W5R3 after a few weeks off!

[Fayew_]

Hi everyone! I posted a couple of weeks ago as I knew I was going to have to take a break after having some minor surgery on my chest. I got some great support from people as I was really concerned about reversibility during the down period.

2 weeks and 3 days later I decided I couldn’t leave it any longer and I would attempt my next run. I was scheduled to do W5R3 next, which I was pretty scared about doing anyway, but I thought I would just give it a go and see what happens.

Around 3 minutes in, my brain started to tell my body that there was no way I could run for 20 minutes. I imagined coming back to the forum and telling people that I hadn’t succeeded, and then I thought, what would they say?

I thought about all the tips and motivation I’ve seen runners giving fellow runners, and began to adopt the ‘slow it down, one foot in front of the other strategy’ and before I knew it, the 20 minutes was up!!

I don’t think I really appreciated how powerful this forum is until that moment and I genuinely don’t think I would have completed that run otherwise. It was very hard and I think I have lost some speed over the last few weeks, my heart rate was also higher than normal but I’m just so pleased I finished!

Unfortunately, I found out yesterday that I need to go in for a bit more surgery next Tuesday, which will mean another 2-3 weeks off 😩, but I’m hoping I can squeeze in W6R1 before then!

Have a great BH Weekend everyone!

[Bridgetlikessinging Graduate]

You have done so well! Reading your post helped me to make the decision to go out this morning, despite having had a (very mild) cold this past week. I'm a bit stuck on week 4 (3rd week of week 4!) but I don't mind that as long as I keep going out and doing something regularly.

Good luck with your upcoming surgery and I hope you make a full and speedy recovery.

[Fayew_ in reply to Bridgetlikessinging]

Well done you!! I think it’s so rare to feel worse after a run than you did before your run. It’s so great for the mind and the body.

I just looked back at my W4R3 and I finished it with an face haha. So it must have been a hard one, but keep going and you will push through it and then feel great about it afterwards!