I firmly believe that having a successful run is 50% mental attitude.
Well today, for no good reason, I really had a bad feeling about this run. I felt I was going to struggle before I even walked out of the door. Perhaps today was the wrong day to cut the apron strings and run without Michael whispering sweet nothings in my ear. Figured I had to take that step sometime!
So the first 5 minutes was the hardest 5 minutes ever. I really questioned if I could get even half way round. But I keep telling people on here 'you can do this, just go slower'. So I gave myself a great big kick up the butt (that's not easy!), told myself to get a grip, slowed my pace down on focused on the tunes in my head while continuing to just put one foot in front of the other. I made it! But it was slow and tough. But, it doesnt matter, I still did it.
As well as running without Michael in my ear, this was my first dry Saturday run. In other words, it's the first time I've run on a Saturday without having a nice bottle of wine the night before. Hmmm maybe that was my problem today 🤣.
Since starting C25K, my alcohol consumption has dropped by around 50%. And believe me, that can be measured not in glasses but a reduction of several bottle of wine per week. And now, with my wife, we're going dry for January. Yikes.
Another plus of C25K, is that my blood pressure has dropped. I still have more to do. But I've gone from an average of 165/107 to around 145/96
This was my motivation for starting C25k.
I wanted to not only live longer, to have more time with my kids and grandkids, but I wanted to live longer with a good, active quality of life too.
I saw C25K, and making running a normal part of my life as the best way to achieve that. Had I stopped when it got hard, I'd be saying that those reason for starting arent important. They so are.
So to everyone out there just starting out on this amazing program, keep reminding yourself why you started doing this. Its not always easy, it's not always enjoyable. But you will feel so much better for doing it. There are so many health benefits and I promise you, there will be time when you are running along and break out into a huge smile and feel so, so good about yourself. It so worth it.
Good luck everybody. Happy running and keep on doing it!
Mig
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RunningMigster
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Great post - yep, we have all had runs like this and I think completing them definately helps us keep thosegremlins in check! Well done for winning the mental battle - bet your next run will be easier!👍🙂
For sure! I had a" happy route" hard think this morning as i was not in the mood for my usual hill slogs, so wanted to be a bit Zen this morning with no huffing and puffing, as i'd got a recovery run on the plan. I went for a flat route and took Nike app Coach Bennett with me as he never fails to cheer me up.
Good stuff! Always run!! Turning out is the best thing, even when you don't want to. The weather is never as bad or as cold as we envisage, so getting out there is half the battle
Slowing down always helps the struggle. Everything then slots into place and puts us back in control, and makes us run easier
C25k is a life-changer that's for sure. Great news on the BP and not drinking as much. HNY !
Slowing down cures all ills. Run smart! When we get our breathing under control and run easy then we are back in control. It's good then to be able to pick things up if and when we want to. It's all good fun, or should be
Well done I always find the start of the run so hard. Like I don't know how to run at all. After 5 minutes everything kicks in and feels better. By the end I feel like I want to do more. So much of this running lark is in our heads! Good luck with the dry January. I don't drink much at all but I do smoke - have to stop that!
To be fair to us, even the seasoned professionals suffer in the first few minutes. Its know as the toxic 10. I get off lightly sometimes with 5 minutes. I used to do the same route all the way through C25K and I a landmark so far in, a lamp post. It had a kind of placebo effect on me. Once I got past it, everything seems to start to get a little easier 😄
Yes as RM says that problem in the first few minutes is not actually in your head: it’s a physiological reality and you’re lucky if it only lasts five minutes as it’s nearer ten for most people. But although it is a reality, in that the first few minutes of a run is physically harder, nevertheless the right mental approach can help: you just have to remind yourself that it’s only a few minutes and that the rest of the run will feel better. Instinctively we think if the start is hard it’s only going to get harder, which makes us want to quit. But in fact it gets easier after ten minutes or so and remembering that makes those ten minutes easier to get through.
Snowgdss has been told her foot problem is Plantar Fasciitis.
We're doubtful though as the symptoms dont marry up. So xray done and waiting for the results to come back along with a second opinion! Sadly, no running for a while
I'm with you there Mig, I've been dry for 4 days today. I only went and downloaded the NHS 'drink free days' app and realised I've been drinking over 2000 calories a week eeeeeekk!!!! and thought steady on there Bri your reversing all that good stuff you're doing on the tarmac!! But hey it was Chrissy and I'm sure it'd be (hopefully) half that on a normal day LOL. Not sure I'll manage a Dry January though, wifey does drive me up the wall every now and again with her Alz, and I'm not ready for Yoga yet
Is the other 50% pulling on a pair of Lycra running tights or is that just me? hahaha
Seriously though Mig, well done on your life changing habits that are paying off for you - respect!
