W8R1 - Who even am I?!?

[Bloomsbury22]

Wow! Must admit my head was not in the game the first five to ten minutes and my breathing (asthma and hayfever) was bad, and really windy. Everything telling me to stop. But thought I would see what it was like around the bend, if the wind was perhaps behind my back instead of trying to blow me down, and suddenly it all loosened up a bit, or rather my head was back in the game, I stopped coughing and my breathing eased up. Couldn't believe Jo still had not called out that I was half-way when I was way past my normal half-way point (forgetting was running longer...doh!), but the elation when she called 14 minutes was worth it. Suddenly occurred to me that I needed to add something on to my normal route as was literally going to run out of road. So took a new turn, in the last five minutes and found myself with a steep hill! Forget that! Turned around and re-traced my steps instead, waiting for Jo to call out my last minute....which she didn't! Cheeky minx waited until I was actually done the whole 28 minutes. Wow! I can't believe I did it!!! Am over the moon! And my partner came along this time (he walked and ran it), so actually have a witness that did it! Forgot to record it on the Strava thingie (new to that), so not sure what pace. But don't really care about the pace, just can't believe I ran 28 whole minutes consecutively! Head spinning a bit, but so pleased!

[EThomas Graduate]

Well done.

[Bloomsbury22 Graduate in reply to EThomas]

Thank you! Do finally genuinely feel like a runner!

[EThomas Graduate in reply to Bloomsbury22]

That's good. I'm one run behind you and am due to do W8R1 tomorrow. We are both nearly there. Good luck for your next run.

[Bloomsbury22 Graduate in reply to EThomas]

You can definitely do it! Just take it super slow and make sure you have lots to distract you from fretting about the time. You have nailed 25 minutes, so you very much have this. Good luck!

[EThomas Graduate in reply to Bloomsbury22]

Thank you

[Beatlesforever Graduate]

Brilliant, well done! It's great to read this kind of post, really encouraging. I'm starting week 8 on Monday, looking forward to it!

[Bloomsbury22 Graduate in reply to Beatlesforever]

Thank you! Am sure you can do it too. My tips are to just go slow, and then go a bit slower, don't worry about pace at all, ie not in regards to trying to go faster. Make sure you have something to super distract you from constantly wondering about the time. And when you hit a wall, remember how great you have felt every time finished a 25 minute run and there really isn't much in it with getting to 28 minutes. Oh, and make sure, if you do venture a bit further on this run that there isn't a ruddy huge hill there! You've got this!

[Beatlesforever Graduate in reply to Bloomsbury22]

Thank you! And I'll do my very best to avoid any hills 😲😅😁

Have a fab weekend 😃

[CaptFrey Graduate]

Yay Well done you, I think back to week one and how hard one minute was.

[Bloomsbury22 Graduate in reply to CaptFrey]

It was sooooo hard, wasn't it! I really struggled with W1 &2 and definitely thought there was no way on earth would get this far. Genuinely, no one is more shocked than me to be in W8!

[CaptFrey Graduate in reply to Bloomsbury22]

I have my last (glacial) run of week 8 tomorrow 😬 My couch feels shunned

[Deetermined Graduate]

Hi Bloomsbury22, Woohoo, just five more runs to go! Amazing how you managed to get over the first difficult minutes and to stay motivated, well done you! 🎉

[Bloomsbury22 Graduate in reply to Deetermined]

Thank you! I honestly have screaming matches with myself in my head! Five more runs...🙀🙀🙀

[Deetermined Graduate in reply to Bloomsbury22]

You will be absolutely fine, you'll see! I plan to graduate tomorrow, and after rather challenging weeks 6 and 7 I have to say that I almost enjoyed weeks 8 and 9, especially the feeling after each run. Keeping it up after graduation will be another challenge but we'll surely work this out, too. 😃

[AliceInThePalace Graduate]

Congrats!! Hayfever and asthma can be so aggravating, but you pushed through and did it 👏💪 respect

[Bloomsbury22 Graduate in reply to AliceInThePalace]

Thank you!