Week 6.. yay!

[PeggySusi]

The less said the better about Saturday.. the third run of week 5. I wasn’t in the mood for it and I really struggled after the firsr few minutes. I matched my running pace to my friend’s walking pace, just as I had done for run 2, and we chatted as before, but I wasn’t relaxed and I just felt too tired.. maybe I should have given myself an extra day without a run, as I had been out out the night before and Garmin showed a body battery “high” of only 37 when I woke up. But that hasn’t been unusual over the past few weeks of being busy and/or unwell, and I seem to find it easy to let days go by whilst making excuses not to run! I felt I needed to get on with it. I finished the twenty minutes, but at a very slow and heavy jog, and my heart rate was sky high by the last minute or so. I was rewarded by Mr Garmin knocking a point off my VO2 max and adding a year to my fitness age at the end of it! Pah! I know that the fitness age is entirely fictitious.. but I was upset by the reduction in VO2max because it has been 34 for ages.. upset mostly because I felt Mr Garmin‘s assessment was correct.. I really had struggled with a high heart rate and I had been out of breath. Very depressing as i couldn’t have gone any more slowly.

All is well again after today’s run, however.. as the points and age have just gone right back to their previous levels! Today was Week 6, run 1 and it was not nearly so difficult, although I set off feeling quite pessimistic.My prosthetic leg is still not right.. slipping slightly and letting air in, although its security and comfort depend on a vacuum seal. But it bedded in during the warm up walk and didn’t start slipping again until near the end, (sweat inside the liner.. sorry if that’s too much information..🤣). It was also raining, and it was freezing cold, but the benefit of that was that hardly anyone else was out and about on the forest tracks. In fact we saw only one woman holding two small scruffy black terriers on tight leads.. she let us pass as they growled ferociously.. my OH commented that the name Gnasher sprang to mind.

As runs go, it was definitely one of my best.. I wouldn’t say I felt strong, but I didn’t feel pathetic, and for the first time, instead of just struggling to get to the end, I felt I could, and did, increase my pace (a little) during the final minute. I could almost say.. I enjoyed it!

[Annieapple Graduate]

🍏PeggySusi there’s lots to celebrate here!!Although you were tired and not feeling like a run at all you got out there and did it. Win one!! Garmin was happy by the end!! Win 2! You overcame obstacles with the prosthetic leg Win 3! you persevered in spite of the elements Win 4! You almost enjoyed the run Yeah 👍& it was your best run as you upped the pace at the end Win 5.Now I would call that a very successful run with so much to be proud of!! 🫶🥰

[PeggySusi Graduate in reply to Annieapple]

Thanks Annie..yes! My main aim is to actually enjoy running, at least sometimes, so I’m very happy with that. ☺️

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

You enjoyed the run... and that says it all.

So many folk at the moment, especially our new forum friends, are just beginning to realise that, joy. has a lot to do with running.

You have always known that, but have gone through one heck of a lot over the past months.

Yet here you are.

You got out, you ran; despite a feeling of tiredness , a pesky tech tyrant, a slippery leg, inclement weather, Gnasher x 2 ...AND you ENJOYED it !!!

Just wow... a huge well done to you. x

[JeremiahObadiah Graduate]

So many little invisible both physical and mental things seem to contribute to a run going well and feeling good or a run feeling like wallowing in treacle. If one could work out exactly the winning formula , one could make a lot of £££ selling the system.

The mental gymnastics of completing a grim run and awarding oneself the prize of knowing that it is a building block for a future better run is advanced level mind games .

It seems to me that to nurture the dedicated repeat runner in oneself, these mind games are paramount. I’m not sure I’ve conquered the naysaying part of my brain yet.

[PeggySusi Graduate in reply to JeremiahObadiah]

That’s a very interesting point, and I certainly wish I had the formula! From one day to the next I change my mind about what is achievable and what is ridiculously out of reach. I do know from experience that persistence, focus and above all, confidence, are the keys to success, whether in work or play.

[Jools2020 Graduate]

Well done for W6R1. You put the not-so-satisfying run behind you and after a shaky start you forged through the doubts and had a really good run. Hopefully you can build on that!

So many factors affect heart rate and it’s frustrating when what worked on one run doesn’t work for the next. You already listed a few reasons why you think W5R3 was such hard work. But you still did it anyway!

Much to congratulate yourself for 👏👍

[PeggySusi Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

Thank you ☺️

[SweatyHettie Graduate]

first and foremost- well done 👏🏼 that was a great achievement you are an inspiration especially to pick yourself up and go again

Mind games are a funny thing aren’t they ? I’ve never worked out why some days I could run forever and some days it’s just a slog. I don’t think I do anything particularly differently beforehand at any time but perhaps a sports scientist could tell me 🤔

I make a point of not setting much store by stats personally, other than what I find interesting. Each to their own of course but I have my own singometer which lets me know if I’m putting to much effort in - if I can’t sing I’m going too fast! Sometimes I think there’s just too much information out there to analyse. ( not just in running actually - my daughter has found it a minefield navigating all the information during pregnancy and now as a new mum- I’m sure her generation find things to worry about - perhaps I’m getting old because of course new research etc is valuable, but dissecting everything to the nth degree?? 🤷🏼‍♀️)

Oh dear I seem to have gone off on one … I guess my main point about data is make it work for you and don’t get too hung up on it

[PeggySusi Graduate in reply to SweatyHettie]

Thanks Hettie.. the singing idea is a good one except that I just can’t sing.. that would really scare away any passers by - although maybe that would be useful. I do try to make sure I can chat though, even if only to the dog.

I’m afraid I’m with your daughter.. I can’t help myself.. I read every book I could find during my first pregnancy (Sheila Kitzinger) and anticipated all the worst possibilities for childbirth and child rearing..(Penelope Leach). I’m just not relaxed enough and I want all the information to analyse! I do know it doesn’t do any good because the more I worry (about anything) the lower my Garmin body battery goes.. I really need to do some yoga and meditation..🤣

[SweatyHettie Graduate in reply to PeggySusi]

Don’t get me wrong Peggy I absolutely cannot sing!! I’m sure I’m known locally as the mad dog running wailing woman! Like you I do chat to the dog as we are pootling as well.

Gosh good old Penelope Leach, I’d forgotten about her! I’m definitely one for research, I always like to be armed with knowledge, but it does concern me that in what is already an anxiety driven world, sometimes there is just too much to worry about. I’ve really noticed with my daughter’s crowd that they over analyse everything- but maybe that’s because two of them are psychologists 🤣

I definitely need to do more yoga - I used to love doing Body Balance at the gym, no longer a member but I really do need to find a way of getting back to it before these creaky old bones seize up completely!