Sounds like that drink free days app is one that I need to seriously avoid 🤣🤣🤣.
Didn't realise your wife had Alz. So sorry to hear that. I've experienced that with my mum.
So, as I sit here, I'm looking at a wine rack with 77 bottles in it. Maybe I need to take the dog for a walk 🤣.
Good luck with dry January. We did sober October a few years ago and my god it was hard. But, we'll put our best foot forward. Never understood that saying. What do you do with the other foot? Just drag it behind?
Brilliant post - you are doing better then me with a dry January. My excuse is that I still have Christmas stuff to finish and a husband who is keen to try out the rest of our summer bought booze 🥴🙄. Oh dear! I will be dry the night before a run now though.....😁 .
Well done for getting out there and persevering. It must be a bit strange post-graduation; I am not actually looking forward to it........ Do hope Snowgdss's foot isn't plantar fasciitis.... very painful 😣. A lot of elements probably all went in the mixing pot today to give you a hard run and I'm sure next time will be enjoyable. Let us know how it goes. 🏃♂️. Here's a calming head massage to get that brain into a positive frame of mind.....💆♂️
I'm staring at a wine rack full of wine, with a couple more case in the garage! Will we make it to the end? Well, in a couple of weeks, we'll be faced with the 10th anniversary of our first date. Is that allowed to pass without the popping of a cork?
More running to do before then and I'm starting to mentally prepare for the next one already 😆
The health benefits are huge. And as hard as I found week 1, I was already noticing the difference in recovery time as soon as the 3rd run was finished. Week 1 really is the hardest week! So glad I found this program
Ha ha i’ve never been likened to Forest Gump before
but yes, that’s what it’s like, Boxing Day i’m feeling good will carry on and ran 6k New Year’s day felt too hard so ran one and a half k or there abouts
Yoga is stretching muscles we didn’t know were there now too
I don’t know what’s got into you or even us, Willow really did think I was nuts with the yoga but he’s well into it now, but then he really thought i was barmy when i said i was going to do c25k but now he enjoys running
I was going to say “ and the moral of the story is......drink more wine” until I saw the dry January bit. I haven’t had a drop since NYE either, it’s not easy is it?
Anyway, well done despite it being hard you did it which shows your mental strength - well done. Save the wine until February 😜
Well done on completing a hard run Mig! I felt like this on my last run, really wanted to stop about 5 mins in but I’m too bloody stubborn! Great job cutting down on the booze too and good luck for dry January 👍🏼
Good way to look at it haha! I don’t really drink so wouldn’t bother me but maybe I should try a chocolate free January 😳 pretty sure THAT would take more mental strength than I have 😂 I’m certain u can do this though 💪🏼
Another lorry-load of well done's from me. Well done for cutting the apron strings from Michael, well done for that brilliant drop in blood pressure (I'm at a similar level now but would like to drop mine further too), well done for practicing what you preach and slowing yourself down a bit and a special well done for the dry January thing, I don't think I could do that. (In fact, if you'd like someone to move those tempting bottles of red away a safe distance, please let me know...).
Good to see that you're still getting yourself out there even though you've completed C25K, you have certainly been bitten by the running bug, that will help you reach the goals that you've set yourself.
Sorry to see that Snowgdss is still knobbled and can't get herself back out there, I wish her a speedy recovery and a more favourable second opinion. I have yet to drag myself off the couch and get back out there following my Christmas break. I was planning to do this yesterday but foolishly decided to play squash on Thursday despite having a slightly achey knee which resulted in me hobbling around on Friday so I need to wait until this improves before I go out again, I don't want to make things worse! (Strangely, Dr Google's diagnosis of my symptoms reports this to be 'runners knee' ironic really considering that I've not done an running!) Keep upthe good work mate.
So many tempting drinks in this house. But I'm thinking of the money we're saving.
Ended up taking Snowgdss to A&E last night. Really not happy with the diagnosis given and couldn't wait the long duration to get into her regular doctors.
Turns out, she's got ligament damage. So she's going to off running for quite some time.
Really not happy about it. Even though we didnt run side by side or take the same route, we had the same schedule and it was really nice to share our experiences at the end of a run.
But, we have to take life's challenges in our stride.
Looking forward to seeing your posts again Alast. Give that knee an extra rest day and... what's that other thing? Oh yes... go slow 😄
This forum is amazing. I really couldn't have got through the program without all of the support, advice and motivation you get from the good people on here.
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