddhist prayer flags, though I am not Buddhist. I keep these flags hanging in my balcony as well. We have one more thing in common. Best of luck for your runs. Enjoy..
Lovely, calm and sensible post Jay. I’ve been sticking to 4K too even though I did run 5k a couple of times immediately after graduation. I keep asking myself when I’m going to step up a bit as I am finding 4K much more comfortable than it once was! To be honest though, my left leg niggles all the time and the niggles aren’t getting any quieter. What with the niggles and the heat I’ve just not been able to face trying 5k again but maybe the time is right. You’ve given me something to think about, thank you 😊
Nice post Jay! Someone asked me today ‘what next’? Obviously work up to 5k, but do I work on speed or distance? Also got advised to add no more than 10% in time each week, which sounds reasonable. Politics kept me awake too, bit of a news addict...
Averaging 3.6km for 30 mins, so not bad, but need to push on. My friend recommended trying to pick up pace for parts of the run, but that may just interrupt my flow. Going to go by the 10% rule. 🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♂️👍
Sorry to hear you’ve had a wobble, hope you had a good day and the calm continued? I love the sense of well-being that I get from running. I’m at 8k on Ju-Jus plan and my 4K recovery run felt so comfortable this morning. It gives you a different perspective I think- I definitely feel more confident about finishing my 4/5k runs now. Take care. Happy running xx
Thanks! Yes a calm day despite my work colleagues’ best efforts!
That’s a lovely post Jay. Sorry to hear things are stressful for you right now - hopefully the running can help with that. My acupuncturist is a Buddhist- it’s a nice way of life. You have inspired me to keep going & try longer runs. I tried the speed podcast last week as you know & didn’t feel the same sense of achievement I do after running for 30 mins. I think until I go away & I haven’t got long - I will just stick with the 30 min runs and try to build up to 5k like you have. Well done & keep on running.
Lovely photo: prayer flags, green scene, fresh air, open space. You have heaven outside your door. Great run and progress, and Good to hear the running will help alleviate some of the stress/uncertainties x
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Week 8 but no where near 5k in distance
Second 5k under the belt
Where's the 5k?
Proud of myself 
