Just a cheeky 5K race today! :-)

[Redcello41]

I had my first race of the season today! I was going to treat it strictly as a recovery run though and not shoot for a PB following my 10 mile on Friday. I ran the first half just solely focusing on my 3-in, 3-out breathing to control the speed of my pace so make sure I wasn't going too fast. I then felt my body kick into gear at the half-way point and found that I was going at a faster pace while still maintaining my breathing and my legs felt great! The fact that I was in a race got the better of me and I abandoned all prospects of the run being strictly a recovery run in the last few kilometers, picked up my pace and really sprinted when I saw the finish line in sight! Legs actually feel all the more better now that I've run 5K a few days after this week's long run!

Official time for today's race was 38:40, which is slightly annoying because that's 13 seconds short of my 5K PB! My previous 5K race in October was 24 seconds short so at least I'm improving. I want to try and run a sub-35 5K in the summer after I have recovered from the Bath Half!

[AlMorr Half Marathon]

Congratulations on that run Redcello41, don't worry about that run not being a sub 35 minute 5K, that will come soon.

I am wondering about the big 2 on that medal in the photo, I assume that you play the cello regarding your username.

Good luck for your HM.

[Redcello41 Half Marathon in reply to AlMorr]

Thanks, yeah one day I'll crack that sub-35 time! The two on the medal stands for 2020 I think, it's a 4 race series so if you run all 4 races you get the medal set that makes up 2020! And the medal is wooden because it's more carbon neutral (apparently). And yes, I do play the cello, do you play any musical instrument? 😃

[AlMorr Half Marathon in reply to Redcello41]

I did play the piano years ago, in fact decades ago, I like classical music, one of my favourites is Elgars Cello Concerto, I go to some Coffee Concerts in Glasgow on a Sunday morning, a lot of Chamber Music 🎶 is played at those recitals, most String Quartets have a cello playing in them

Last November I had a busy weekend between running and going to concerts, on the Friday evening I went to a full symphony concert, 12 hours later I was at a parkrun on the Saturday morning, the following day I attended a Coffee Concert again at the same place I was at the previous Friday.

[Redcello41 Half Marathon in reply to AlMorr]

Wow that's amazing! I love Elgar's cello concerto, such an amazing piece! Have you heard his violin concerto? If you haven't, go and listen to it because it is brilliant! I also play a bit of piano too but I've also just graduated from a masters in composition so I write my own music as well! Classical music is my favourite genre by far! But I don't listen to it while running interestingly... 😃

[AlMorr Half Marathon in reply to Redcello41]

The place I go to these concerts is in Glasgow, about 13 miles away from where I live, it's The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, all the arts are there, not just music, drama, dance and music production for students. James McAvoy trained there. I tend not to run to classical music but for my midweek run I often have Scala Radio on my Smartphone.

I think I heard Elgars Violin Concerto on the radio some time ago.

[Redcello41 Half Marathon in reply to AlMorr]

Ah that sounds really cool! I tend to listen to epic film music to get me going on my runs! 😃

[AlMorr Half Marathon in reply to Redcello41]

There are a series of concerts coming up at the RCS of music written by students, these concerts take place usually at lunchtime on a Monday and Friday at 1 pm.

[Redcello41 Half Marathon in reply to AlMorr]

Oooh that interesting, will have a look into that! 😃

[AlMorr Half Marathon in reply to Redcello41]

I think they take place sometime in April under the strange title of "Plug"

[Redcello41 Half Marathon in reply to AlMorr]

Hmmm sounds 'modern' to me 😃

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

You recovered well! That's a good positive sign for your half 👍💪🙂

[Redcello41 Half Marathon in reply to linda9389]

Yes very good! My legs aren't feeling that tired thank goodness and now I'm into tapering until the race! 😃

[Sandraj39 Half Marathon]

🙂Well done Redcello41 ! Lovely photo - you will smash that 35 min goal, I am sure! Everything is obviously all good after your long run!👍

[Redcello41 Half Marathon in reply to Sandraj39]

Thank you! There's a 5K race in the summer that is run on a very flat bicycle course not far from where I live and it's perfect for my PB attempt! 😃

[Run46 Half Marathon]

Wow Redcello, you're on fire...there's just no stopping you now 👏🏃‍♀️

[Redcello41 Half Marathon in reply to Run46]

Hahahaha, as soon as I read your reply, I immediately had the song 'Don't stop me now' going round and round in my head! 😃

[Run46 Half Marathon in reply to Redcello41]

😂, sorry, hope you're not stuck with it for the whole night 😉

[Redcello41 Half Marathon in reply to Run46]

hahaha I'm a musician so I am extra prone to getting ear worms anyway! I was singing it at work as a welcome distraction from being bored so it hasn't been annoying me! May be different tonight though hahaha

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

Blimey, well done! I have to take two days rest after a long run so I’m impressed you did this so soon after your 10 miler 🏃‍♀️🙂

Nice bling too - very “green” .

[Redcello41 Half Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

Thanks! Yeah, I wasn't sure how my legs were going to take the 5K so soon after running 10 miles but it's actually done them a lot of good, I'm not even sore today! But I have noticed that I am definitely more emotional and sensitive the day after my long runs (I think just due to tiredness) and has taken it's toll a bit too much. So I need to figure out how to solve that one...

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

I think the emotional thing can be normal. Immediately finishing my recent 10 mile PB I burst into tears! I have no idea where that came from and it really surprised me. Must be all the emotions we go through doing something that is important/significant for us. Just give into it I say ....