I've been so naughty... It was fun though!

[Jundal]

I have ignored the sage advice of those here, and pushed my limits, smashing them like the Millenium Falcon destroying the reactor core of the second death star!

(Cant beat a cheesy starwars reference, am I right?)

I managed 5k! I did it in 39 minutes 11 seconds, and boy am I cream crackered! It was a good run all told too, and I didn't make the decision to complete 5k until around 3 - 3.5k. In the beginning it was cool, with a slight breeze. The toxic five struck hard, but I kept my pace down, keeping my chin up and breathing in through my nose to ease me into it, instead of panting like a fit kid on a diet In a cake shop. I listened to the Strava lady, slowing down when my split times became to low, not wanting to exhaust myself, but disaster struck at around 2k. I got cramp in my mid-back area, but stretched a little, slowed by breathing a little and ran on. I cut out one of the least favourite sections of my run, one that involves gates, (I hate gates, it's not the slowing down for them I don't like, but having to speed up again) and went to climb a long fairly shallow hill I tackle frequently. At this point, I didn't see the point in stopping as I had plenty of oomph left, so attacked another short but steep hill, easing into a flat and then onto some pavement. At this point I was thinking at the Strava lady like I used to at Sarah, almost begging her tell me it was over, but I had a couple of minutes before she told me it was time to stop, bless her. I'm certainly feeling it now, with an ache in my back, but it was definitely worth the extra effort! I did it!

🎉🎆🎊💪😇😇😇

[telford_mike Graduate]

Nice going, great to hit your first 5k, and anything under 40 minutes is very respectable.

Your aches in your back may be a lack of core strength - your legs are super-strong now, but you might want to find some core strength exercises to give the rest of your body a chance to catch up a bit.

[Jundal Graduate in reply to telford_mike]

I think you might be right, since running my lower back pains have disappeared, but these were mid back. I'll have to look into strengthening my para-vertabrel muscles over the next few weeks. And stretching off more before I go out!

[sallenson Graduate in reply to Jundal]

Don't stretch before you go out. Your muscles will be cold and you'll tear them... Stretch afterwards when they're warm...

[icklegui Graduate in reply to Jundal]

pre-run - "they" say dynamic stretches are the thing to do. Avoid static stretching on cold muscles, just to add to what sallenson says!

[cheekychipmunks Graduate]

Wowser, very well done Jundal! 👏👏👏👏 Great time too! Now you have PB to work with. 😀 👍🏻🙌😀

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Great run... pretty amazing how much stamina you’ve developed right? Well done

[Jundal Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

No, it's not amazing. Its INSANE! Me? Haul my fat carcass through three miles of torture?!?

Never woulda thunk it, but here I am smashing it! 😂