C4&5✅ First time with Coach Bennett; Giovanni 🤔😲😃 and Halloween

[CazzaW]

I’m a bit late with posting Wednesday’s Consolidation Run 4, no idea what I’ve been doing 🤷‍♀️ but anyway ... here goes 👍Please bear with me; we’ve just had a Zoom with a group of friends back home in England to celebrate the retirement of a good friend after 35 years working in the NHS... the trouble is that 8pm in England is 4pm here in Toronto (will be back to 3pm when the clocks change here tomorrow) so it’s all very well celebrating 🥳 🎉 and drinking 🍾 in the evening at home but I’m really not used to 🥂🥂🥂🥂 at 4pm in the afternoon (the exception was, of course, my C25K graduation when 🥂 brunch was permitted!) So that’s why I’m rambling even more than usual 😆🤣

So C4 on Wednesday. I decided to give Coach Bennett a try with a 30 min guided run. Having downloaded the NRC app a few days before I was rather concerned to have received an email saying ‘Welcome to Nike, where all athletes belong’.... surely I must have got the wrong app 😂😂

Anyway prepped I was; it felt strange with no Jo for the first time 😬 but tunes and Coach Bennett ready and off I went 🏃‍♀️ on the same route as my graduation run and Sunday’s run with my hubbie.

Well, I’m fairly used to a North American accent now (having been here since March so that wasn’t a problem) but he kept on asking me questions 🤔 and no sooner was I still contemplating the the answer to the question he’d just posed, than he asked me another 🙈 oh no, this was far too much for me to cope with 😆 Don’t get me wrong, they were all worthwhile and very valid questions (as those who have done it will know) but I couldn’t cope with that and the running, altho’ on a plus note I suppose the time did pass quite quickly 🤷‍♀️ Anyway the run was ok BUT the highlight (and only those of you who are Strictly Come Dancing 💃 fans will know who I mean) I am convinced that Giovanni passed me 😃 He was wearing a lovely puffa jacket and beanie hat and he waved and smiled at me as though he knew I was a fan of the show 😜

This morning was C5. Who, from SCD might pass by today I wondered 🧐 Winter has definitely arrived in the suburbs of Toronto and I waited for the temperature to rise to 1 degree 🥶 before I headed out mid morning. I decided I couldn’t cope with Coach Bennett firing questions at me today so for the first time I set my Runkeeper to alert me at 5 min intervals and every 0.5km. I dithered about what clothes to wear as that’s the coldest I’ve run in so far, but with 2 thin, long sleeved t shirts, long leggings and crucially a pair of gloves 🧤 that were my saviour, I headed off accompanied by Abbas Greatest Hits 🎶 (well my modified version!) I chose a completely different route that included running through the park where we usually walk, up inclines and down again, a bit along a very busy road (which I hate 😖)and along a lovely quiet side road. It was good running somewhere new. The highlight of this run was definitely passing all the houses decked out for Halloween 🎃 which is huge over here, altho’ sadly for the children, won’t be the same this year due to the restrictions.

Anyway, 2 more runs of 30 minutes under my belt and I’m still feeling that this is just what I need. I can’t say they’re easy but they are getting more comfortable 👌 The most important thing is that I’m still getting out there and still feel motivated 👌

Happy weekend to everyone, running or not 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️ and enjoy the rugby for those watching from whatever country 🏉 😁

[Blossom- Graduate]

Haha great post Caz! Stick with coach Bennett, he doesn't always fire questions at you 😊 I think he's amusing and I've done lots of his runs now. Blimey, 'tis chilly in your neck of the woods! Happy consolidating 🏃‍♀️💥

[CazzaW Graduate in reply to Blossom-]

Ok, thanks Blossom, will definitely give him another go 👍 It’s beautiful here this morning 🌕 but minus 3 now at 8.50 🥶 so I’m glad I went out yesterday!

Have a good weekend 😊

[CBDB Ambassador]

Nice one 👍🏽! Really enjoyed reading, so thanks! Yes, keep having fun in consolidation by exploring new coaches or new routes! I did, also by exploring diff’t Runkeeper voices. Enjoy!

[CazzaW Graduate in reply to CBDB]

Thanks 😊 yes I will and I think I’m going to try Runkeeper’s Drill Instructor next, sounds fun 😂

[acountrycabbage Graduate]

Such a great read 😃 I couldn’t help but notice that you don’t describe the runs themselves at all and then at the end you say you’re feeling more comfortable 🙌🏼 That’s progress indeed, just to be able to keep moving freely and take in everything around you. Including celebrities! 🤩

I know what you mean about Coach Bennet, he’s quite intense ☺️ I wasn’t keen at first but I now find him a great motivator. The Headspace runs have a similar amount of chat I think but don’t pose as many questions.

