The hardest run and the best heckle ever

[ifnotnow]

I ran W5, R3 today - 20 minutes, I can hardly believe it! I have to admit, 5 minutes in, I thought the game was up - this was definitely the hardest run so far - does it get any easier after this? I run circuits of the local park and on my third circuit a man sitting on a bench shouted at me "aren't you dead yet?"! He seemed very cross that I hadn't collapsed! True, when I got home my face was the colour of a roasted tomato.....felt great though. Good luck to everyone this week, no matter what stage you're at.

[Legion Graduate]

Interesting comment! He was evidently impressed at your stamina, quite rightly. Wow, will I really be running for 20 mins in a month's time?!

[FunnyFace]

Congratulations! I remember the elation at finishing my first 20 min run! It does get a bit easier (although I did the 20 min run a few times). I always look a train wreck after running and my face is so red I always avoid eye contact in my five min cool down...my redness makes me self conscious of all the people who stare at me when they drive past! What a great heckle!

[Nevertoolate Graduate]

Well done for doing the 20 minutes! Your blog is great - I really laughed. But what a cheek from an evident couch potato! I bet you wished you had some cutting retort and enough breath to deliver it!

And yes, it does get better. I'm doing 25 minutes this week and suddenly things seem so much easier. The breathing sorts itself out, the legs ache less and you just have to work on keeping going mentally. I keep trying to pretend that I'm going for 30 minutes and then gratefully stop 5 minutes before the end. Have a good week 6!

[bonnie68 Graduate]

Congrats on 20 minute run, that was the one that made me cry (that I managed it!). My best heckle so far was around week 3 from a group of school kids, "wow, she looks like she has been attacked by a bear !".

[ifnotnow Graduate]

Thank you for the encouraging comments - glad to hear that I'm not alone in finding it hard, and that it does get easier. I think the bear heckle beats mine And Legion, I promise you, if I can do it, you can: Laura will get you there!

[mair99 Graduate]

Great run! If someone heckles you about time etc just remind them you are running faster than them!

[ifnotnow Graduate in reply to mair99]

Thank you! I will have to do that (if I have enough breath!)

[klw13 Graduate]

Well done you. I am impressed that you go out when other people are around - I wimp out and go at 6am so no one can see me huffin' and a puffin'!

[ifnotnow Graduate]

Thank you I wish I could do that, but I'm too lazy to get up any earlier!