Lapped but happy

[teeandtoast]

So yesterday I set out to do my first wk4 run. I was feeling very nervous about it (eek, 5 minutes straight??) and was not in the best mood due to various family shannigans - we all have them at some point I guess

Anyways I head off and make it thru the first three minutes, struggle to get ready for the five minutes and suddenly its here and I'm off and running (I think I should clarify here that while it may have all the anatomical movements required to be a run, it has all the pace of a crawl). I am keeping positive thoughts in my head and trying not to think about where the heck is Laura with the "you're nearly done" remark when I hear this noise coming up behind me. I assume its a bike (I run/crawl on the paths we have for both people and bikes) and move to the side.

This contraption comes into view. Its not a bike. Its a pram thing. One that holds two little people in it, not light weight babies but not quite toddlers - say a year old. And pushing this contraption along is a perfectly groomed model. Well she may be a engineer or a cabinet maker for all I know, but she looked like a model.

And fortunately, or unfortunately depending how you look at it, she, the contraption and the two little people flew past me and were gone. They left a definite sense of " ohhhh I am so slow" behind them.

Still I keep going and make the five minutes. I push on.

I get to the halfway point in my run and turn around. Another 3 minute run under my belt and then as I start the walk a cramp kicks in.

Ahh, not to worry I've got Lauras advice on cramps to help me....which somehow makes me start to retch. And while I am walking, retching and clutching my side, out of nowhere comes the model, her contraption and the two little people. Obviously their turning around point is further than mine, yet able to be done quicker, and equally obvious they don't have problems with cramps and retching. Though the little people did have a drooling problem - which I didn't have!

So I was lapped again.

But I kept on going and somehow, and I have no idea how, I kept going and managed the last five minutes of running, while nervously waiting for more model mummies to overtake me!

One day, one day I'll be able to lap someone other than a snail. But til then, I can laugh at the crazy thoughts that entertain me as I crawl along, each time getting a bit further!

Loving this c25k experience!

[earl-grey-sian Graduate]

Exactly, one day you'll be able to lap someone. I always console myself with the thought that they are only about half my age and have probably been doing this running thing for years whereas I've been doing it for a month. Besides, people look very silly running with a pushchair, as if they're going to miss the bus!

[Hidden]

Hi teenandtoast. Well done for finishing it :- I did my 1st run of week 5 on sunday along my local cycle track. There was a man walking briskly up ahead as I was doing my warm up and thought I should pass him when I start running......some hope! I think my walking was actually faster than my running if thats possible!

[Allyballyp]

So funny you really cheered me up this morning. I did my first 4 week run last night and felt exactly the same. I too plod along rather than run (I am made for comfort and not speed) constantly lapped by bright young things. But if you had asked me 4weeks ago if I would be running for 16 minutes I would have laughed out loud. So big pats on our backs for sticking at it. Keep blogging and keeeeeeeeeeep running x

[spinrek Graduate]

pmsl! I used to be that fast with a lump in a buggy (i cant say id ever be called a model tho!) but now I run slower than I can fast walk!!!! Im always over taken. so well done for not giving in tho - its easy to give up and go home. i need to keep going to prove i can do it!!

[Kayrowe Graduate]

OK that was funny and so so true. No worries teeandtoaast you will be the lapper and not the lappee before you know it :-)....

[vixiej Graduate]

great post, well done for sticking with it. I also run pretty slowly, apart from one freak sponsored 5K (still not convinced it was a full 5K!). The key is to run for the allocated time, even if your run is slower than your walk. One day you will lap someone and think 'Yippeee', who knows, that may have been her first time to lap someone and you may have just made her day

[teeandtoast in reply to vixiej]

Thanks -thats such a positive way to look at it

Lapper or lappee, I'm still out there doing my thing with a smile on my dial