W7R3 - hijacked by 🌧🌧🌈🌈

[GailXrunning]

[Oh dear (warning), this post got a bit out of hand:]

Run 2 (on Friday) was good. After the chat with littlelizzie, I tried going back to no music ... although not sure listening to husband complaining about the offside rule counts as ‘naked’ by imc50’s standard. At least it meant we could monitor our breathing.

For Run 3, I spent the weekend obsessively watching the ever-changing met office forecast, looking for the drier windows. What started as a plan for Tuesday became Monday. After all those efforts the 10% chance of rain was waiting to pounce on us ☔️ ... blustery, horizontal rain, just from the end of warm-up walk. + 🌈 So we’re now initiated to running in the rain. A milestone reached.

Mr doesn’t like it much (can’t see well through 👓). I tried to laugh at the weather and at myself and at my hopelesss visibility (same reason). Like lol. A lot. That seemed to help, but it was probably as well that most folks had left the park and gone home. Still, with the conditions and the heavier ground, I confess I found this one the tougher runs to complete. But complete it I/ we did. That makes me feel strong💪

Still trying out the music-free experience, and listened to (most of) a mindful running podcast. I imagined this might be a nice compromise with the full-on sound-naked mode. And that I’d learn some stuff to apply for myself on future runs. It’s obv geared to more experienced types and to longer runs (but, I realised, not that much longer than my 25 mins + 5 + 5..., which will soon be more!!) Anyway, I only got to (trying to) be mindful about some parts of my body. Guess the other parts must wait until I graduate (and then some). I really warmed to the chap who was talking me through, but think I was being more mindful of his footfall and breathing than my own (which was absolutely cool, though - and, for me, much preferable and more meditative than the beats on music pacesetters). Looking ahead into the mid distance (the mindful ‘head’ section) rather focused my attention too much on Mr speedy, who was now a good 150m ahead, which prompted a long reflection on my line-up of gremlins and - the breakthrough 💭 - a useful rethink of Mr as a very useful point-marker.

[Buddhagal Graduate]

Love the post 😁😁. Despite, what seemed a tough un you pushed through...way to go. Yep we're fighting with quite a few weather challenges at the mom..so even more congrats on completing your run. Well done.👏👏👏🙋

[GailXrunning Graduate in reply to Buddhagal]

That’s so nice, Buddhagal; thank you. Each run, new lessons. Looking forward to news of your next one. Go for it (but slowly)... 😊

[Buddhagal Graduate in reply to GailXrunning]

Cheers...and YES....slowly..for my next run.😁🐌🐌🐌

[Elfe5 Graduate]

Very well done on completing W7. 😄

It sounds like a running cap to keep the raindrops off your glasses might be helpful- also a breathable, waterproof, light running jacket so you don’t have to look for weather windows over the winter. 😄

Sounds like you are both doing really well, I will start hunting for the podium polish! 😄

PS I love the offside rule comments – reminds me of the time that Mr E explained all about scoring for cricket to take his mind off a traffic jam!😂

[GailXrunning Graduate in reply to Elfe5]

Thank you, Elfe5. We do indeed have the water-resistant running jackets at the ready, but it was a warm day and it was supposed to be dry (statistically speaking). We were taken completely by surprise. That was, I think, a good thing, because it forced the issue... and now we’ve run in a proper downpour. It was do we go home and wait (and get soaked) or go ahead (and get soaked): a no brainier. Plus I was in my ‘c’mon, we’re experimenting’ mood. I call that storm Serendipity.

My jacket was a very special treat for reaching end of W5 and to prepare for the coming weeks. Mr G has had one in the cupboard, unused, since the 90s. I think he already has a 🧢 in the same stash. He keeps saying he was a runner in 1992. My recollection is that he went out twice in total. His running shoes came from the same deep storage, although I treated him to a new pair recently. ‘Must look after your joints’, I said. On his birthday.

[LittleMissie]

Well done! I think I need music to help get me through it 🏃🏼‍♀️

[GailXrunning Graduate in reply to LittleMissie]

Thanks. Ha ha! I think we can do what we each need to help us... and we sometimes really need the help. 😉

I’d started with nothing but Laura (and sometimes Mr G chelping on about the latest controversies on the pitch.. a conversation I’m very happy to have, just not all of the time). So I tried Pacesetter from bbc when I reached the 20-min run - admittedly an odd choice for one my age. All part of the learning curve, I thought: new rap and new dance tunes. Interesting, but I started to feel a bit stressed by the beat/ pace... or by the weird gap between that and my own steps and breaths. I’m guess I’m not yet ready to have my pace set. 😉 😂

[acountrycabbage Graduate]

Well done Gail for persevering despite the rain and it being a tough one. You felt strong and so you should 💪🏼 I sometimes find the rain to be empowering - it’s just me against the elements 🤨⬅️ #gameface

Have you heard of Accuweather? It’s a weather app that gives you a supposed min by min weather report for 2 hrs ahead. I’ve had 1 miss but otherwise have found it to be scarily accurate!

One step closer to graduation! ✅ Roll on W8! 😎

[GailXrunning Graduate in reply to acountrycabbage]

Thanks for the suggestions and support. I’m checking out that app. I’m especially taken by the view of rain as empowering. I can see the ‘refreshing’ angle on a warmer day, but ‘empowering’ opens a whole new avenue. Who know, I might even end up using the app to actively seek out downpours!!

🤔😂 🌧💨🌧 💪💪

[acountrycabbage Graduate in reply to GailXrunning]

Ha ha, I’m not quite there either but definitely don’t mind being caught out once I’m warmed up. As long as there’s not a gale blowing at the same time there’s little chance of feeling cold at least ☺️🏃‍♀️

[MoliJ Graduate]

Well done Gail, not long now until you complete C25k, oh and my name is Gail too 😀

[GailXrunning Graduate]

😀 I know it (in my head) - but still need to ‘own it’ (a common problem, I sense, for many of us in these stages). Good to be reminded to do so even if we’re still gawping at the evidence, shaking our heads and muttering OMG. And so great to have input from those on the other side!

I think G was a choice (although never super common) for parents in late 50s and early 60s. Whenever I meet another G, we almost always belong to the same generation.