So I committed to the Weekly Chat post...🙈 I had so many great subjects come to mind this week... and I've forgotten every single one of them! 🤣
I've been downloading inspirational and funny pics of late to pair with Strava reports and because sometimes I just need a little reminder of why I do the things I do. 🤔
I love this one. No one runs quite as carefree as a child. I try... I really do. Saturday I had folk looking askance at me as I ran up one side of the tire ridge I was in and straight up the other in a zig zag as I ran downhill, singing along with my music to myself. Most people laughed or smiled at me, most said good afternoon or hello in response to my own greeting. Some literally looked like I was out of my gourd, which only made my laugh more! If you can't sing at the top of a hill, where on earth can you!? 🤷♀️
Puddle jumping, aeroplanes (not looking at them... running in circles with arms outstretched), running up small inclines and leaping off, running around trig points - just 'cause, skipping, jump turns mid stride... just some of the ways I try to keep the fun in my runs. I am much better at not really looking at the data after, it's rare now that I look at speed unless I have set out trying to be "fast" 😁
If we are not careful this running lark can become hard work; a bit of a chore at times even. I might take things a wee bit far (been known to happen) but it's really good to find the fun in your run from time to time. 👍🏻😊
What's your favourite way to inject some childish fun? How might you do that this week amongst your running schedules?🏃🏻🤸🏃🏽♀️🤸♀️
➡️ As always, if you're new here, or just browsing through the community posts, this is a great place to introduce yourself and let us know how you are doing. You’ll find plenty of support and knowledge from your fellow runners here.
Not heard from you for a while Tbae, I hope you are keeping well and perhaps still "trotting" your favourite routes, as far as I am getting on regarding running, I am still running the weekly 5K (not) parkruns, I have now ran 32 of them, usually on a Saturday, however, there have been a few Friday runs instead of a Saturday, no one is sure when we will be able to run the official Parkruns again, the earliest I think will be in September or October if we are lucky, however, with the latest news about delays to the vaccine, it might not be until Spring of 2022 before parkruns resume, but I hope they can start again sooner than that, kind regards to you and your family. 😊
Hi Jo Good to see you’re enjoying your running. I really enjoy my running and take it really seriously but today I finally had a run where I deliberately slowed it all down and keep my heart rate below 130 whatever speed that might be. I didn’t feel in the remotest bit tired, just that elated feeling mixed with a pleasant runner’s high. I really had to consciously slow myself down and that was really hard at first. The run forms part of challenge I set myself 3 weeks ago to improve a 5k. Well, it was a wonderful run. So enjoyable, chilled and relaxed. I could have gone on for much longer but called it a day at 12k. Yes, I had fun 🤩
Lovely post Jo. I completely agree, the fun makes the work so worth it. For me, being near nature, the trees, water, wildlife make it fun and brings just a little bit of adventure too. Makes me feel human again after spending so much time on screens. 🙂 🌲 💧 🦌
Music when running can take it all the way. At times I would deliberately plan to listen to some stuff that relates to, dunno, 1969, 1972 or whatever. I'll run and listen and remember the year and me back then. It doesn't always work but, man, when it does - it sure does.
Music is great. 👍🏻 I have very differing music for trail to road. Road is heavy beats, dance music, trail is a strange mix to make me slow down, sing along and smile.
“He was a mean individual, he had a heart like a bone, he was a naturally crazy man and better off left alone” 🎶🎵. It always makes me laugh as it reminds me of somebody 😁
I have music for purposes. For really long runs I can’t abide stuff that repeats. So it’s wordsmiths - Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry, and Rod. I love Led Zep when the going gets tough 💪
I sometimes run past a place where I used to work when I was 18 to 21 and had the best of times. Still listening to the same soundtrack as back then. Happy days 🏃♀️
Sami Murphy bridge to 10k podcasts had hundreds of free original tracks, many I’d never heard of but are now faves.
