Consolidation Run 5 ~ Training Wheels On ✅ Brakes On ✅ Enjoy the Run ✅

[RacingintheStreet]

I have to admit after my ‘wishy washy’ CR 4 I spent two days with the ‘maybe running just isn’t for you’ Gremlin on my shoulder 👹.

I knew I’d be going out for my run but even so there were a few anxieties at the back of my mind , I really didn’t want to repeat my mistakes.

Taking the hilarious bits of advice from LottieMW and grumpyoldgirl , I got my training wheels on ( we call them stabilisers) and checked my brakes ( repeat after me, Put the brakes on !!🤪) and set off.

I knew I was nervous of this run because I ‘hung about ‘ until two lots of people cleared off 😂 ( not done that since about wk3 🤷🏼‍♀️) and then faffed about wondering why I couldn’t hear Laura on the podcast when I put my playlist on ( doh 🤦‍♀️🙄)

Anyway gave myself a talking to and eventually set off , changed my route to run around the old part of the village again , rather than the less interesting long road between villages . The long road there and back eats up a good 1.5 k but I like the atmosphere in the village better, it’s all warmly lit kitchen windows , the odd dog barking as I go past and the smell of dinners, wood burners and chimneys.

My kind of things 🙂

I was soooo good , I started off soooo slowly and kept my pace real steady for the first 15 minutes . No wobbles of the training wheels, Laura still riding shotgun , brakes in full working order thank you very much .

My kind of run 🙂

My last 15 mins I just snaked in and out and up and down round the houses to the south side of the villages getting slightly nearer the coast .

Lovely to hear Oystercatchers when it’s dark , I do like the dark evening runs because it’s all sounds and smells of a world settling in for the night .

I carry on until I run out of streetlights and then turn back for the last five minutes.

I don’t speed up although I think I could , this run needed to be just a confidence reinforcing run so that I could swipe that ‘maybe running just isn’t for you’ gremlin off her perch 👹💪

So all done , slower pace, less distance but it was back to enjoying the run, ‘ A stopping to smell the woodsmoke’ kind of run . 🙂 I was very aware of looking around a lot being very aware of my surroundings and my feet just hitting the ground as I went . Keeping it simple.

As I write this I am acutely aware that I have written similar posts before , my problem has been that I have forgotten what I had already learnt and had gone off chasing things I wasn’t needing to and wasn’t ready for .

The next whatever number of runs will be simple 30 minute runs , with lots of concentration at the start 😣😣 to keep the pace slow and lots of ‘stopping to smell the woodsmoke and listen to the Oystercatchers’ ( figuratively speaking of course😂)

Training wheels ✅ Brakes ✅

Every Run, Every Time

( maybe I’ll write this on a tiny bit of paper and keep it in my pocket 😂 ...... new mantra 🙏 )

No scenic photo from last night ( apologies Cazza ) , this is a tin sign my youngest daughter bought me when we were in Dublin for a concert . I’m getting much better at following it’s guidance and that applies to running too 😂🏃🏻‍♀️😂🏃🏻‍♀️

[LottieMW Graduate]

Aaw... glad to repay the help given on this forum by helping you 🥰

Glad the run went well...very evocative...I can imagine the cosy windows, the woodsmoke and the oystercatchers ☺️

If I lived in a village, I would be running along the streets too. Sadly though, I’m in a modern housing estate...so not the same. That’s why I drive to the 3 main local beauty spots 😄

Love the memorabilia...I may dig out one of our most bizarre ones 😎

...slowly but surely wins the race...but of course it’s not a race 😉🐌🐢🏃🏻‍♀️🍂🧡🍁

[RacingintheStreet Graduate in reply to LottieMW]

Thanks Lottie , yes it’s not a race , not even with yourself 😉👌

Slow and steady let’s you take it all in , the photos of your beauty spots and allotment look lovely , we are all fortunate to have these places to enjoy .

