Consolidation Run 1..Feel the fear & do it anyway!

[Runforurlife]

Glad to have got my first consolidation run done and it was such a beautiful Autumnal morning, a real pleasure to be out and so mild, and I was happy I'd headed out in a t-shirt and not a long sleeve top. It actually felt like shorts weather! 🔥

So, the fear bit. I felt some trepidation at the prospect of no Jo for my first run post-graduation so I dipped back into the plan and ran W9R3 again just to have the routine and I cranked up some 90's dance tunes as if it really was Week 9 again, and headed off.

I had treated myself to some new trainers on Weds night, the day of my graduation run and the last day before Lockdown 2.0 and running shops would be closing! Got some new Adidas Boosts and they are lovely, and clean and shiny and bouncy...I just couldn't bring myself to break them in yet on this run, and risk getting them dirty - the fear! - so I ran in my old Adidas (complete with toe starting to peek through the right shoe!!) Turns out it wasn't too wet or muddy and I could easily have worn them without trashing them. AHH! 😩

Anyway, the run. It was "OK", certainly no gazelle moments today and in the last 10mins the prospect of any kind of sprint or improving my distance, felt out of reach so I just kept going... And it was done. 30mins / 4.40km (my longest distance yet by a smidge) and a faster pace that all my Week 9 runs. Oh, better than I thought!! Happy with that 🤩

Hope everyone's runs go well today. Keep smiling and know you got out there and lapped everyone still on their couch 😜 💪🏻

[nowster Graduate]

If you're aiming for a sprint finish, I'd suggest no more than a minute to start with. It will be tiring, but can be quite a buzz.

Good run! 👍

[Runforurlife Graduate in reply to nowster]

Thanks! I think I might be aiming for a 20 sec sprint max if I can make it. But will work up from there if I can..

[Bambi2020 Graduate]

Well done- that was a good run- 4.4 in 30mins-speedy! There must have been a gazelle in there somewhere. 🦌

We’re all getting a bit better week by week- who’d have thought we’d be doing this 10 weeks ago! 😁😁

[Runforurlife Graduate in reply to Bambi2020]

haha! I know, a very shy gazelle this morning ☺️

[LauraRuns Graduate]

Glad to hear your first consolidation run went well! 🏃🏼‍♀️ It’s weird how sometimes you think you’re going super slowly and it turns out you were actually pretty speedy, congrats on getting your longest distance yet 🎉

[Runforurlife Graduate in reply to LauraRuns]

I know! I was surprised. Just goes to show, stick with it, don't stop and you might surprise yourself 😊 I just want to build up to 5km now and see where I am on pace/time.

[LauraRuns Graduate in reply to Runforurlife]

You’ll get to 5k in no time I’m sure!! You’re already pretty close ☺️🏃🏼‍♀️

[Peter44 Graduate]

Sounds like a nice run, it does feel very mild today. Interesting hearing you use the c25k app still, got my first consolidation run tomorrow, not sure weather to try nike app, or like you, stick to w9r3, with laura! 🤔

[StoneDragon Graduate]

Well done R4UL 👍🙌 Glad to hear your first consolidation run went well and a new PB too 💪🎉I think you need to be wearing those new trainers to run in though - you might find that you go even faster then!! 🦌

[Runforurlife Graduate in reply to StoneDragon]

Thanks SD! I think you may be right... I am def wearing them for my next run 😉

[GailXrunning Graduate]

Sometimes good things arrive by the back door??!! Gives another spin to the injunction ‘less is more’. 😉

Fascinating to read about our different individual fears. I hadn’t thought about the clean-shoe one before, but then remembered that I had trodden very gingerly around muddy patches when bought mine. I managed to preserve their pristine look for a while.

But - you already know - the real love 💕 is (and will be) for the well-worn. Maybe just face the fear; go out there and jump in a few dirty puddles 😂 . You can do it!!!

[Jericho2332 Graduate]

Well done you! Better each time! A great sign 💪🏻👍🏻 I would have went for the new runners, love to test out new gear 😁

I've got my own fears for morning, first run in few days and I'm not 100% confident my knee is ready, going to try it though 🤞🏻

You will be fine running without a trainer though when your ready, I found it easier than I thought it would. Even running with no sound is not too bad but I think I do prefer music/podcast/something to the sound of my laboured breathing 🤣🤣

[Runforurlife Graduate]

Fingers crossed for you tomorrow morning 🤞🏻A good warm up and hopefully you’ll be set for a decent run.

I ran the first 4wks of the plan without music (until I realised you could have music and the plan running at the same time 😂) and I think I prefer music over the sound of my mad heavy breathing 😂😂 but it also keeps me going. Nothing beats that moment when a top tune comes on and it spurs you on!

I am definitely wearing my new trainers next run 🏃‍♀️