I have a tough uphill near me and I like to cue up a tune to get me happily up it. I like Shakira’s Whenever, Wherever as it’s lyrics are nuts and it makes me laugh “Lucky that my breasts are small and humble, so you don’t mistake them with mountains”. 😁. Then she starts yodelling 🎶
What a happy post JoJo! We all need happiness at the moment with life being so very weird, so thank you. 🥰 I love the idea of you singing! 👏😅
I’ve always considered running as fun, it’s why I keep coming back for more. Maybe not every moment of every run, but for the most part. Especially my happy pace ones. Of course I enjoy getting rare PBs, and I always get a kick out of Strava bling, but my bimbles are my favourite. Yesterday was one such run, pootling up and down on the snowy trails with my dog. It was delightful. 🙏🏻
Here’s to many happy runs for us all this year. ❤️
Getting up onto the South Downs gives me a rollercoaster feeling and always makes me grin, and any downhill running is very cheerful-making!!! Also I love to get a smile out of people by saying hi, or just smiling first!
I love running fun! I am invisible being an older woman so can do what I like. I like to run the wrong way on the BMX track, which is on my usual trail. There is never anyone on it! It breaks up the monotony and wakes me up It’s all weird hills, bumps and angles Great fun. Who needs a bike 😁
Don’t take the fun out of running by overthinking it. It’s simple ! Anyone can do it Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeha 😃
Just wanted to say, stay fit people! It’s important to prioritise your health. Eat good, drink little or no booze and keep moving. Do everything you can to ensure you’re mobile til the day you shuffle off this mortal coil
Lovely post JJ 🥰 and your sentiments match mine. The majority of my runs are for pure joy and happiness and I’m sure that’s the main reason why I’ve kept at it for so long! My happiest runs are where I explore “oh I wonder what’s down there?” Or “where does that lead?” and then stop regularly to take photos or just to stare and take in what’s around me, no pressure no time limits.
I also love my music (big, epic, orchestral) and with my vivid imagination I can run away with the fairies and imagine I’m starring in my own movie with me as the heroine. Of course 💪🙂😂 On my runs I’ve saved the world a few times and been an extra on Game of Thrones 🙄 but it’s all fun.
I’m not actually running atm (combination of choice and niggles) but when I look back at all the photos I’ve taken, they transport me to each and every run. Magical.
Great post JoJo, put a smile on my face.🙂 I must admit to doing the odd aeroplane on steep downhills when I think nobody is about, but otherwise I tend to just think as I run. I did get to play superman on Saturday though, heading off a big staffy which was yapping and chasing after a galloping horse; just yelled at the staffy to stop and then told it to go back to its owner (words to that effect you understand) and blow me it did! I looked around for Lois Lane...but no luck ☹️. Slow 6k today, calf still a bit iffy but it didn’t bother me until I stopped running. I went for a more dynamic warm up to see if that helped. I’ll get there!!
Good one superman 👍🏻😁 yes, we can feel a bit self-conscious as adults misbehaving but I tend to think that as they don't know me... 🤷♀️6k is still 6k. Try some self massage, calves really do like some attention, really get your hands in there, knuckles too if needed. Imagine its bread dough! 🤣
🤔 make sure your hydration is on point. The first place I notice a lack of water even if it only drops a bit is my calves.
Try the massage out in a hot bath with some Epsom salts.
Also, this one is a bit odd, drink some pickle juice or up your intake of pickles. Some research has found that pickle juice can help cramps and help rebalanced electrolytes if they're out. I usually drink the jar when the pickles are gone, have always loved vinegary stuff! 🤣
Oh yea, beetroot is lovely as is sauerkraut juice. Pickled onions maybe not. Even a few tablespoons will do the trick if you're needing it. Often we crave the pickles themselves when we need it
Thanks JoJo. You have sparked a thought. I used to drink loads of zero, but that has tailed off since my running shop entered lockdown. Will order some on line. Not sure about pickle juice; could help with social distancing I guess 😉
Lovely! I was thinking about this on my glorious run this morning (my slowest ever, as it happens). It's a long time since I was a child, but one thing's for certain - I never ran as a child 🙄!!! Now though, I love running and pretty much every run is a happy one (so long as I'm not dealing with injury). Running is me taking control of my life, grabbing it with two hands, changing it in the most positive way; it's the most unlikely thing I have ever done, it's one of the best things I've ever done, it's one of the most successful things I've ever done; best of all, it doesn't have an end, but can be changed and developed and continue to be a source of joy and satisfaction. I'm far too repressed to do anything like a child 🤪😀, but I know why I run, I know how to find happiness in my runs and I am surprised and thankful for that on an almost daily basis 🥰. Having said that, whenever I ride through a deep puddle I lift my legs and cry 'wheeeeeeee' - because once upon a time that's what you told me to do! Raises a smile every time 😍
Love it! 👏🏻💖 repressed, you? I think you're just dying to pop out of that mould!! 🤣
That's brilliant though that you can see, appreciate and incorporate all the positive aspects that running can bring even without being able to release the carefree kid inside.
