Hard work but worth it

[Yesletsgo]

After a 3 day break (not keen enough to run in the rain) I set off this morning full of energy. My route is alongside a river and the path was softer than usual so decided to carry on rather than moving to the grassy lower path below the seawall where I usually run. Mistake. A few yards in it turned to mud as far as the eye could see so I turned round and went to the lower level.

The grass must be two feet high, it's grown, and it was really hard going as it resists every step. The alternative is to lift my legs above it, again it's all extra effort. About ten minutes into the run the path is mown so I was looking forward to that bit, but then my music started playing up. I was looking at my phone as I ran, trying to sort it out when I went straight through a puddle and my shoes filled with water. I thought 'I'm not really enjoying this.'

Carried on a bit further and had a choice: carry on feeling ever crosser, turn round and go home and have to do all the hard work again feeling like I'd failed or...there's another route. It's my favourite walking route across the fields. It always feels like a very long walk, my son and I used to do it regularly and it takes about 40 minutes but I measured it last time and it's actually a lot shorter than my running route so I turned round and headed off.

It was a bit daunting as we always call this our 'long walk' but surprise, surprise 15 minutes later I was at the end and the cool down walk was on pavements not mud. It felt really quite amazing (in the literal sense) that I could cover all that path so quickly. So, I think the moral is if you don't like what you're doing, change it

[drun]

Some good resistance training there and you're right enjoying a run is a must. Regularly varying routes will certainly add to the enjoyment.

Keep up the good work

[Hidden]

You had a tough time but you got though it. Onwards and upwards. It reminds of when I was a diver, before one a dive we all had a 50 yard race along a pier wearing flippers!! Not a pretty sight!!

[Yesletsgo Graduate in reply to Hidden]

50 yards in flippers? Respect, I couldn’t run 5 yards in them 😂😂😂

[Hidden in reply to Yesletsgo]

It raised a few eyebrows! 😆😆

[Hidden]

That sounded like a real challenging run. Well done on getting through it.

Amazing how things change so quickly isn't it. I went out this morning to walk scope out tomorrow's run in the woods where I completed a lot of the C25K. I'm glad I did as the route along the towpath is almost unpassable now with stingers slapping at your legs. Needless to say I will revert back to my usual 5k tarmac route.

[Yesletsgo Graduate]

Running with nature is so wonderful but the growth that all this rain brings has its challenges! I've yet to encounter stinging nettles though I know they're there but yesterday I bought running leggings as I'm paranoid that ticks might start attacking my bare legs. You don't have to worry about this stuff on a treadmill 😂

[Hidden in reply to Yesletsgo]

😂😂😂😂