W1R1- Third time lucky?

[Preserved_Moose]

I’ve said it before and I’ll almost certainly say it again but THIS will maybe be the time I make it to the end. Maybe.

So way back in March last year I’d just turned 33 and I was buzzing after a very successful end to Week 7. But unfortunately life continued to be busy and chaotic and I made the mistake of blinking and now it’s 2020 and my baby is now running around and you can’t look away for a second or he’ll end up on the roof and I’m nearly 34, although I feel like I’ve aged a lot more than that, and I’m tired and random things keep hurting and I’m noticeably rounder because there are very few opportunities to exercise at the moment and takeaways are, like, really convenient when we don’t feel like cooking after a day of work, school runs, homework arguments and nappies.

I forget what point I’m trying to make but I’ve been thinking about running every day since the last one and it’s way overdue. I’m honestly not too bothered about what shape I am, I’m comfortable, but I do need to think about my health as I get older, because if I blink again I’ll be 40 so I need to be prepared, and it would be nice to be able to pick things up off the floor without grunting.

So after a lot of thinking, not very much doing and consideration of a typical day in the life, I decided that the only realistic time to run is at night when the kids are in bed and, since I need to wait a few hours after eating, it would have to be late at night.

And so, as 11pm rolled around I decided it was time to get back in my beloved combats I use for nothing else and hit the road. Well, pavement.

WHERE THE HELL ARE MY COMBATS

So evidently at some point I’ve misplaced my combats. Maybe they didn’t survive one of our clear outs, maybe they ended up in one of the kids’ wardrobes, I don’t know, but after a long search I realised I would have to find an alternative. Problem is, literally all I wear is jeans or black trousers for work, so my options were limited to swimming shorts or pyjama trousers. It’s cold outside.

Now that I think about it, the combats probably wouldn’t fit anymore. Eventually I’m going to have to stop stubbornly squeezing into small clothes and admit I’m a medium now. But not today!

So, dressed in some very comets or pyjama trousers, a tshirt, a hoody and some very neglected running shoes, I was ready.

Now this was going to be a very nostalgic experience for me so I decided to go with the music I used when I first started this in 2018: The Fratellis - We Need Medicine. Hey, it works for me.

By the time I finally got out it was nearly midnight so I thought I should play it safe and stick to the pavement out the front of the houses. It’s a bit sad in a way because I probably won’t get a chance to enjoy the usual routes I liked around here before. We’re moving house in the next few weeks (hopefully, no date set yet) but during that time I probably won’t be able to run during the day and at night it’s way too dangerous to go around the fields and park here so I’ll just have to remember the good times I had running here and hope I can find a decent route near the new house.

But for now this will do and I’m just happy to be out doing it again. So I got my music, I summoned the awesome Jo Whiley to help and I headed out.

I’m glad I decided to start from scratch because my mind may not be at a beginner level anymore but my body definitely is. I didn’t have any difficulties but I definitely felt this one and I don’t think I could’ve pushed myself any more than I did.

But it went well and I had minimal encounters with my worst enemy: WITNESSES. I passed a guy smoking during the warm up walk, ran by two girls during a later run but didn’t hear what they said and then on a run after that I managed to avoid having to awkwardly overtake someone walking in front of me. Not today, social interactions!

The first run was of course the easiest and it was comforting how natural it felt, although I imagine the running shoes helped with that. I did run a little faster than I should’ve for a first run because, like I said, my mind isn’t back there yet, but despite being a little short of breath and my ankles and thighs protesting by somehow hurting while simultaneously going numb, I think I handled it pretty well.

I’m going to try to stick to this but it won’t be easy. Life is still crazy busy but hopefully I’ll be able to find an hour like this on a regular basis. I’m older and fatter but THIS time I’m going to see it through to the end. Maybe.

And if I don’t, maybe the fourth attempt will be better.

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Good post from you, keep on running if time allows🏃🏾

[Preserved_Moose in reply to AlMorr]

Thanks, time usually does not allow but I’m determined to squeeze it in there somehow

[Coffee1st Graduate]

Congratulations on getting out there and well done for re-committing. 3rd...4th you'll do it!

[Preserved_Moose in reply to Coffee1st]

Thanks, one day! Possibly when the kids have moved out.

[BestLife19 Graduate]

Took me 3 goes to complete then some injuries followed by a period of unexpected poor health stopped me running. Started up again in December; my week 5 starts tomorrow. I'm definitely glad I started at the beginning again, it doesn't feel too easy so I know that means I need the plan to get me safely to where I want to go. Good luck & enjoy the journey.

[Preserved_Moose in reply to BestLife19]

Thanks, luckily no injuries so far, just the odd pains as I start to fall apart much earlier in life than I expected! What’s the furthest you’ve made it? I managed to finish week 7 on a high last time and really impatient to get back there...

[BestLife19 Graduate in reply to Preserved_Moose]

Graduated March 2019, think the furthest I ran after graduation but before health stuff got in the way was about 6K. Most I ran in 30 mins was a bit over 4k though. So I'm slow but who cares!

[Speedy60 Graduate]

I take my hat off to you, genuinely full of admiration 👏. Keep going!

[Preserved_Moose in reply to Speedy60]

Thanks, I’ll keep going as long as life (or at least parenthood) lets me!

[PaulS83]

Seems we all come crawling back. Or rolling. Good luck. When I struggle for time, I find a 5am run is less vomit inducing than it sounds. Barely, but it is.

[Preserved_Moose in reply to PaulS83]

Crawling, rolling, bouncing, one way or another I get back to it. I did manage an early morning run once but with two kids not sleeping not sleeping properly and lots of broken up nights’ sleep, it’s not really do-able, need all the sleep I can get these days! But when they’re a bit older I might try that again. Afternoon was always my favourite but just can’t fit that in right now.

[Katnap Graduate]

Good luck! I'm on W1R1 from next Monday

[Preserved_Moose in reply to Katnap]

Thanks! I would have preferred it start on a Monday because I like everything to fit neatly into each week but I saw my chance to start last night and I refused to miss it! So you’re starting the whole thing again too?

[Katnap Graduate in reply to Preserved_Moose]

For different reasons. I 'lead' a group of C25K newbies. It helps keep everyone motivated when you have a set routine and the direct support when you need it. 😁

[Comfortnotspeed]

You’ll get there. A lovely time of your life with a little one, hopefully down from the roof. It’s really important to find time to feel good about yourself.

Don’t count your year’s away.

I started in my 50’s and love it. Find time for the things you can do. Don’t beat yourself about missed runs just celebrate the ones achieved. Good luck 🙂