Fourth Consolidation Run

[Dodgylungs]

I tried to run yesterday, got to 5 minutes and decided I wasn't quite in the mindset and knew I'd feel better in the morning. So I promptly stopped at Gail's and had a skinny latte while trying not to feel guilty.

This morning I felt much more up for it and I had my FitBit watch back fully operational again. The first little bit of my run is down a steep incline and then I turn off into a road which is a gradual incline. Once I hit the 5 minute mark in this part of the run I know immediately what condition I'm in. This is where I have stopped a few times if I'm not in the mood. However, I don't want to get in the habit of bailing out on runs and today I was feeling a bit wheezy (as usual) but strong enough.

Between 5 and 10 minutes takes me around a corner and after a slight incline, down hill past Highgate Cemetary and into Swain's Lane (past my coffee shop). Since my pace has increased a little, I now hit the Heath at 10 minutes. I then run up a slight incline past the tennis courts and onto the flat path which goes past the coffee shop on my right, lido down the hill on my left and running track on my left. I usually hit 15 minutes just as the path is running uphill again. Today when the 15 minute halfway bell sounded, the toilet gremlins hit me and I made a decision that instead of doing my usual route I was going to run back home. This is harder than it sounds as I have to run all the way up the steep hill to where I begin my run.

So today I didn't run down the hill past the lido, I ran back towards home. It's not the route that I take in the first part of my run but the reward is if I can make the top of the steep hill, then it's all downhill for the rest of the way home. I negotiated my way off the Heath and across a slightly perilous zebra crossing on 20 minutes. The next 3 minutes is slightly downhill and I hit the bottom of the steep hill on 23 minutes. I got half way up and my legs were aching but worse, I started to feel sick. So I took the side road where I run the first 5 minutes, which is a slight incline and then promptly turned around and ran back on myself and down the hill I had just run half way up. I then turned left towards Ackland Burghley school and to my delight it was all downhill until...Jo gave me a 60 second warning and in front of me was a very steep incline. I couldn't run back on myself either as that was also uphill. I bit for the bullet for 60 seconds and ran up the hill. I've never been more pleased to finish a run!

I think for my next run I'll change up the music tracks because as much as I love Lust For Life..and it works every single time to keep me going...I feel that maybe I should switch the music up a little. Variety is the spice of life.

As I was running today, I smiled to myself at all my talk of running 10K...I'm struggling enough to run for 30 minutes. I think I have a fairly tough job in my area as there are so many inclines and little hills that it can make life difficult. But I'll keep persevering. I'm getting stronger and more determined with every run. My body doesn't seem to like running in the afternoons for some reason. I seem to be a morning, pre breakfast runner!

Job Done!

[pr0fess0r Graduate]

Are there flatter runs you can do? Hills sound like a nightmare xD

[Dodgylungs Graduate]

There is a running track on the Heath but I think you have to be a member of a running club to use it and probably have to pay but I’m going to look into it. I used to do a boxing workout with a friend of mine who is a fitness trainer and we used it until they kicked us out. I’ll ask Keith what the protocol is. 5K is 12.5 laps and 10K is 25 laps of the track. Since I only run 4K in half an hour I’m thinking maybe I should get a bit faster before using it lest there be club runners there who laugh at me 😂

[TATS_67]

Well done!

[Dodgylungs Graduate in reply to TATS_67]

Thank you!

[Runforpleasure Graduate]

I’m a pre breakfast runner too. Don’t run at any other time

[Dodgylungs Graduate in reply to Runforpleasure]

Seems to be the golden hour for me. There are morning people and there are non morning people- guess I’m a morning person

[Weymouthgirl Graduate]

Well done for sticking with it! Maybe consolidation runs are all about finding out what your body can do and what you’re comfortable with. I think it’s great you have discovered some new ways of tackling your route, and you’ve learned more about how your body responds in these circumstances. Go you! PS never feel guilty about having a coffee with a mate!

[Dodgylungs Graduate in reply to Weymouthgirl]

Thanks very much. Yes, absolutely, running up hill and down dale is something I never would have thought my body would respond to but I seem to be able to go a little further down the road of hill ascending than I ever thought possible. I never feel guilty about having a coffee - and not always with a mate either