Hello everyone! Here I am and I hope, despite the lateness of this post... again, that some of you will join me !
The Corner is warmer than of late, although the rain is here again; the snacks are ready, the drinks are here... lemon drizzle cake, fresh pastries and a super-power blueberry smoothie!
First off I would like to pin a link here, for any of our NEW runners visiting today...and maybe some repeaters or recent IC occupants may want to take a peek.
I do know some folk have not read, much of the incredible information !
healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
Do please check this out, essential reading yes, but there is a wealth of useful information on here.
Okay. I am, without apology going to use a post from two years ago.
I have been thinking. Always worrying, as my husband will tell you..
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.
But as ever, also, we have quite a few, worried posts. This never changes.
Worry is a normal part of our lives... the way we handle it... well,,, there is the issue. Over worry is the worst thing.
" 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 words 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) . (And yes, over the last weeks, the weather has been exactly the same as two years ago).
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. “
Those last words.... are key... then and now. Believe in Yourself.
I look forward to seeing you here, with us, and to finding out what you are all up to and how it is all going
Happy, safe running, everyone
Oldfloss x
