A Familiar Struggle

[Dodgylungs]

I’ve attempted to run 13K outdoors twice in the last week. Bearing in mind I ran 16K on the treadmill this should be straightforward right? Wrong! On Saturday I managed to Jeff 6K and today I Jeffed 10K. Had I not run a half marathon before I’d be concerned, but I’m strangely chilled. Part of that is that I have less motivation this year and the other part is I know I’ll get through it Jeffing.

On Saturday there was nothing in my legs. I got to 3K and I was wiped out. I know some of this can be psychological with me and so I carried on but by 6K my legs were heavy and non compliant so I bailed.

Today there was a bit more in the tank but I got to 3.5K and Jeffed a bit and then took a phone call and then carried on running. At least I got to 10K and my intention is to try running again on Saturday morning and see where I’m at. I’m tempted to Jeff a half marathon on Saturday morning just to see how long it will take me.

Not sure what to make of it all other than I know that treadmill fitness doesn’t seem to translate to road fitness with me. Having said that, there were parts of the run where I was really motoring and I wasn’t absolutely shattered at the end which suggests some of this may be psychological and some of it may just be getting used to the inclines of outdoor running again and learning to shut out the discomfort.

[misswobble Marathon]

Eat enough breakfast, take a goodly snack or two, and maybe a drink, and head out on trail 🙂. The undulating nature of the terrain slows things down but it’s a good, free workout. Upper body, core, legs and feet. The softer trail should be easier on the joints. I blame my painful knee in doing fast intervals on Tarmac 😕

Trails are just calming too. Very Zen 😀

Enjoy yourself Dodgy! 👍👍👍👍👍

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to misswobble]

Good advice MissW!

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

I got out there today and ran a 24km trail run It was super tough on some hideous terrain 😫😤 I kept going as I’d got to get home. I fell down on hands and knees on the three hour mark but managed to lessen the impact somehow. Slow motion thud 😁. I was filthy but unhurt as it was soft soil 😊. I did find a beautiful footpath though 😀

Early night methinks 🛌 💤

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to misswobble]

Oh no! Hope the knees and hands are ok this morning. I’ve only ever fallen twice, you feel like an idiot though sprawling in the dirt 😂

Well done on the 24K!💪

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

I’ve fallen loads of times ☺️ Usually it’s the lumpy terrain to blame. I spent much of the run yesterday looking down as the route was ridiculously uneven, some only the width of one of my feet! Sprawling in the dirt was right! I’m beyond being embarrassed by such things. It made me laugh😆

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon]

I have read that treadmill running uses different muscles to outside running so perhaps it’s no surprise that you find outside running challenging. But, as you say,, you’ve done it before….

Then again, perhaps you just had one of those days.

I know it’s hard but maybe try not to overthink it and just head out and see what you can do. You know you can do it so you really have nothing to prove to yourself.

Good luck 🍀

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

I went slow trail run/walking/mooching on Monday. I took a homemade peanut power bar 😋. With no plan other than trail I headed off. I left the trail to find a footpath I’d not used before but would lead back to the same trail. I ate my snack while moseying about a cul-de-sac ☺️ It was lovely when I did pick up the fresh path, craning my neck to see over the rapeseed crop which was dazzling 😎. I did 19 km, but by not looking at my watch or bothering about anything, it seemed no time at all 🙂🏃‍♀️

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to misswobble]

Sounds gorgeous. Lots of fields around here are yellow too, it always looks so cheerful😎

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

There were lambs too 🥰. Lovely flowering trees, gorgeous cloudy skies, and no traffic 👌🏃‍♀️😀

I was speaking to my husband about running somewhere the other day and my sister questioned my sanity. “Why would you run there when there’s a perfectly good bus service”? I had no answer 😁. I had to laugh though as she could have said, “a perfectly good car” ☺️

[Irishprincess Administrator Half Marathon in reply to misswobble]

Haha 😂 she’s obviously not a runner then …

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Irishprincess]

Not at all 😀

[Dodgylungs Half Marathon in reply to misswobble]

There’s an easy answer for me to why I do it and it’s less to do with the enjoyment of running and more to do with if I don’t run I turn into a big fat blob. I do quite enjoy running around Regents Park in places but I think the achievement and afterglow is what drives me. Nothing like that Gails coffee and croissant after a three hour run to make me feel alive.

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Dodgylungs]

Three hour runs! No mean feat 💪✊😀🏃‍♂️

[Mormor1 Half Marathon]

Good you are not beating yourself up over your run Dodgylungs. What is your walk/run jeffing ratio?

[Dodgylungs Half Marathon in reply to Mormor1]

Thank you. I’m guessing 60/60 at the moment.

[ReluctantRuby]

I was wondering what your Jeffing ratio was too? Lots of people run all of their distances Jeffing the whole way and often their times are the same or better than straight running and they feel less fatigued during and after the run. I have been able to increase the distances I run by doing this. 15k max so far and aiming for HM distance this year 😂. I run walk run at the really low ratios 20/30 or 30/30 seconds and I really enjoy it which seems to be the main point of running to me 😀. Hope you can get out there and enjoy your running again whatever distance you do!

[Dodgylungs Half Marathon in reply to ReluctantRuby]

I am fast coming to the conclusion that this is the only way I’m going to achieve the HM distance at the moment. I usually try and run whole distances but the HM is simply beyond me at the moment. For my most recent run, I didn’t start Jeffing until beyond 3K and then the ratio was something like 60/60 I would guess. I’ll be able to keep running for longer on Saturday most likely but if I have to walk parts of it I will - as I did last year due to cramp. One of the reasons I’m doing a dress rehearsal on Saturday is that my time last year was so slow, it will improve my morale if I beat it.

[misswobble Marathon in reply to Dodgylungs]

💪😀🏃‍♂️✊👊

[ReluctantRuby]

Whichever way you look at it it’s still a HM 😀. Something I haven’t been able to do yet. Good luck 🏃‍♂️

[Dodgylungs Half Marathon in reply to ReluctantRuby]

Thank you! Very true. We still get the bling!

[Mormor1 Half Marathon in reply to ReluctantRuby]

Me neither....I stuck at 10miles. But that was without jeffing. I might try with that included.

[ReluctantRuby in reply to Mormor1]

I would say this because I am a complete convert to Jeffing but it’s been a game changer for me. My distances are gradually going up and more importantly I don’t feel exhausted for the rest of the day! Onwards and upwards 😀🏃‍♀️😀

[Mormor1 Half Marathon in reply to ReluctantRuby]

Have you tried speed intervals? You run/ walk 60/60 on the nrc one. I didn't feel tired at all after 4 k doing it.

[Dodgylungs Half Marathon in reply to Mormor1]

Yeah I do those at the gym regularly. The NRC app ones. I do them quite fast and so I do feel tired after.

[ReluctantRuby in reply to Mormor1]

No I haven’t yet.