Got home from work which consisted of another two dance classes and set out for W8R1 with hope after the last run. I guess it's new music on the podcasts but I get very confused with my pace when I listen to new music. I did the first KM in under 5 minutes (!!!!) so I knew I was in trouble and sure enough by 17 minutes I felt that now familiar pain in my stomach and had to stop before I started dry retching again. Well I guess I know where that's coming from now!!
So I came home feeling pretty devastated and figured I'd do the sensible thing and try again tomorrow night. But wait, I have a theatre trip tomorrow night with my students which means I can't run until Friday. Arrrgghhhhhhhhhhh! Well that did it and I resolved to try again tonight, otherwise I'll be behind schedule. I have a parkrun lined up for my graduation run next Saturday and I want to make sure that IS my grad run.
Well out I went and consciously slowed right down. The breathing felt better and I was doing my KM laps in just under 7 minutes per KM which is a bit more realistic. I got through the 5 laps in 28 minutes as I did on W7R3 but only this time, I just kept going. I felt ok, although my breathing was definitely heavier and added on another lock of streets to my run. I knew I could do the 5K if I just kept on going and sure enough at 33mins and 4 secs I passed the magic 5K mark.
Wow I'm soooo happy although I know I will suffer tomorrow. My feet hurt and on the back of one failed run and two dance classes, that's a LOT of exercise for today!! But I did it. I did the 5k, I ran for longer than I ever have and I'm bloody proud of myself. So 5 more runs to work on the stamina and hopefully run it a bit faster before I graduate. I'm a very happy, if sore, runner right now!
Great..well done you...I did the same on one of my failed runs.. nearly killed me!! I was chuffed with my 4K today now i'm going to have to do better!! ha ha
Thanks 7ermintrude! I'm probably more proud of getting right back out there and completing the run rather than the distance and time but that's cool too. It's the 3rd time I've had to dig deep and do this and I'm kind of hoping it will be the last!
Amazing Fraz!!!! Looks like you are learning what you need to do to keep your body happy. Such a great way to finish this program by doing a graduation parkrun. Sounds like you have a reason to be feeling some aches after reading your workout today!!! I'm doing a happy dance right now for you!!!!
Thanks Gayle and well done you on W9R2. One more to go!!!! I do hope you and the hubby keep posting here. Love all your blogs! Not sure I agree with knowing what keeps my body happy though. I had an achy ankle before I even started running at all tonight and now it's murder. So long as I can do the rest of the runs on schedule I'll be happy but if I need rest I'll have to take it at this point. Fingers crossed
well done! I did W8R2 today and also feel like I am running to a deadline. I am away for work the week after next and need to complete the final four runs every other day to graduate before I go (i have a couple of days leeway in this schedule) as I know I can't run when I'm there as I'll be working 7 am to 10:30 pm, nice! My next run is scheduled for Friday, but I am out after work (my preferred time to run), so it may have to wait until Sat argh!
Anyway, your 2nd run sounds good. Remember the old mantra, pace, pace pace! Well done on your speed though! I'm doing just over 4.5k now, so really want to do the 5k before I graduate.
But as Laura says it's about distance not speed! Though this baffles me as you need to increase speed to cover more distance as time is the limited factor, but I get the point she is trying to make.
I totally agree it is a bit of a mixed message she's sending out regarding being all about distance. But I'm resolved to just keep doing the 5k's now. I know I can run over 30 minutes, I know I can do 5k so it's just a case of building from here on in and hoping I can sneak under 30 minutes for my graduation. But as that will be a totally new course, I doubt it. I can live in hope though!
Good luck with your schedule. Hope you can squeeze in your grad run before your business trip!
Me too. I've mapped out a 5k route and will probably spend my final few runs perfecting it (unless I get bored, which happens quite easily!) and REALLY want to do it within 30 mins. That would be the perfect graduation run.
Fraz that's brilliant! Pace is so important and so tricky... I did wk7r1 today and spent my time telling myself to speed up for goodness sake because I feel I am going too slow, then telling myself to slow down a bit so I don't run out of energy before the end...! lol.