Very important to get outside into nature , especially these days 🙂

[LottieMW Graduate in reply to RacingintheStreet]

So true...🍁🧡🍂

[acountrycabbage Graduate]

Gorgeous warm and fuzzy post 🥰

Well done you on telling that gremlin who’s boss 👊🏼💥

I’m off to google what an oystercatcher sounds like! 😃

[RacingintheStreet Graduate in reply to acountrycabbage]

Yes an altogether nicer run thanks, just need a bit of self regulation 😂🤷🏼‍♀️

Oystercatchers, curlews and wild geese overhead , just strips away all the days cares and woes ...... good for the soul as they say 😉🙂

[CazzaW Graduate]

Never mind about no photo, the sign absolutely says it all 👌 something I’m paying much more attention to as I’m getting older ☺️ I love tin signs 😃 Now I just want to know who it was you went to see in Dublin?.... if you’re happy to share 😎

Oh and the running 🏃‍♀️ such a glorious post, it’s like reading a book and made me feel all warm and fuzzy, I truly can’t wait to retire to somewhere similar to where you live 😊 So glad you had a better run 🏃‍♀️onwards and upwards with stabilizers and brakes 😊

[RacingintheStreet Graduate in reply to CazzaW]

Thanks Cazza , for me I’d much rather feel good just running than chasing whatever it is I think I should sometimes .

Yes as I get older I’m getting picky what I spend my time on and the measure of anything is ‘do I enjoy it ‘ ?

My area is lovely , windy often 🙄 but that comes with the sea 😂

We don’t live in the old part bu5 on the edge, it’s nice to be able to just go out the door and wander through it though (especially in the quiet of the evenings and then of course there’s also the rocky shore part and the beach.

Only moved here from town two years ago , great retirement place but also full of young families starting out too . Thankful we did given current situation 🙏🙏

That Dublin weekend was Mr Springsteen , RDS Arena Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th July 2009

What a weekend 😂😂 Bruce AND the Irish 😂☘️☘️☘️🤣

[CazzaW Graduate in reply to RacingintheStreet]

Amazing... love Dublin 😃 hope to go and see the rugby one day 🤞

[Couchphoenix Graduate]

Enjoying the run is important and that sounded like an enjoyable one. Your lovely description of the sights, sounds and smells created a picture of it in my mind....maybe your new mantra should be the one that’s on the sign in the photo 😉

[RacingintheStreet Graduate in reply to Couchphoenix]

Thank you ! I love the feel of both evening and early morning , the quiet ‘before and after ‘ of the busier daytime.

Definitely following that mantra these days and keeping life as simple as possible 👌😂

[JulesL69 Graduate]

What a great post, it's interesting that every run we do is always different to the last and we take something away from it.

I love your mantra..... I think we have to not lose sight that its not a race, every run is improving our fitness levels and hopefully and enjoyable experience. It still takes me at least 10 mins or more before I can relax into the run, then I start to enjoy it a bit more.

Sounds like a lovely village to run through too. 😃

[RacingintheStreet Graduate]

Thanks , I think you’re right and we are still beginners at this albeit some stronger than others .

I hope you’re right about improving the fitness levels and getting stronger , I still find every run hard work .🤷🏼‍♀️

Although I know I need to chill a bit and enjoy the run however slow and resist the temptation to speed up .

I can’t help getting the sense that I’m speeding to get to the end and what I should be doing is enjoying the journey so to speak 🤷🏼‍♀️😂😂

[JulesL69 Graduate in reply to RacingintheStreet]

I still feel each run is hard earned, takes me a while before I settle in to my pace, but I feel my lungs and fitness has greatly improved, less huffing and puffing. Think back to our first few weeks and so remember W5 R3 when we were all saying “ how am I going to run 20mins”... BUT we did and that is because our fitness levels improve after each run.

It’s my birthday tomorrow and my birthday present to myself is to run for 5k no matter how long it takes me. I will start slow and try and finish strong.

Enjoy the journey 🏃‍♀️😃

[RacingintheStreet Graduate]

Happy Birthday for tomorrow 😃🎉

That’s the way to do it I think , keep it steady and just keep going 👌

You’re absolutely right about the huffing and puffing 😂😂 I think the progress too is quite subtle maybe and perhaps we ( I ) don’t always appreciate the little improvements 😂😂

I do know it’s all about just keeping doing it though and it will steadily get better . If this rain would stop ☔️☔️

Have a fab day tomorrow ✨✨

[Pnegirl Graduate]

Ah lovely post. I know this was from a few days ago now but it's so nice that you were able to enjoy your run and take in your surroundings. Listening to the birds is just so lovely and it sounds like you really enjoyed the freedom of being in the running moment 🙂

[RacingintheStreet Graduate]

Yes , back on track , keeping it simple and doing what it says on the tin 👌😂😂

Keeping to a few 30 minute runs and hopefully will see improvement of stamina etc by having the exact ‘like for like’ comparison .

Just little bits of incremental progress will be fine 👌🙂

I quite like evening runs now but may have to get some kind of body torch to avoid potholes 😱.

Also My ‘up with the lark’ morning routine appears to have gone to pot as winter approaches , I feel I’m going into hibernation 🐻🐻