Well that was the best run of the whole programme!!
It started well when the goosebumps ran down my neck as Laura told me this was the last run of the programme, it brought it home how far I'd come.
After my Week9 Run2 run and having given it too many beans up that damn hill (now aka 'Mig' ) and seeing from my previous stats how saving energy up the hill (takes some effort to consciously do) helps the rest of the run and makes little/no difference to the overall run but stops you feeling like a wobbly newborn Bambi at the end I changed things around.
This time as I started the attack on 'Mig' I slowed my pace right down, kept my cadence going strong in the 170s but remembered watching the video on 'Japanese Slow Running' that Buddy posted on another thread, so decided this is what I was going to do to conquer Mig today. I've no idea if I was doing it right, but I was running dead slow with a high cadence which is what I wanted. My stats show that my uphill pace was about 7:12 which for me is pretty slow. This was one of my slowest runs up that segment. However, as I thought, it made little difference to the overall run. Yes I was overall slower (so what!) but not by much! I was about 2-3 seconds per km off my usual pace, why? because I was still fresh at the top of the hill, could pick up the pace again at the top and carry on running because I was enjoying it !!!
I think these last two weeks have taught me a valuable lesson in pace and approach to running that I will do well to remember. Perhaps sometimes we only learn it by trying things out and mixing it up a bit. I still want to give that damn Mig some beans but perhaps that should be restricted to a more 'interval' type of training.
The rest of the run was good, without hitch and I finished the run with a big beaming smile. I walked home with a different posture, a different outlook. I felt like I could look any other runner in the eye as an equal. The 'L' plates have been shed, I've passed the test and I really am now a RUNNER!
So here's a photo of me, my celebratory Whisky in hand - who cares if it's too early for Whisky, hey I've earned it! I found the T-shirt by searching these posts and ordered it a couple of weeks ago, I've been so dying to wear it - and now I'm going to be wearing it ALL DAY with pride!
Congratulations Brian , love the shirt - Iβve got one but I canβt pick it up until I get back to the UK . Keep on running πππ»ββοΈππ»ββοΈππ»ββοΈ
Cheers Steve, I love the T-Shirt too. I went hunting for one because after all we need to be able to say - been there, done that, got the T-Shirt!!! hahaha
You've only gone and done it! Busy day but I've kept checking back for this post alone!!
Huge congratulations on a fantastic achievement.
What a great run. And you despatched 'Mig' with no problem at all.
That is a very well deserved whisky. Enjoy it and enjoy that amazing feeling you've got. It will last for days π. Dont try running again today after that healthy measure though π€£
Onwards and upwards to consolidation and maybe even 10k!
It's been a blast sharing this journey with your and your humour I am sooooo enjoying this Scotch though, diet is out of the window today, today is mine!!! And I'm going to keep wearing this T-Shirt until it can stand up on it's own hahaha
Mig was a pussy cat today, whipped into submission. We have one thing in common though - W9R2 is also my best 5K ever - 26:21 ! No wonder I was a quivering Bambi at the end of that one.
Now I'm already looking to what's next, I've got a spready that I'll probably share on the B210K forum, but not gettting to 10K - Can't leave wifey alone for that long, so I'm aiming at a Bri special B27.5K or B28K programme that will get me out to better routes and a slightly longer distance. Then of course I'll have a word with the neighbours and see if they'll do a bit of sitting on a Saturday morning so I can experience this thing called the Park Run I'd like to find a nice flat one nearby (the Northampton Racecourse is flat) and see what I can do when there's no damn Mig enroute haha.
Healthy measure? damn I'm going to have to try harder, I usually only do unhealthy measures don't expect much to be left in the bottle tonight, hope you weren't planning on sharing or you'd best get in there quick!
I got a small 35cl half-bottle of Whyte & Mackay, I rather like that blend and good whiskies are pretty much wasted on me. Not that I don't appreciate them, I really do .... but they're so more-ish and don't last very long mmmmm. I mean I'm sorry Mig but there's none left I've drunk the lot oooops! You should have grabbed a measure while you had the chance
Congratulations to you BrianP6 , you deserve that whisky, nice T Shirt, I thought at first that it was inside out, just a fancy design.
To get your graduation badge and the word GRADUATE π next to your username leave a message on the January graduate post in the pinned posts on the right side of the healthunlocked C25K home page and tell the administrators that you have ran W9R3 of C25K and graduated π ππΎ π
Brilliantly done Brian P6 - great run π€ππΎππ₯ππͺ. Wow, you are speedy up that hill - I've not even hit under 8.00 on the flat! Enjoy your whisky and t-shirt and keep posting to let us know how the next stage in your journey is going ππββοΈ.
Congratulations!! A well deserved achievement!! I didnβt know about the T-shirts - thatβs fab looking - never take it off! Keep running and posting!
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