I too (being a control freak) like the aspect of making a conscious decision to guide my day, my mood, my life rather than make excuses like I used to.
One thing is for sure, you definitely need to keep doing the puddle fun! 😘
Thanks for the post. Oh I so relate to that post! I put my headphones on and off I go. I often run a route that takes me up and down a walkway, I always greet those coming towards me in what I think is likely to be their own language. Some of them think I am off my head by the looks on their faces, some just blank me others cheer me on. Sometimes I get in the zone and somewhat lost in my music and start belting out "Don't stop me now", "Turn it on again" etc etc. The other day I was on a cool down walk and a walker caught me up and passed me whilst I was singing, I had forgotten that people could overtake me. Clearly I have been heard as a couple of separate people have referred me to the guy that sings when he runs. Poor buggers I dread to think what I sound like
Wonderful! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 keep it up! I too am not a good singer by any stretch of the imagination and I do not improve on Janis Joplin or Barbra Streisand at ALL, but it does make me happy!
I love the added linguistics! I like to listen in on walkers convos if I get stuck behind them and chime in! 🤣
There's a lot of childish fun involved when I go skiing. Especially because this is the first time in several years I've had time to do it properly, so my skills are a bit rusty. My childishness manifests itself when going downhill and I yell (oddly comforting) and forget to shout something neutral to people coming uphill and instead shout things like "Watch out! Wobby skiier approaching!" It's fun to see how some of the usually taciturn Norwegians smile then.
Otherwise, I'm happy to report that I managed to fit in 3 runs last week, as well as some skiing. Hopefully this week will see the same. I'm trying to gear up for a virtuous and frigid run this evening. It's -10 now...
I like how it feels like leaping gracefully and flying through the air.. (although it's probably as gracefully as an elephant jumping over a candle) 🙈🤣
What a lovely inspirational post, although your picture made me cringe as well as smile as I'm pretty sure running like a mad thing down a hill has a lot to do with my wonky knee 🙄I've not run for over 2 weeks and it has made me think about why I run and what I miss about getting out there. Although I was really wanting to get to 10 miles at the moment I'd just like you run for 10 minutes.
I love being out with the freedom it brings to go where I want, how far, how long, stopping to chat to people, take photos or just to "be". Just being able to do that makes me smile.
In the run up to Xmas doing the Xmas bingo I even found myself having a bit of a dance to some Xmas tunes 🤣
Life is short we need to enjoy and celebrate it 🎉
P. S. After talking to a physio yesterday I've been on a little run... Yippee 🎊🎉🎈
Oh fantastic! Trust me, I know all to well the feeling of getting back to a run, any run, and it is great! 🤞🏻 it keeps heading in the right direction 😁
Well that was better!! I sat down last night, worked my way through all the helpful comments on cantankerous calves and made a discovery. My calf pain was most prominent when I did a standing quad stretch....you know the one where you stand on one leg and pull the other heel up to you backside. There was the tender spot right in the crook of my bent knee on the outside. So I gave it a bit of welly (digging fingers in, stretches etc ) and repeated the quad stretch until it felt a lot better. I did a quicker 5k over my bad weather route today, and tried out the quad stretch when I finished. There was a bit of niggle there, but it feels much better. So I think I have a plan. Our kind running shop people dropped off 4 tubes my favourite pink grapefruit drink last night so I have had a guzzle at that too! Enough to make you run through puddles shouting yeeeeeeehah!!Thanks folks 🙂
So as we near the end of this week did we all manage some form of fun?
On my longer run Weds I enjoyed bouncing over footbridges, dodging the worst of the mud, talking to cows (from a safe distance) and chatting to random folk.
I do like the wide variety of people I meet whilst "playing out". One older lady with her little dog and her friend with little dog asked what I was up to, and when I said Oh I'm just "playing out" she turned to her friend and said "that's what we need to do more of" 😁👍🏻 I do hope they can make it happen!
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