CR7 6km gazelle-tastic!! 🦌🦌🦌💥🎉

[Runforurlife]

Morning all, happy to report I made it to my first 6km!! Headed out at 7.30am (on a Sunday? I don't even know who I am anymore..lol, I actually woke up and thought "Yes! Run time!"🤪) Started off on my regular route and diverted to the down/up under the train ramp route to my favourite park, and a few inclines to challenge me.

I'd put together a new playlist last night (New Wave & New Romantic mash up, bloody ace) and oh..I was enjoying the surprise element of wondering what tune was up next, took my mind off the "toxic 10" at least...kicking off with Joy Division 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' can only mean surely this is going to be a good run 💪🏻

I pressed on, found my pace ... had to pull it back a little after the dreaded ramps but I can honestly say, if it wasn't for this amazing plan, and the training over the weeks, I would easily have walked/run this but I kept on reminding myself I mustn't stop! That mantra truly gets me through a fair few runs.. no more "I'll get to the end of this road and treat myself to a little break at the lights" Oh nooo.... 😂 🤣

I took the time to 'mindfully' look at my surroundings a la GailX 😉really looking up at the beautiful autumn into winter trees as I ran past, their form and shape, their stillness. Some mad parakeets flying around..

3km in I thought, 'hmm...maybe I've more in the tank today, let's see' I turned round for the return at 4.5km and headed down my usual canal route home.. Pacing going well then I felt I was flagging.. Uh oh.. Keep on, keep your head up.. come on. Then, can I just say: THANK YOU ADAM ANT!!! "Ant Music" started up in my ears, if it wasn't for the timing of my new playlist and those excellent Burundi drum beats at the start of this track - I can highly recommend this track to get onto your playlist if you're into that kind of "vintage" lol. Just listen to the beat, omg..it really fired me up and I was off and heading to 6km. Yeehahh... I think the gazelles then came out to bound along beside me at that point, I felt propelled onwards..it almost felt like a runner's high and my Garmin buzzed in at 6km..💥 💥 So it was done: 6km in 42min at average pace 7.01km/min. And a heart rate of 128bpm. Umm..wow..

Happy Sunday running everyone. If you're sitting at home deliberating...faffing ..and you know it's your run day. Can I just say go out and DO IT! You will not regret it and the coming home feeling post-run is THE BEST x

[Peter44 Graduate]

Blimey, well done with that 🏃‍♀️ 6km!!!No stopping you now, and that pace 🥵, there was me thinking my run yesterday, was pretty good, you've smashed it!!! 💪💪💪

[Runforurlife Graduate in reply to Peter44]

Thank you 😀😀 Team gazelle are smashing it this week!

[Bambi2020 Graduate]

Sounds like Team Gazelle have all been out early today! 🦌🦌🦌You did a great run- 6km and in a good time !! 👍🏻👍🏻 I did 5.5km in 40mins but it felt tiring today. Who would have thought that we would be up and out running on a Sunday morning in the cold! I’m going to prepare well and try for the 6k on my next weekend run- you’ve inspired me 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

[Runforurlife Graduate in reply to Bambi2020]

Sounds like it has been a good few days all round for a few us on CR's 😀 I set the goal of reaching 6km this week and I guess that's done (really didn't think I'd do it so soon in the week!) Good to set a goal I think, keeps it all a bit more interesting. I reckon you are more than ready for your 6km!

[Scruff55 Graduate]

🤩 wow a great read and a great run. Well done good pace too. I went out this morning for a bit of jog run sprint to set me up for next weeks runs no where near you pace but a bit faster than normal. Happy running 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🌈🌈

[Runforurlife Graduate in reply to Scruff55]

Thanks 😀 I'm impressed you go out for a warm up jog/sprint ahead of your weekly runs! Pace is so personal to each runner 🦌 If you are seeing improvements then you know you're non the right track.

[Buddhagal Graduate]

WoW what a fantastic run and 6k in 42 min, what an incredible pace, absolutely smashed it👍👏. You're another great writer, I was with you all the way. I was just turning over at that time, wondering if I'd get a cup of tea in bed🤣. You must have some runner's high😁😁😁. Go gazelle, go😁😁🦌🦌. 🐢🐌🦌🏃‍♀️🙋

[Runforurlife Graduate in reply to Buddhagal]

Aw thanks 🤗Sometimes when I'm out on a good run, I'm composing my post-run verbage lol Helps to pass the time!!! I know that in bed faffing and lazing feeling too well 😂😂 Hope you got out for a run today or have plans for your next!

[Jericho2332 Graduate]

When oh when did we become Sunday morning running people?🤣 It still shocks me 🤣 but that sounds like a great run and a PB for distance too 💪🏻💪🏻

I also went 80s today, it certainly suits coach Bennett a bit more than my usual stuff. Coach Dyer hates it, anything less than hardcore and he's not happy 🤣🤣🤣 but I enjoyed it and kept me moving nicely, the 80s may have been a weird decade for fashion but it certainly had some great tunes!

[Runforurlife Graduate in reply to Jericho2332]

I'm in such an 80's groove at the moment (tbh my fave decade for music). Might hit some 90's dance tunes this week to mix it up. I reckon Coach Dyer likes a bit of hardcore house or trance 🤣🤣🤣lol

[StoneDragon Graduate]

Wow R4UL, great run 🦌🦌 great distance and pace - and your heart rate was really good for that pace too!! Puts me to shame! 🙌🤣 ❤️ (my heart rate was pretty high today!).

You’re doing great 👍 that really was gazelle-tastic 🦌🦌🎉

[Runforurlife Graduate in reply to StoneDragon]

Thanks! I was fairly surprised to see my low heart rate as it's usually in the 150-156bpm range 🤔 And especially with the ramps up and down and inclines, my heart rate didn't feel particularly serene today 😆 I am upping my pace a bit now I feel I've got more fitness to do so. I have to say the new trainers have really helped put a spring and a bounce in my runs too, I wonder if that's helped the pace?!

[nowster Graduate]

Well done! 👍

Did Adam Ant "Stand and Deliver"?

6km is my planned run tomorrow.

[Runforurlife Graduate in reply to nowster]

lol He certainly did 😀 My very own Prince Charming on this particular run !!

[nowster Graduate in reply to Runforurlife]

He's a bit of a Goody Two Shoes, isn't he? 😀

[GailXrunning Graduate]

Cripes! You’re only on CR7!!😂 I’ll be nowhere near that in 4 runs time. (Down! Get ye gone, you non-mindful competitive gremlins! 😈😈)

Congratulations. That’s another km-stone. And sounds amazing run all round. Swimming with 🐬 🐬🐬 Running with 🦌🦌🦌 Flying with 🦅 🦅🦅 Stepping to 🐜 🐜🐜!!! An inspiring read. The combo of your aesthetic reflections and the timing start-up of AatA: loved it.

[Runforurlife Graduate in reply to GailXrunning]

Thank you 😀 We are all moving at our own pace through this plan and that's the beauty of it. The pace comes gradually with increased fitness and cardio capability (listen to me sounding like a PT 🤣) I do feel fitter than I've ever been and the regular running is helping on many fronts so much. So grateful to have found running. Aren't we lucky?!

[GailXrunning Graduate in reply to Runforurlife]

☺️👍🍀

[SueAppleRun Graduate]

What a fantastic run andI love your playlist, in fact one of my tracks started with double drums and I briefly wondered if I’d snuck that track in but no, it wasPaul Simon instead but did remind me that Adam Ant might help me run faster