I did make it to the end, though I was starting to feel a little nauseous just as I reached the end of 25 minutes. Then I had to cross the road carefully on my very wobbly legs. Pace and time are the things I guess we are working on now. Even though I didn't have Laura today, (sorry Laura, I just needed my own music), I had her in my thoughts reminding me to take it steady.
Its such a good feeling when you get that pace right and your breathing is something you are hardly thinking about.
Just commented on your blog but well done again and well done on running to your own music. I tried it and failed miserably on my first attempt at W7R3! I agree that when the breathing and the pace all fall into place, it's a good feeling! I've planned to go running on Friday afternoon with a friend so no podcast for the first time. I'm hoping the company will distract me from minute counting!
ooh that's brave. I could just cope with no podcast, but only because I set up the minute counter to tell me instead of Laura! I really need to know that the time is passing and how much I have left.
Good luck with your next run. Let us know how it goes running with a friend. The distraction could be a huge help. Less thinking about feet, speed, hills & minutes!
Well done!! Good work on learning from mistakes too! I always feel a bit ashamed when I'm going slower than I know I could be going...
and I agree with the other posters about slow pace versus distance, but then again, a slower pace allows you to cover more distance without sapping your energy as much!
Thanks HectorsHouse, but not entirely sure I'm really learning from my mistakes! This is the third run I've messed up on the first attempt due to pace issues. I could get away with it on weeks 1-5 apparently but not any more!!
I am currently trying to forgive myself for not being faster, and appreciate that I can run for 25 minutes without stopping. That really is the mental challenge isn't it.
I try to think of myself more as a runner for stamina than speed, thinking long distance rather than sprint. I know I may be slow, but I also know I can keep going... just!
33 mins isn't actually that fast. Only a week ago I was struggling to get over 4k for my 25 minutes. It's the runs that build the stamina and the increased stamina that delivers the faster pace.......I think but that seems to make sense to me at this time of night after the day I've had!
Well done Fraz you've made some excellent progress. It sounds like you've worked out what's causing you to feel unwell which means you'll never have to feel that again. Not long now until that graduation.
Thanks Chewy, I hope it doesn't happen again. It's a horrible feeling, makes me almost double over. These longer runs aren't easy at all but they are satisfying when you finally get them right. I definitely have better runs when I'm not focused on tines and distance but now I've done a 5k, I hope that monkey is off my back and I can just enjoy the rest of the runs and what will be will be......I hope!
I am sitting here trying to put into words just how impressed I am with your dedication to complete this program. Not just to complete it, but to do it right!!
About pace vs. distance. I look at it like this. If I run so fast that I get sick and must stop then my distance stops. If I keep a steady pace that is right for my body, then I can continue on. YOU are the perfect example of this!! Your first attempt was too fast and it ended. Your latter attempt, while being a bit less fast (that is better than saying slower!) allowed you to continue on...and on...and on!!!!
You have every reason to be bloody proud of yourself...I know that I am!!! A less than perfect run and a brilliant run, combined with a few dance classes...YOU ROCK!!!
Wow thanks for such a great message smhall. I'm getting there but my ankle is sore this morning so I hope there's no damage done. Keep up your good work. You're almost there!!!
Great comments and really helpful to hear how others are getting on, as I prepare to enter W7. Did my first 25 minute run today to complete W6R3 which was tough but fun and I managed 4.5km.
I'm also focussed on 5k run rather than time and have a charity run 25th Nov. When I set out on this plan I was just hoping to be able to run 5k and was thinking 45 minutes. Now I am beginning to wonder if under 25 minutes is a better target.
Love hearing how everyone is pushing themselves and achieving the results - keeps me focussed. Keep at it everyone.
That's such a great achievement, and a real inspiration for me to keep going. I noticed that I feel slightly sick sometimes when I'm running and I've slowed down to manage it, which seems to work. I'm really impressed that you are already doing the 5K, well done!
I'm not surprised you're proud of yourself, you should be. It's very impressive that you didn't give up, but gave it another bash and totally owned it. Good luck for your 5K grad run - that's a great idea.
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