Well done getting out there in such cold weather. Your mojo is strong, keep going! 💪🏼🤩

[CazzaW Graduate in reply to acountrycabbage]

Thanks CC, hmm yes you’re right I hadn’t thought about that 🤔 must be getting more comfortable 🤷‍♀️ Yes, my posts seem to just be about my random ramblings 😂 not much info about the run in that one 😬😆

I will definitely try Coach Bennett again with different runs and I do like the sound of the Headspace ones you describe 👍

Happy Running if you’re out there 🏃‍♀️😊

[acountrycabbage Graduate in reply to CazzaW]

But it’s a good thing! You just cracked on in your sessions by the sounds of it, because that’s what you do now 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️ runner girl!

The Headspace ones still have CB host them but the majority of the chat comes from Andy who’s the Headspace founder. Such a legend, I have a ‘wellness’ crush on him, he’s so inspiring and full of wisdom.

[LottieMW Ambassador]

Well done in getting out there again!!!

I’ve decided to stick without a trainer during consolidation...just music and a timer 😊

Keep on running and enjoy 🥰🐌🐢🏃🏻‍♀️🍁🧡🍂💙❄️🌬

[CazzaW Graduate in reply to LottieMW]

Thanks Lottie, and you too 😊

[LottieMW Ambassador in reply to CazzaW]

👍

[Bambi2020 Graduate]

Sounds like you’re well into a routine of getting out there despite the chilly weather -motivates us to get out too! Happy Halloween 🎃

[CazzaW Graduate in reply to Bambi2020]

Hope the weather is ok at home for you for your next run 🤞

[Jericho2332 Graduate]

Oooh these sound interesting. Is this stuff free? Nrc, headspace etc?

Well done on another couple of consolidation runs! Sounds like your flying now 👌🏻👍🏻💪🏻

[CazzaW Graduate in reply to Jericho2332]

Yes NRC is the Nike Run Club App, download it free from the App Store and I think the Headspace runs are on that 👍

[RacingintheStreet Graduate]

Well done you , sounds so cold 🥶 but it’s not keeping you back 👌

It really sounds like you’re becoming so confident with your running although I’m glad to hear someone else still finds them hard too .

As much as I have good & bad runs I do still have the 8 min and 20 min hurdles to jump when I dip a bit .

Lovely to hear you describe your environment too , (and the celebrity watching 😉) it’s really interesting as we are all running in so many different geographical areas .

Congrats on the rugby 🏉🏉🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Hope you enjoyed the viewing

[CazzaW Graduate in reply to RacingintheStreet]

Thank you, we did 👍 It’s warmed up ridiculously now 🙄 having been minus 3 yesterday but a beautiful cold, bright day with cloudless blue skies.... perfect for rugby, well, watching in the warm anyway 😆 Incredibly it’d warmed up to 11 degrees at 7am this morning and rain forecast all day so we got out early!

We had such a lovely day watching the rugby, it almost felt ‘normal’ as if we were at home, except that we had to start at 10.15 due to the time difference! I presume you’re not in England...or are not English? 🤔 It felt like a bit of a hollow victory yesterday as it was such a rubbish match... it almost felt as though ‘we’ didn’t deserve to win the championship; best match definitely last we thought. Just happy to be able to watch tho’ 😊

[Candyfloss64 Graduate]

Well done you. So many parallels here.

I get what you say about too many questions. I do like to try to zone out a bit.

I too prefer running somewhere quiet and don't like running around the roads. Also I have back problems too. 3 x Degenerated discs, endplate changes, spondalosis, and arthritis. All this has developed into chronic pain syndrome.

I was swimming twice a week before this blasted virus hit us. Not only was it my form of exercise but I also used it to destress. As you probably know pain causes tension causes pain. I was missing swimming so much, I had to do some thing. And like you, I'm not your regular fan of running. But, I was inspired by a very large man friend of mine, with back problems, who completed the c25k programme. I had to give it ago. And I've surprised myself. I stuck to it. And I feel it does somehow loosen up my back. So all good so far.

[CazzaW Graduate in reply to Candyfloss64]

Yes, many similarities 😊 I have a scoliosis so have constant discomfort lower left back and upper right. I was really worried that running would aggravate it, but like you so far so good. I think running has helped my core and certainly seems to loosen the muscles between my shoulders. I feel for you not being able to swim, I have a friend with back problems and she depends on it to help her pain.

We’re doing well 🙌 long may it last 👍