Hmmmm how nuts does this sound 😮

[Flaraflarkin]

I'm doing that thing that I have to do sometimes ...... because I can feel my confidence sliding away a bit - I'm excited about doing the runs, I'm even getting changed into my running stuff - But a couple of times now I've talked myself out of going.... how nuts is that??! - not sure what's going on .... it's gremlin related I know that. So this is what I have to do, publicly announce that I'm running early tomorrow morning. There, I'll do it now. 😬😬🙄

[Rua8 Graduate]

Good call on the public announcement, that will oblige you to go. And you’ll have to tell us how it went afterwards as well Gremlins are a pain, I nearly didn’t go for a run today either, also due to gremlins, but I covered myself in sunscreen and thought it would be a waste to be so sticky for no reason. So, maybe you need sunscreen as well to help ensure you go out, hehe!

[Flaraflarkin Graduate in reply to Rua8]

Aha! Particularly if it's that gremlin-repellent sun screen!! 🤗

[littlerua in reply to Rua8]

Hello Rua8 I’m Littlerua!!!! Gremlins are the beast but when you conquer them it’s just the best!!! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

[Rua8 Graduate in reply to littlerua]

Haha, you must be a mini me then, or I am a larger you 😄

[littlerua in reply to Rua8]

Ha ha.... my cats called Rua and I couldn’t think of a “name” for me on this and she was beside me on the couch when I signed up 😂😂

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Good... we will check! 😂

Doesn’t sound so nuts to me, the body wants to sit on the couch and you keep making it run, so it is resisting... but you’re stronger than that. Enjoy that run and come tell us all about it when you get home.

[Flaraflarkin Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Yes do check. I need checking up on! 🤣

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Flaraflarkin]

I’ll be here!

[Flaraflarkin Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

👍

[littlerua]

Me too and am in a pub!!!! At 11.42pm .... Running W8R3 at 5am tomorrow morning...Glad I am on water now after just one glass of wine!!! We can do this. My second attempt at W8 due to HEAT!!!! 😂🤪😱🏃‍♀️

[Fabulous450 Graduate in reply to littlerua]

Hey you’ll be great tomorrow too!! Best wishes!! ❤️

[littlerua in reply to Fabulous450]

Thanks.... I did it!!!! So lovely and cool at 5am....Onwards to week 9 on Monday... Can’t believe I have come this far!!!!the support on here is just amazing 😉

[Fabulous450 Graduate in reply to littlerua]

Fantastic!!! W9 watch out littlerua is heading for the podium!! 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽😁❤️

[Fabulous450 Graduate]

Hey Flara that just sounds like being in the wilderness. I’ve sat around faffing too before a lot of runs, sort of unintentionally and quietly arguing and reasoning with myself. One of the ways that helps me is just thinking of the fact that I’m going out there to see how it goes and you know what, I don’t stop! And neither will you. Go do your thing Flar!! You’re a runner!! 😁😁❤️

[Hotheels Graduate]

I cant wait to hear how you slayed🤺 all those gremlins exactly like the Flara Croft we all know so well......!!

Rock that neon running gear, put on the cape of confidence and you'll be absolutely fine!!

I have absolute faith in you!!!

You SO got this!!!💪💪💪

[cheekychipmunks Graduate]

Gremlins all round your running route are quaking. They’ve heard you’re coming for them. They’re not happy and you’re strong. 🏃‍♀️💪🏻🏃‍♀️

You’ll go out there, do your run as 🐌 like as necessary and you’ll complete with a feeling of elation.

Flara, you’ve got this and you WILL smash it. You’ll feel awesome! Ok? 😀😀😀😀😀

[Berksrover Graduate]

We all know that feeling, but we keep at it because we are runners now! 🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏃🏽

[Dizzysmum17 Graduate]

You can do it - we know you can - and you WILL do it because, as everyone says, you are a runner 🏃‍♀️ 🏃‍♀️😉🏃‍♂️🐌😘

[Equi-geek Graduate]

Sounds like conflict behaviour. I’ve experienced it too, it stopped me swimming for a year and it shouldn’t have. I used to tell myself to just ‘get in the pool’ but I got to the point where even that wasn’t working. I needed to find acceptance with an unrelated issue, but that was mixed in with a fear of failure, or injury/pain, judgement by others or setting standards too high and feeling like I’ll never peak again. The way I got back into swimming was to forget plans and programmes and stats.

For a while at least. Just start, and try to find the feeling of the privilege of being able to run, happiness of being alive, and being in the moment - colours, shapes, smells, feelings, connection with your body and the planet. Fabulous450 is right about the wilderness and right about it not being an uncomfortable place - quite the opposite!

Thanks for reminding me of this, this morning. I woke up feeling a bit of pressure about ParkRun today, my stagnating weight loss, and worry about lack of hydration yesterday. But commenting on your post has reminded me about what I enjoy about running. Hope you find that feeling again on your next run ❤️

[Jay66UK Graduate]

None of that sounds daft. Have you put something on the monthly quest post? I see that as my commitment to this community to do something and then feel obliged to stick to it.

