Only one more run to go - but nearly got caught out by stitch!

[mo-mentum]

What a difference a day makes in terms of weather. No wind, no rain and the sun is shining in the blue sky.

My first 15 minutes of W9R2 was great, I even felt like I had a sping in my step. Cautiously I made sure I kept my pace sensible.

Then it hit me! Stitch from about 17 minutes for the rest of the run. I tried everything I could think of - deep breaths, slowing down, telling myself it's just a pain and to push on through. It would have been so easy to have stopped there and then.

But then I reminded myself of my own rules - I i stop at any point, or don't follow the plan to the minute then I'll go back to week 4! So 43 minutes of running away from those much loved gradutate badge I push on.

Thanks Laura, and all of you guys here for making me mentally strong xx

In the end i made it and was disappointed with my pace, but amazed i managed to keep on running. Then when when I compared my pace back to week 7 (when i didn't get stitch) I was still faster - so positives to take from even this 'bad' run.

All being well the next one should be a 'good' day - so W9R3 should be a good run! Watch this space . .

[Deryn61 Graduate]

Well done on your run, great determination shown in finishing in those circumstances

And dont fret about pace, as you say, there was a factor affecting this today. Its quite funny! At the start of the programme we cant even believe we would ever run for 5 mins, a week or two later there we are, fretting about pace

I have only once had a stitch whilst running (and what I was told to do was to try and "puff" out strongly as the foot on the opposite side to your stitch hits the ground (hope that makes sense)!

[mo-mentum Graduate]

Thanks Deryn61

I will try the 'puffing' technique on Tuesday!

You're right about not fretting. Today my pace was back up alongside my best - thanks Mo x

[gdeann Graduate]

You are one tough cookie but I like the way you think and the rule you came up with to stay on track. Wishing you a fantastic, stitch-free Graduate run!!!! Gayle