Week 4 Run 1 - Woodpeckers, Mud, Pace & Distance

[Birdlady64]

Out before work this morning to avoid the forecast lunchtime rain.

The degree of faffage seems to have increased in those months I didn't run - it's impossible for me to get out inside half an hour. That's without bothering to make a coffee or anything.

I opted for a short sleeved tee under a long sleeved high-vis top this morning, Mistake! 🥵 One layer would have sufficed.

The birds were really active in the woods this morning - I really like being able to hear them calling now I have my Aftershokz headphones (now rebranded as Shokz). The woodpeckers were drumming well too. A sign of the lengthening days 😀

The mud levels have increased since Sunday, but my trusty Salomon Supercross coped admirably. I'll keep running here for as long as I can. I much prefer it to the roads.

The run itself was OK, although somehow the toxic 10 seems much more of an issue with the stop-start of the run-walk intervals, than with straight running. Or maybe it's just because I'm still not conditioned for running after my layoff. I was slower today than on week3 run3, but I'm not too worried about that.

I covered much more ground on this run than on the week 3 runs - a reflection of the longer duration of the run intervals I suppose. I'll try a slightly different route for my next run.

The photo was taken on my 5 minute cool-down walk.

Happy running everyone! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

[Indielass00 Graduate]

Nice run Birdlady64 . Me and my daughter headed for woodlands and fields on our Sunday run but soon headed back to boring pavements. I had totally forgotten how much it rained on Saturday and the paths were too slippy with mud.

[Birdlady64 Graduate in reply to Indielass00]

Thanks Indielass00 I love the woods and am so glad I got my trail shoes. They're great in the mud

[Hidden]

That looks fantastic Birdlady. I want to get back into the woods but it is still way to wet and mushy for my road shoes 😪

[Birdlady64 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

You need to invest in some trail shoesMine have pretty aggressive lugs, perfect for the mud

[dijep Graduate]

How lovely to hear the woodpeckers as you were running.I spotted a continually circling Red Kite when I was dog walking, it was really low at times. Eventually I found a partly eaten Pheasant - obviously what it was after.

[Birdlady64 Graduate in reply to dijep]

Yes Red Kites are archetypal scavengers really. But such beautiful graceful birds

[Phdgranny Graduate]

Beautiful scenery! I usually run in the woods but my curly white dog Tia ends up plastered in mud and it takes me longer to get her clean than the run itself!! (See picture) Aftershokz are great.

Dirty doggy in the mud

[Birdlady64 Graduate in reply to Phdgranny]

Aww! So beautiful! I can't imagine trying to get her clean again

[Hidden]

Class Diane in buckets, and yes the woodpeckers were out in force today must be a weather thingy 👍 keep that momentum

[Birdlady64 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Ian. That's my aim

[Roxdog Graduate]

Wasn't it warm this morning! Glad you beat the rain and enjoyed the run, in spite of the toxic ten! Week 4 - on you go!

[Birdlady64 Graduate in reply to Roxdog]

Way too warm. Wished I'd gone shorts and tee but it's so hard to tell atm. It was sub zero a few days ago.

[skysue16 Graduate]

Lovely photo 🙂. How do you find the Salomon shoes? I will need to get some more trail shoes soon, my current ones have holes (big toe and side of foot), but soles are fine which is annoying.