I've been running the same route for the entire program, decided today I would run it in reverse as a bit of a change. Fairly flat routes are tricky to find locally without doing park circuits so thought it would be the safest option.
I really didn't enjoy it 😖 Mentally & physically it was a real challenge today. The first section of the run was the bit I've tacked on recently for the added distance and it felt like I was heading out of the way for no point, but once it was done I reversed that thinking and just thought oh well that parts out of the way.
5 minutes in and I noticed my lace had come loose 👟 Damn! I've been really good so far remembering the double knots, but the loop had come undone was just long enough to cause a trip. Had to stop for 2 seconds and tucked it in, but was short enough that if I finished would still call it a pass.
After a nice but very short downhill by the barbers it felt a long slog uphill to the top of dog 💩 alley. It didn't really cause many problems but the sun was blaring in my face and it just felt annoying. I had the choice here to replicate my route down the alley and down the long nice downhill section to the roundabout or carry on a little uphill for a steeper shorter downhill to loop back round. Decided on the latter to change it up a bit and in hindsight it was another mistake...
The quick steep downhill here wasn't long enough to really recharge the batteries and also too sudden to really enjoy adding any pace to it. I was soon at the roundabout with another long slog back up to the park 😒.
Just before the park it crossed my mind what it would feel like to stop now, I imagined it but I felt even if I had wanted to my legs wouldn't have let me - they were on autopilot and there was no stopping! Really strange feeling as I didn't feel in control, almost like I was on a treadmill! 😁
Again the park was a strange one, the tarmac road > carpark > steps was over way too quickly and felt a lot shorter, yet the opposite side that I always enjoy running down seemed to take forever. It was so hard slogging it through sections where I normally felt pretty fresh, and it had felt like I had spent 20+ minutes so far pretty much at an incline. Anyway I had reached the top of the park now and knew I could still finish it was going to be all downhill now to the finishing line and managed to get a bit of pace back into it as a reward.
The only real section of the run that enjoyed! 😂
Even the finishing point had left me with a hill to climb on my recovery walk, ah well all good for the stamina I guess!
Still glad I tried it though today, and more importantly that I got through it - it would have been much more of a painful attempt next week I feel, I'm now heading into week 9 which is beyond what I thought I would manage, and many thanks to all those who have given tips & support on the journey so far.
Will be back to my usual route next week, but may just try a circuit run at a local park on Monday that is pretty flat. The idea has bored me before but my girlfriend may just be tempted in to joining me for once. She's been part of a local running group for a few years, that cater for all levels, but doesn't go as often as she would like.
She's turned down the opportunity to join me so far, as she's admitted she's been a bit worried that she wouldn't be able to keep up now, but with circuits I guess this wouldn't matter quite as much anyway. Would also be nice to run with our pup again but will see 🐶
Have a great weekend all, and enjoy your runs! 😊
12K IN RIZZLE!!
W8R3 done
W8R3 - first grumpy run
W8 R1 - cold butt
Not yet making the transition to cold weather running
