Week 8 Run 1................... There I was, running like a gazelle, taking hills in my stride without the slightest change in pace or rhythm, the chariots of fire music playing from the clouds, the crowd cheering me on from the side lines and Laura encouraging me through my headphones to up my pace........... "Go for it!" And so I do, with the greatest of ease! All of a sudden a great realisation dawns on me........ I was born to run!
Nah! Not really! That was just a dream! This is how it really was:
Week 8 Run 1................... There I was, crashing through the undergrowth like an elephant in full fright, gasping up the slightest of inclines, wheezing along the canal side, my heart pounding like a jack hammer, my lungs on fire. The only thing coming out of the clouds was rain and lots of it! There was no crowd cheering me on from the side lines, just some old man walking his dog with his head down and barely a grunt of a "Good Morning!" Laura was strangely quiet in my headphones, so much so that I thought she'd fallen aseep and forgotten to remind me of the length of time I'd been running. Surely it must be 20 minutes in by now? Then she must have woken up. "You've run for 5 minutes now and should be settling into a nice easy rhythm"
5 MINUTES? YOU'RE KIDDING ME!
I have come to the conclusion that Laura sometimes tells porky pies! That's never only 5 minutes........... Is it? To top it all I come across a couple of other runners looking all comfortable and at ease with themselves with barely the slightest hint of pink in their cheeks. Me on the other hand................... Well, a beetroot on legs would be the closest description. But I had to make it look as though I was a hardened runner and loving it so, I increased my shuffle to a stride, sped up a little and fixed a grin on my face whilst amazingly managing to fit in a sprightly "Good Morning" in between gasps. I don't think they heard me wheezing............ Much! The minute I was round the corner it was back to the shuffle and scaring the animals as I tried to regulate my breathing. Why did I do that? Why?
Still, I completed my 28 minutes but it was so hard today mentally. The last 5 minutes seemed to go on for eternity and I was willing her to end my pain! Maybe I was just tired? I had after all just finished a 12 hour night shift.
Born to Run? Me? Ha!
Written by
Mrs_Miggins
Graduate
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How funny!! I'm sure u didn't look as bad as u think u did, plus at least ur out there doing it!!! Well done on keeping going and I admire ur determination, I struggle to drag myself out after a 9-5 day let alone 12 hours!!
If I didn't run during these times I would stop all together so I make myself. Oddly enough I can run quite happily after a 12 hour night shift when I'm absolutely knackered but wouldn't ever consider running after a 12 hour day shift! Think I just prefer to run in the mornings.
Inclines? On canal paths??? Shouldn't happen should it when you've carefully though out a hill-free route!!!! But you DID IT! The only increase left now is another 2 minutes - that only just over 5% more - you know you can do it!
One of my mental tricks is to imagine people at the finishing line and at points along the route, all cheering me on - sad isn't it!!!
Inclines on canal paths? Yes, strangely enough there are. We have a stretch of canal by us that has about 10 locks all fairly close together so the tow path is a gradual ascent. Fortunately I only had the last 2 locks to encounter but there was also a slight hill leading up to the canal too. I wish I could find a route that's hill free but, unless I stick to the part of the nature reserve I initially started training on (ooohh, get me...... started training on! Lol!) which would mean running for about 5 laps that would drive me nuts, I have no choice but to include a hill or two in my run. I'm just not made for hills I guess. It will never get easy!
Yes, Mrs M - I was trying to be humourous about the inclines - when my wife and I started cycling some time ago she wanted me to find hill-less routes, so I thought of going around reservoirs - you'd think the paths going around them would be flat, but the same happens - many of them have quite steep bits when stream and river beds occur!
I think everywhere was all flat until the day I started running and then suddenly, as if by magic, hills appeared! I'm positive the hills weren't there when I was walking around the area! Lol!
Absolutely. When we started running, I had worked out a particular route and used it a couple of times and told my wife it was all either downhill or flat. She tried it and came back telling me off for not mentioning the uphill bit approaching the church. I refused to believe it was uphill, so I was dragged there by the ear, forced down to ground level to look, and had to admit someone had put a "hill" there since my last visit - well, an incline anyway (good job she doesn't read this blog!!)
well done 28 minutes ~ the finishing line is so close
if its any consolation I always adorn the sweaty beetroot look after about 20mins of solid running & when faced with oncoming runners I have to tell myself that, although they look graceful & comfortable they dont actually know how long Ive been running for. it could have been an hour for all they know.
now if I can only figure out how come people manage to cross the finishing line of a marathon looking as if they have just run round the corner then I will be sorted....
I think they don't do the full marathon! I reckon they start it, jump in the car and drive the most of it and then get out just before the last bend, spray a little water on themselves to make it look like they've done some exercise and gently join in the queue of joggers having pretended to stop and stretch! I've come to the conclusion that only proper runners get that beetroot look! At least that's what I keep telling myself!
Yes, beetroots unite! W5R1 for me today and it was the first time I have run in daylight. I felt very self-concious about my red face so when I passed a cool looking jogger coming in the other direction I said, "Morning, nearly finished now". i wanted her to think I had run for miles and not just the 3x5mins I had actually done.
I read your blog, Mrs_Miggins, and was about to say how nice it woud be to run to Chariots of Fire in week eight but alas! I guess this was in your dream too was it?
You had enough breath in your body to say 4 words????? Are you bionic? Did you have a pre-recorded voice synthesizer or some such thing in your pocket? (Actually, that's not a bad idea!) Lol! It's all I can do to find the energy to cough some days! Saying 2 words took it right out of me! I really must get this breathing thing into touch!
Well done on reaching Week 5 by the way. You'll be comforted to know that this is where the pain really kicks in! Mwahahahahaha! *Evil Laugh*
As for chariots of fire, I think I may offer to pay Laura to put it in for week 8! Not only is it very fitting (and I can pretend to be the greatest runner of all time) but it will be far better than the dire tripe currently buzzing in my ear! I'm afraid the music gets worse as you progress, not better! Still, my dreams shall continue long after week 9 has passed me by. I may even think about putting words to chariots of fire and singing along to it!
Brilliant! I read this just before going out for my w8r1 and thought of you gazelle-like with the cheering crowds when I was huffing and puffing and trying to catch my breath! I can't get this breathing lark sorted and I think I probably sound like I'm about to collapse. Fortunately I run up a farm track so there aren't too many witnesses!!
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