So after Wednesday's miserable run I have ached, felt really tired and for a while was feeling really down with it all. Then I read DMG64's reply to my post and a bit more about consolidation runs, and running for health in general and realised that I had become fixated on 5km/30min. Well I had come so close on W9R2 & R3 I thought that all I had to do was to push a tincy bit harder and then it was in the bag.
Accordingly when I went out in the wind and rain on Wednesday that was all I had in mind. I paid no attention to the fact that the conditions were not PB conditions, nor did I listen to my body. In hindsight I pushed hard in W9, my daughter (23 years younger) who I got into C25K in week 4 was easily running 5/30, and I had to at least match her, consequently I had taken a lot out of myself.
So after a couple of days reflection it was in a different state of mind that I set out this AM. I was just going to run for at least thirty minutes, and I was going to be comfortable doing so. I started down the Portreath road at a very conservative jog, with W9 Jo popping up in my ear just to keep track of time.
Running down the slope was weird at times because the gale in my face made it almost seem that I was going no where. I started retracing my steps at 15min knowing that I had the long climb back up. And I consciously decided this wasn't going to be the agonising slog it had been a week ago, and just relaxed into putting one foot in front of the other. At the 25min mark I had already decided that I wasn't stopping at 30min so when it came I just kept on going, and kept on going past the end of the warm down time. I eventually dropped into a walk at 36'42" having run 5.12km, and I felt good. I feel ever better now having just looked at the data.
In the last 20mins I climbed 51m whilst covering 2.8km and I had done so without any dramas. Rock on! And there are going to be quite a few more runs like that before I think about upping the pace again.
Have a good weekend all.
Oh and the blood pressure benefits?
I have been on blood pressure tabs for several years partly due to lifestyle and partly due to the anti-inflammatory meds I 'm on for my arthritis. 5 years ago I was stroke waiting to happen 215/120, during the house move 5 weeks ago I was having dizzy spells when I bent over. The nurse then measured my BP @ 173/97. Thursday's nurse check in 120/73 i. e. PERFECT!
What has changed? 14kg lost, and running 3 times a week. Woo hoo. Happy Days.
Blood Pressure medication reduced 
High Blood Pressure Woes
App is so much better than podcasts.
High blood pressure - stopped C25k
Week 7 Run 2... so much harder... why :(
