Snakes & Ladders

[Landesman]

I find this whole thing becoming more and more like a physical and mental game of snakes and ladders.

Having failed two runs in a row (falling short by 1 minute in w6r1 and 3 mins in w6r2 today), when I had hoped to do tthem without problem, I shall grasp the snake which will take me back down to start the week again.

Given that I had no expectations of being able to run anywhere after 40 odd (very odd) years of not running at all that really doesn't dismay me though. In fact I find I have little emotional involvement in this whole process - observing my progress, or lack of, with a kind of out-of-body detachment (helped by the dispassionate collection of data by Runkeeper).

The mere fact of now being able to run any distance is slightly strange and rather alien as I have often looked at the pain on the faces of runners going past and thought 'Why would anyone do that?'.

And I can embrace the failure of the last two runs because I am surprised and pleased to find that I am running faster and further each time - so while the time does not increase, the distance does. So, to paraphrase the England rugby coach, I can take a positive from that.

I am lucky enough to have a runner's physique (or as SWMBO rather brutally puts it, 'you look like a famine victim'), so I think I just need to persuade the legs to man up a bit and stop acting like the toothpicks they appear to be (I am contemplating threatening them with lycra and see if that embarrasses them into action).

We shall see. It is all rather addictive and I am sure that I will come to like it. After the latest delivery from sweatshop I cannot afford not to...

[mrslazy Graduate]

You have not failed the last two runs, you haven't quite finished them. That is quite a different thing. I think you are running too fast, if you slow down a bit there is no reason why you couldn't plod on for one or two more minutes or more.

Try a slow one and I am sure you will finish the entire run.

So jealous of your physique, when you feel tired just thank your lucky stars you aren't dragging a couple of extra stone around with you. Lol x

[Landesman Graduate in reply to mrslazy]

I sympathine with the weight thing, I really do - it's grossly unfair. As my wife says, 'There's no merit in being thin if you don't have to work at it...'.

[greenlegs Graduate]

Agree with the above - running faster in a subsequent run always makes it harder. Try not upping the pace and you'll probably find it easy to finish. Though if you're happy with things as they are, just carry on - whichever you choose, you're getting fitter every time you go out! Be very proud of how far you have come.

[Landesman Graduate in reply to greenlegs]

Yes, you're all right, I'm sure it would be better to go slower - but somehow I have a problem with that (an over-competitive streak and the attention span of a goldfish doesn't help).

As you say, it's working though, as I'm definitely getting fitter - and redoing w6r1 was good. Completed it well this time and went further than before once again.

[alcopop Graduate]

i agree, you have not failed, you have achieved a great deal, be proud of what you have achieved.