Week 9 Run 1, and I thought I'd run 5k... spoiler, I hadn't.

[pennyowen2019]

Today I went out on my first run of Week 9 and it was glorious! It was a 6am run along the Regents Canal in Hackney, round London fields and back towards the Islington side of the canal.

The sun was shining but it was still quite a nice temperature, which made it a perfect Tuesday morning trot.

As I ran back towards home with Sarah Millican telling me I had 5 minutes left, I checked my watch (Fitbit Charge 2) and noticed I was at 4.5km and thought, hey, I've got some steam left in me, I could get to the 5k in 30 minutes(!)

With that I accelerated forward with my eye focusing in on a distant tree with that as my aim. Occasionally I checked my Fitbit and was filled with determination as the numbers went up, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9.... 5!!! 5km! And with that Sarah tells me to slow down and congratulates me on my run.

I'm so pleased at my triumph, and slightly surprised at myself as my previous runs on Week 8 had seen me get to 4.3km. On the brisk walk home I went straight onto the Fitbit and Strava apps to check out my stats.

On Fitbit, suddenly I see the 5km change to 4.5km. Whaaat?! I swipe to open the Strava app, and it's the same result, 4.5km.

Gutted.

After a fair bit of Googling and conferring with my boyfriend who also uses Strava, I find that Fitbit doesn't use GPS till you open the app on your phone and then re-calculates, which is a bit of a bummer if you're relying on your watch mid-run.

4.5km is still great - and it's 4.5km more than I was running 9 weeks ago, but just a word of warning for anyone using technology to track your runs - take it with a pinch of salt!

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

I don't think that you should check your time as you run, only after you have finished, nevertheless, a very good run for you today. Onwards and upwards to run 2 of week 9, then your graduation run, good luck for that.

[Debston Graduate]

Still brilliant and way more than I managed in Week 9! Well done you. ☺

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Huge well done... relax and enjoy the runs to the podium

[MuddledGardener Graduate]

I only managed just over 3km!

[Buddy34 Graduate]

Say it out loud 'you can run for 30 minutes non stop ' how many people do you know can say that . Well done 😊😊

[Pinkpig20 Graduate]

Good run never the less. It can be good and not so good to check your watch when you are running. I try not to!

[Ping-pong Graduate]

Good luck with sorting out your tech but whatever it says you're doing brilliantly anyway.

Your post brought back memories for me. 30 years ago I had a regular 10k route from Angel Islington, via Kings Cross, Regents Canal towpath, Camden Lock, Regents Park Zoo & Mosque, then back up Euston Road to the Angel. I'm back starting from basics now but one day I'm going to run my old route again.

[pennyowen2019 Graduate in reply to Ping-pong]

It's such a beautiful route. I love being by the water in the middle of the city.

[pennyowen2019 Graduate in reply to pennyowen2019]

And you will get there again Ping-pong!!

[Ping-pong Graduate in reply to pennyowen2019]

Yes it is beautiful, a special oasis away from the bustle. And I definitely will run it again one day.