W3R1 - Running late

[Preserved_Moose]

So, a disappointing week because life got in the way and I didn’t fit all three runs in.

I know it doesn’t really matter and we can do each week of running whenever we like but I don’t like it. I like things arranged and organised nice and neatly. I like my dvds arranged alphabetically by title, recurring decimals make me uncomfortable - just end somewhere dammit! - and the three runs fit into Monday-Friday perfectly.

So it bothers me when I can’t stick to this structure. I think if I finish Week 3 on Monday, then do Wednesday-Friday-Sunday, THEN do Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday, I can get back to it the way I want. I know objectively it doesn’t matter but on the other hand it totally matters.

I managed to take that first step towards correcting my routine this evening, well I guess last night now, but it was close. After a busy day we decided to once again be lazy and order food, instead of making the healthy vegetable chilli I’ve been postponing for several days now. Tomorrow! It’s definitely happening tomorrow! Maybe.

Anyway we ordered pizza, way too much pizza, we still have pizza, I’m totally going to have more pizza. But after ordering it occurred to me that there would be a wait so I decided to make good use of that time and try to earn my pizza.

So once the order was placed I had a quick change into my combats and headed out. It was getting on for 9pm by this point, it was cold, it was dark and it had been raining but there were no people around so no complaints there. I got straight on it and headed out on the warm up walk.

It was an impromptu run so I didn’t really prepare for it but then I’ve found it never really seems to affect it whether I prepare or not, I just have good runs and not so good runs and I don’t know what it will be until I’m in it. Fortunately this turned out to be a good one, helped in no small part by the lack of people.

I was a little worried heading out this late but then since it’s Saturday night people would either be in the pub or racing around the Tesco carpark so I didn’t need to worry. I stuck to the residential path again and the only company I had were the worms and slugs and I really hope I didn’t step on any in the dark.

I breezed through the first run and the second one wasn’t too bad either. My legs did start to hurt a little but it was mild and never got worse so I powered through. I was slightly out of breath halfway through and the middle walk did not feel long enough but it turned out not to be an issue as I recovered fairly quickly.

Despite the breathlessness and a tight pain around my shoulders that came and went, it was a pretty easy run that flew by. I didn’t run particularly fast and I really didn’t have it in me to speed up at the end or extend my run but I made it comfortably to the end and stopped in a good place, feeling tired but good. Overall the run was the exact length I needed it to be.

Plus I got home in time for the pizza delivery and successfully undid all the good from this run, the last run and probably the whole week before this one.

So it’s not quite gone to plan this week but I’m hoping I can get back on track as soon as possible. I’ll finish Week 3 on Monday and see what I can do from there...

[Tony_68]

Firstly, well done for getting this far 😊

Stop beating yourself up

So what if some weeks turn into a 8 or 9 day week,

Life happens and gets in the way,

I took 10 1/2 weeks to finish the nine week programme

I can’t remember why, nothing major, but I can remember also feelings of frustration at the time,

Just finish the week reset, move on,

New week one more closer to graduation

I am over 6 months on still running 3 times a week, my running week ends on a Friday, ideally it starts with a Saturday morning park run,

Yesterday I was all set, 8:15 a phone call, ambulance at my parents, 7 hours in casualty,hopefully all resolved, but that’s life, I will run today,

when you prioritise, running can become all consuming but it is bottom of the list,

It does get slightly easier to get your 3 runs in once you have graduated, it is important you have rest days during the programme, but once you get more miles in your legs, there is a little gem called a recovery run, a super slow run the day after a hard run, which aids blood flow and recovery and muscle repair, I have ran Thursday and Friday on a couple of occasions when life has thrown in a few curved balls to satisfy my running OCD bonus being, it does what it says on the tin, 😁 I probably wouldn’t have tried one, seen it as a wasted run if wasn’t for my running OCD

Happy running and try to enjoy it 😊👍

[happysouls Graduate]

wow you're wonderfully adaptable! mmmm pizza...leftovers for breakfast?! haha! Hope the running pattern gets back to how it should be soon. I liked to keep everything just so while I was following the plan as I wanted to graduate for my birthday! Now I like to just do what I want when I want because it doesn't matter so much and 'stuff' happens...weather, illness, angry limbs etc My experience with these things has kind of broken the habit and forced me into patience! You'll get there with that level of commitment!

[Katnap Graduate]

We all like plans but knowing that plans don't always follow the way you expect helps you be more flexible.

Keep at it! In practically no time you'll be graduating 😸