Consolidation Run 1 - 4K - Yesss!

[Jools2020]

After all the excitement of graduating on Friday I woke up this morning at 04.45 and got out of bed immediately without debating with myself whether to go out and run! (Thanks PlymBorn, this was down to your motivational post!)

First decision - should I keep with Michael? I decided not to. I’ve graduated and don’t need him any more. I’ve moved on! I said my goodbyes, thanked him for all his help and promised we would keep in touch!

Second decision - should I stick with the riverbank ‘there and back’ route, or go with the circular route I walked yesterday? I decided on the new route!

Technical hitch - although Garmin is still down, I wanted to record the run on my watch. I can glance at it and see how long I’ve been running. It wouldn’t acquire a gps signal! So - fell back on Strava and set it to tell me after each kilometre. That would at least give me an idea.

So - off I went! It felt strangely free to be running without Michael’s commentary and running round the village! I felt like a real runner 😀. First kilometre went by quickly and was a good pace. Kicked the toxic 10 gremlin into touch! Second kilometre was a struggle. I was running through long grass and it was hard work. It slowed me down and I will modify the route in the future so it doesn’t include that stretch. The third kilometre I was back on the road and recovering; it felt really good to be running on the road! I haven’t done that before. Followed a track and I was out on a tarmac lane parallel to the river. I was into the fourth kilometre. Carried on and feeling good!

I take out my mobile. 3.5 kilometres with a few minutes left! Inspired by our Princess TT, I make the decision to carry on until I get to 4K - surely I can do it?! I feel excited and plod on! I am really tiring now and I take out my mobile again - 3.8K! So close! I would have walked that last bit, just to see 4K 😀, but I had just enough left before the announcement from Strava! Yesssss!

Can’t believe I ran for 4K! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

[Fifitrixiebell73 Graduate]

Fantastic, Jools!

Great to see you're trying different routes too.

I'm just about to venture out for mine and thinking I might go it alone too...

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Fifitrixiebell73]

Thanks! 😘 Do it! It was liberating 😀

[packersruns Graduate]

Amazing - well done you!! I prefer it almost without the trainer now. I appreciated them at the time but feel like I can listen to my music uninterrupted and I’m not focused on the time whatsoever. Well done for getting to 4K on your first consolidation, you’ll be reaching 5K in no time - or even longer 😊

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to packersruns]

Thank you - I am SO pleased with that run! 😀

[Instructor57 Graduate]

👏👏👏👏👏👏

Well done Jools, your smashing it 😬

But 4:45 ??? 😳

Was this a run or a sleep walk ! Haha

What an excellent first consolidation run ! You 4K Graduate you ! 👍

I bet it was also nice to change your route and surface ?

Oh, looks like the Garmin servers are back up now !

Was it strange without Michael ?

Enjoy your achievement (again !) 😬👍

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

Thanks, Ian!

I haven’t got Garmin connect back yet, although it’s trying to sync.

It was liberating to run without Michael, I felt like a real runner! Didn’t miss him a bit 😀

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

Oh, and I’m usually awake at 4.45. Not sleeping well right now 😥. Figure I may as well get up and run. Gives me a focus.

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

Haha yes , I understand really 👍

[Instructor57 Graduate]

P.S

Good pace 😬👍

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

Thanks, I was pleased! Got 3 PBs on Strava, too! 😀

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

Excellent !!! 👏👏👏😬👍

[Happyfeet28]

Well done. I hope I can do a full run by the end of my journey 😀

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Happyfeet28]

Thank you. You will! I see you’re doing W6 R3 next! That’s a 25 minute run, you’re nearly there with that! A few repeats, then a small increase, few repeats and that’s it! 👍

[Grannyasbo Graduate]

Great consolidation run. Up to 4K already. Congratulations 🥳😀👏💪👍.

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Grannyasbo]

Thank you! So pleased 😊

[Jamicharla Graduate]

Amazing, keep it up!!

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Jamicharla]

Thank you! 😊

[Tinytears60 Graduate]

Oh wow!

Julia - 4 k on your first consolidation run! How brilliant! 👏👏👏👏 💕

That’s amazing! YOU are amazing!

And super brave of you cutting Michael loose....

I still feel I need him(possibly don’t but for now will keep him)

I do love the way we all support each other and spur each other on with our posts!

You can have a fab day knowing you have had a fantastic 1st consolidation run which saw you with a new personal best of 4K (isn’t it?)

Well done lady! No stopping you! 👏👏😀

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Tinytears60]

Thank you! It was only on the last kilometre that I thought I could make it if I ran on for a few more minutes! Yes, first time 4K! Previously I managed 3.67K, but didn’t feel I could run any more on that occasion. This time, inspired by your post, I ran for an extra 3 minutes or so 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

We certainly do inspire each other! It’s great!

Had to cut Michael loose. He was OK about it 😂

[Tinytears60 Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

Oh I'm so chuffed for you!..... It's brilliant!

I've become attached to Michael ..... I do need to start cutting the apron strings tho... all in good time!... I actually don't trust myself to run for 30 minutes without him!.. silly or what! ...

Have the best day lovely!... you deserve it on your running journey ..... I'm just looking at a running bracelet.. something to commemorate my graduation run ... It was Tipee that gave me the idea.. they are very reasonably priced too ... x

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Tinytears60]

Oh, I’ll have to have a look at a running bracelet! I like that idea! 😊

[Tinytears60 Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

mynotch.co.uk

Love them!.. what a fab way to mark the occasion

Perhaps TheRajimuffin would like one too - I'm definitely ordering one - Love them! <3

[PlymBorn]

Amazing Jools! First post graduation run ... no Michael ... and you ran your furthest !! Well done ! ... and well, not only a runner ... but a graduate too ! ... and a road runner ... and free to run how and when you wish !

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to PlymBorn]

😀 yes, indeed! Thank you. I had to run on a few minutes though for the 4K. Did not think I would be doing that today, especially when I was running through the long grass! My first kilometre was a PB! I certainly felt a sense of freedom. Looking forward to modifying that route and finding a few more. I need the technology to be on board as well!!! 😬

[wobbles_when_runs Graduate]

Fantastic, well done! Such a progression, I’m pleased for you and you should be proud!

Good to find a different route, I need to find one now, the circles in the park are getting a bit boring now!

Well done, great achievement 😊

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to wobbles_when_runs]

Thank you so much! I was SO pleased it made my day. Before I graduated (like last week!) running there and back along the bank was just the easiest thing to do, to get the job done! but now I want more variety! It’s liberating running a different route without Michael! 😘 x

[MontyMooDog Graduate]

Just seen this. Well done Jools. Ran my first consolidation run today and had a few technical hiccups. Will post about it at the end of the week. Keep up the good work 👍😂😀

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to MontyMooDog]

Thank you! Look forward to reading about yours!

[MontyMooDog Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

Have you got your new shoes yet ???

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to MontyMooDog]

They came today. They sent the shoes in a wide fitting by mistake! So need to organise an exchange. 🤬 So probably not until next week!

[MontyMooDog Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

Aghhh. That's a shame. I got mine yesterday and ran in them today. Will put a photo up on my weekly post !!!👍😁

[MontyMooDog Graduate]

Have decided to post each run through consolidation so post is up now...