Hello everyone, and yes, it is that time again and here I am waiting for you in the Corner... we have a different view from the corner today and some great cushions.
The Corner may be different, but the welcome is the same... in fact there is always a welcome here. ( Can you guess where I am)? 
First off I would like to pin a couple of links for any of our NEW runners visiting today...and maybe some repeaters or recent IC occupants may want to take a peek.
healthunlocked.com/couchto5....
healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
Do please check these out, essential reading yes, but there is a wealth of useful information on both posts.
Okay.
I have been thinking. Probably a tad too much, which has brought on these musings. I have read a lot of your posts this week and am in awe, as ever, of the way you are moving through C25K, either for the first time, or as a repeat, Following the plan and taking each week as it comes. You are doing brilliantly!
But as ever, also, we have quite a few, worried posts.
These are very, very uncertain times for us all, and for us as runners, there is a long, long list of things which may be impacting negatively, on our runs and taking some of the enjoyment out of this great plan!
We may worry about the pandemic, the news, bad weather, illness and family; about not being good enough to run, not running fast enough or far enough, and even, failing ultimately.
So what are we able to do? Well, I was lying in bed thinking, and I came up with three words.
Acknowledge
Accept
Adapt
Having had those pop into my head, what followed was;
Acknowledge + Accept + Adapt = NOW
Weird eh? But to me it makes perfect sense.
We are in a situation, and basically, that is it.( Here that situation is our running). The situation is as it is, we are doing what we are doing, and overthinking, and over-worrying is going to change that, not a jot.
How then do we handle it ? Well, those three words may help to make it simple.
Look at the photograph.
I acknowledge that it is wet and cold ( rainy and foggy too) .
I accept that I need to run.
I adapt to the fact, by wearing my wet weather gear, and I run.
Now.
So, applying the three words here;
If you are following C25K , whether at Week 1, Week 5 or Week 9, it is simple; you just follow the plan.
You acknowledge the plan that is C25K.
You accept that each run will move you onto the next and to Graduation.
You adapt, to wind and weather and to any obstacle that may occur, but always confident in the knowledge that you will move on at some point.
This is running in the NOW.
The Now is the thing .
You take each run as it comes.
It's all about being focused; on each run, acknowledging the run, accepting what is happening, ( good or bad), and adapting.
I don't want to use words like mindfulness, or in the moment, but I suppose it is a bit like that.
It's about each run and the NOW of that run.
Each run may have similarity in the now, but in some the, now will be different.
Is this making any sense to anyone?
Yesterday, I was in a situation, not a running one but a very tricky one. It all resolved, but I think that was where all this kicked off.
I suddenly realised, that what happened, in that sort of situation, was going to be a permanent thing, which would always happen, so, I acknowledged, I have not accepted, yet... that is going to be hard, but I will and I will then, adapt.
Some runs will be like that. E.g.
There may be pain or a twinge, so, acknowledge,( listen to your body)
I landed awkwardly, the ground is lumpy, accept.
Ease back, take it gently and stretch well, post run, adapt.
The more difficult time to do this, will be if you become distracted.
Try to just focus on you, your body, and your mind too, on your run...be aware of you, running in the now.
Let thoughts come, and they will come, thoughts about speed, distance, style or pace, it's perfectly natural, but then, let them go, or label them and put them in your memory jar and then try to re-focus again on you and your run.
If this has made any sense at all to any to you, the message here is, for all of us, not just our new runners, positivity not negativity, trying not to over-think or over-worry, trusting in the plan and believing in yourself.
I look forward to your replies and to finding out what you are all up to and how it is all going
Happy, safe running, everyone
Oldfloss x
PS
That day was cold and wet and foggy and I thought I was being chased by the Hound of the Baskervilles...but that's a story for another day x
PPS
I have put shout outs out for a few friends, I have a horrid habit of wondering if folk are okay ! I do know, though , that some folk are really into their running at the moment and life is so busy, so please forgive and old worrier snail!
I do miss posts sometimes too!
