Consolidation

[ArthurJG]

I graduated nine days ago and I’m glad I forced myself out on my last day in Florence because although I had told myself I could run along the waterfront in Rimini the next week that turned out not to be a great place for running.

My first postgrad run in Rimini on Wednesday was only 24 minutes. Having looked for routes and realising it could be awkward I had decided that all that mattered was to keep the running habit going by doing one run in the week between graduating and coming home. The deal with myself was if it was rubbish I could stop after 20 minutes but I would do 30 if I felt OK and 36 (5k at my graduation run speed) if I was feeling really good.

In the end I stopped at 24 minutes simply because the narrow pavements were getting crowded as businesses opened and also I was concerned the sun was getting stronger and parked cars were taking up the shady side of the street. But in terms of actual running I could have done 30 minutes OK.

So now I’m home and feeling as if I haven’t run for ages but the reality is I I’ve only had three days off since a 24 minute run (and that at a pace which if sustained to 5k would have taken a couple of minutes off my PB).

Didn’t run yesterday because I was tired and dehydrated after traveling on Friday so it may have been asking for trouble. So postgrad in earnest starts this afternoon. Maximum temp forecast is 22: on holiday I had to get up at 6 to get anything that cool.

I think I’m going to use the week 9 podcasts: I’ve had to manage without Laura and without music for the last few weeks because of where I was running. Two 30 minute runs with app and music, and where possible a parkrun without headphones, should hopefully get me into a routine again and it’ll be nice to be on my favourite coastal path instead of having to scout a new town for suitable routes at each stop on my tour of Italy.

Having done two parkruns last month where I ran 4k then walked, I’m hoping I can run the whole 5k on Saturday. I’ve only done one all run 5k , which was my graduation run and took 36 minutes, but having done that on my own in a foreign (and hot!) country I should be able to do it at my cool, flat, familiar parkrun.

Not planning on 10k or anything like that meantime. Just want to get to the point where running 5k is no big deal and after that we’ll see

[Dexy5 Graduate]

Well done Arthur. I did my first Parkrun post grad by sticking to the w9 programme and walking the first 5 mins. But now, as I can walk to the start I run straight away. It sounds like you will be able to do that without any problems. Beware though, it’s been so hot out there for the last month . 🏃‍♂️☀️👏

[ArthurJG Graduate in reply to Dexy5]

It’s cool compared to Italy where I’ve been for three weeks

[Dexy5 Graduate in reply to ArthurJG]

Sounds idyllic Arthur , although maybe not for running.

[ArthurJG Graduate in reply to Dexy5]

Aye you have to be out early in Italy at this time of year. Even after dark it's too hot to run (if you're not used to the heat - the locals run at any time of day!) You had to be out before 7 if you wanted to finish before it reached 25 degrees. Though in my first week I did two evening runs, it was 26 degrees but there was a breeze off the lake which helped.

[ArthurJG Graduate]

Well I got it done eventually - actually went to bed and had a siesta first then went out in the evening. I decided to run for one song after Laura announced the 30 minutes were up, so probably 34 minutes and some seconds. Must have covered nearly 5k as with walking included, Strava gave me a PB for 5k, 34'58". Forty seconds better than my all-run 5k when I graduated.