The reason I was posting after every run was to show that I was doing each one - part way through one of my gremlin defences is “how would I explain stopping?” Now my watch sends the run to Strava so that is doing the same job.

Equi-geek and Fabulous450 are pointing you the right way. Go out on your next run with “child’s eyes” and discover the world you are running through during each moment of your run.

I hope you enjoy today’s run so much it pulls you towards the next one x

[Flaraflarkin Graduate in reply to Jay66UK]

Hi Jay66UK - where can I find the monthly quest post thingy? 🤓

[Jay66UK Graduate in reply to Flaraflarkin]

On Couch it’s this weekly one : healthunlocked.com/couchto5....

On Bridge it is this monthly one: healthunlocked.com/bridgeto....

[Flaraflarkin Graduate in reply to Jay66UK]

Thanks Jay66UK x

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Hey you... hope you are out there or about to go... you know that I cannot run at the mo'... so I hope you are taking me with you...looking forward to our post, to see where we went

[Millsie-J Graduate]

Hi Flara.....have you run yet..... go runner go! 😎

[Shakywakey Graduate]

Good shout on publicly announcing that you are running. If you have already run this morning then brilliant 👏👏

If you haven’t, then don’t be too hard on yourself but just give it a a go and see how you feel 😁

[Razouski]

Hope you enjoyed your run this morning.

[Mimirossi Graduate]

Good luck! Go for it! Some of my nicest runs have been on the days that I have not wanted to go!

[Flaraflarkin Graduate]

You guys!! You're all freaking amazing ~ it's ridonkulous, I only know you all in a virtual sense but the support and encouragement you give me is overwhelming at times! Thank you 😊 At times I have very little self-belief and each run I "accomplish" gives me a boost ~ its when I don't "accomplish" an intended run that I doubt myself and you're spot on Equi-geek its the fear of failure ~ something that's followed me through life, and the reason I have avoided so much in life ~ don't do it; can't fail 😮 This programme is teaching me a lot about myself and continues to be a personal challenge for me ~ happy to say I have been noticing positive changes in myself along the way 😊 Onwards and onwards 😝🦋

[Flaraflarkin Graduate in reply to Flaraflarkin]

Ooh and I did do my run - even managed a 5k in 35.5 minutes! 😬

[Hotheels Graduate in reply to Flaraflarkin]

There you go!!! Knew you had it in you xx

5k in 35.5 mins.....that is mind-blowingly awesome!!!!!!💪💪💪💪

Well done!!!! 👍

[Shakywakey Graduate in reply to Flaraflarkin]

Fantastic- you’ll be buzzing. Brilliant 👏👏

[Flaraflarkin Graduate in reply to Shakywakey]

I am Shakywakey 🐝🐝

[Equi-geek Graduate in reply to Flaraflarkin]

Oh my word!!! I just feel like I smashed my ParkRun but you’d have left me for dust 💪🤣

[Flaraflarkin Graduate in reply to Equi-geek]

Haha Equi-geek it was a case of the conditions being right for me today, believe me it was as much of a surprise to me too! 🤣 Bet by the time you did your Parkrun it had hotted up (I was home by then!) my route was totally flat AND I don't think I could have done it without my ice towel - I seem to get incredibly hot incredibly quickly 😫 So you did smash your Parkrun - nobody else is in the equation, just you! Well done 😊

[Hotheels Graduate in reply to Flaraflarkin]

So pleased that the programme is working for you on so many levels.......you've got the right approach and right attitude.....there's no stopping you now!! 😍

[Flaraflarkin Graduate in reply to Hotheels]

Thank you Hotheels 🤗

[Runningnut]

I would say use those gremlins to carry you, use them as your fuel to smash your goals knowing that you are overcoming them with every step, you should change that public announcement to a general proclamation to the world hehehe 😸😽

[Flaraflarkin Graduate in reply to Runningnut]

Dyou know what Runningnut in the last 10minutes I did use them to fuel me - felt like the energy I was wasting on them was put to better use by focusing on getting to the end 👊🙌

[YamCat]

Well done. I think the public announcement thing is a great idea. Sometimes we all need a bit of a push even if it’s ourselves doing the pushing 😀

[Flaraflarkin Graduate in reply to YamCat]

Most definitely YamCat 😊

[Pancakes Graduate]

You can do it! I know exactly what you mean though I think I have used the weather as an excuse far too much and now I’m running no where near enough! Gremlins are crafty little buggers!!! Go girl!!! 🏃‍♀️😃

[Pancakes Graduate]

Oops just realised you did it!! Well done you!! 😆👍👏🏅🏃‍♀️

[TailChaser Graduate]

I had one of those yesterday, so I made sure I went out this morning to make up for the lack of Parkrun. I couldn’t get son to wake up in time so I took that as a signal that he wasn’t up to it and I didn’t want to do it on my own!

It’s quite simple really, no treats until you do a decent run 😂😂. I can feel a pub down my local in front of the river calling me now 🤸‍♀️🤸‍♀️🍻

Hope you made it out! 👍👍😁