CR3: Dirty-trick run

[GailXrunning]

Dynamically warmed-up and foam-rollered to the edge of physical oblivion (me), and reinforced by the required wake-up espresso (M), we set off just after 9.30. Parakeets had been audible since I got up, and on the way to the park a small flock alighted in an already blossoming cherry tree. Only 2 were left by the time I’d got out the phone (see bad pic).🦜🦜They had transferred to a golden-leaved tree on our return.

Counterclockwise won the day, but the high fog sitting above the tree canopy was solid. The best morning light effects are to be had in this direction, but we were denied those today; we chatted a bit about that. All remaining autumn colours were muted. Nonetheless, there is still something beautiful about this flat light, we agreed. We also spoke about the relative difficulties felt on this run (‘seems harder today’, ‘breathing is more laboured’), but also that we were enjoying ourselves. (The air quality today is ‘poor’). Reflecting on our longer-term goal, I gestured in the direction of a known 5k circular route that goes through the park and on to another green space well beyond. How lucky we are / will be. M flinched and offered the opinion that all we need is to add another circuit of the current location. I mused that there was going to be plenty of time to work on this particular mental block.

Lots of runners were out and about, including one older guy struggling to maintain his jog with his wife strolling alongside. This reminded us of how far we’d come in just 3 months. We gave both of them a cheery and encouraging (and welcomed) thumbs-up when we crossed paths again on the second circuit.

Parakeets were being very shouty in the park too. I’ve now recruited all birds to cheerlead us along: see them as your avatars, c25k buddies! The crow is a regular and guaranteed to get close. Just speaking back to them tangibly eases any physical discomfort. I also said hello to some other runners to produce the same good feeling; if they didn’t respond, I smiled yet more broadly or laughed - so I’m on to a win-win either way. Tbh these little activities seemed to absorb most of the 30 minutes. Again, it went by in a jiffy.

In the final leg, M decided to kick up his pace, leaving me behind in his dust clod. When Runkeeper notified we’d completed our 30 minutes (‘3.95k’, advised the digital voice), I decided it would be interesting to see what the time would be to get to 4k. Obv, being so far ahead, M didn’t know about this tiny adaptation. Dirty trick that! 😈🥵 Took longer than I’d imagined, too.

30 minutes = 3.95 km (I forget the pace).

4km = 30.29s = 7.37 average pace.

Splits (I have learned what these are!): 7.34, 7.31, 7.37, 7.43, 7.25 (the last signalling my extra finishing effort over <100 meters while M crumpled).

Over breakfast, M declared his love of running, confirmed major improvements to a chronic hip problem, and asked for my view (?) on running belts.

[Peter44 Graduate]

Sounds like another good run, and those times, blimey, everyone's leaving me behind! 🤣Bet someone was happy, with the footy, just finished!!! 😀

[GailXrunning Graduate in reply to Peter44]

😂🤣Indeed... after a miserable and gloom-ridden start. And old memories of wearing grey in a city on the south coast. Our lunch entailed many groans, head in hands, expletives... You can imagine. Anyway, it’s all turned out well and M’s back to studying running belts.

We’ll all improve if we keep at it. All on our own journeys and mustn’t compare!!! You’re able to do some bigger distances already. We’ve got to build towards these. And it gives us something to work towards after the graduation.

[Peter44 Graduate in reply to GailXrunning]

Ahhh, the famous grey shirts! 🤣I'll have to arange for someone to ring me again next week, while on my longer run! Was looking at the times, while on said call for 20 mins, much slower than usual 🤣 my team also won yesterday, we play in yellow!!! 😀

[Jools2020 Graduate]

Lovely post from you and well done for your 4K run! 👏👏👏

[GailXrunning Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

Thanks! It seemed just so close, and too good to miss, but that 29 seconds to get there were hard. Probably a lesson in patience in there somewhere!!

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to GailXrunning]

I remember when I did something similar, but it was more like 3 minutes! I was so determined to do it, I was staggering at the end, but I did it. Now I can comfortably run 4K in less than 30 minutes, but it took a while, it certainly didn’t happen overnight. I had to learn patience first and the benefits of long, slow runs!

[Hidden]

Wow GailXrunning brilliant report, stats and everything I'd say the addiction is clearly getting hold 🥳

[GailXrunning Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Oh, I rather fear that might be so. 😂🤣 The casual experimentation back in early September... etc, etc,... learning the va-va-voom of (almost) ‘naked’ running... +Having a wonderful time!! 😆

(M is engaged in more Google searches for running toys too! It’s only a matter of time until he cottons on to the existence of something called Garmin.)

[Bambi2020 Graduate]

Well done to you both- I love reading your posts- they always leave me uplifted- how far we’ve all come. It’s good to have our little gazelle family keeping us going!

[GailXrunning Graduate in reply to Bambi2020]

Amazing, isn’t it!! Watching the man and his wife really brought it home. Seeing that she was strolling reminded me about the ‘slow running’ style that made this even possible (certainly, for me and M). Now here we are thinking about post-consolidation training plans! And the gazelle family has most definitely spirited me along!! Brilliant!

[Buddhagal Graduate]

Morning Gail,another fantastic run,well done👏👏. And another beautifully written post..😁. How lucky to have lots of green space to run. I love that you've got the birds as cheerleaders😁. You're really progressing with your runs, I guess checking your stats does give you a clear indication of just exactly how each run goes. NO... I'm not ready for splits yet, my watch isn't that sophisticated anyway, and I won't be upping my game until I've done a few more CR's😂. Runkeeper...oh is that an app? But the stats are interesting. Do you check your split times as you run, to check you're running at a steady pace, or is this a post run overall stat check? Oh I see Runkeeper has an audible voice. It's so great to hear how everyone's moving along on their running journey...keep sharing...you all keep me motivated, especially over this particular year. And I absolutely love reading your posts, so descriptive. 🦌🐢🐌🚶‍♀️🚶‍♀️🙋

[GailXrunning Graduate]

Hi, Birds are brilliant cheerleaders; I highly recommend them!!

Runkeeper is an app for phone. I think there’s another called Strava. And it looks like the NRC does the same too.

I don’t look at it at all during the run. (I did have to for the final 29 seconds just to see when I reached 4K). You can set it to speak to you at any/ no intervals and select what it tells you. For me it’s primarily to speak the time (as C25k app does), as I so dislike the idea of clock watching and watch checking, which would put my mind in the wrong space. The app is currently set for every 10 mins, but I might change that so it interrupts less often. It also speaks my distance and pace - interesting, but I’m not chasing anything at the moment; and again I might switch off this until I need it. (It did help prove what we felt bodily- that we were finding a run harder because we were going faster.)

The splits show up on the app at the end along with the overall figures, and give details for each km (and at the end, the fraction of a km.)

[Buddhagal Graduate in reply to GailXrunning]

I can understand about the clock watching...yes that has a negative effect on me too...but I do like the sound of having an audible clock, that really appeals to me. Technology...just amazing hey....🦌🐢🐌🏃‍♀️🙋