I am still here……!

[skysue16]

Seven months since my last post!! I am still here lurking and reading posts. This whole year things have been hectic at work, I was ‘finding my feet’ in a new role and extra reading and prep was needed. I still managed a run each week but only 6/7km so not enough to maintain fitness.

It is a month since my last run because in August we had three great weeks walking in the Scottish mountains, and sightseeing too!

So today I thought….time to get back on the trails 😊🐶 🏃🏻‍♀️ Warm and humid but felt good so decided to do a circular route. Down my usual trail by the railway line then back along the lanes, a wooded footpath full of tree roots and then across the railway line to rejoin the original trail. Back along the road, through the park and home. 9km - longest run since June.

[cheekychipmunks Half Marathon]

Hi SS (and Squiggy 🐶) so good to see you back. 👋

What a lovely run and a great distance for you both. I’m sure you had a wonderful time - sounds like a lovely route. Hopefully you’ll be able to fit some extra regular runs in from now on. 😀

[skysue16 Half Marathon in reply to cheekychipmunks]

Yes, my aim would be to regularly do two runs a week (one short and one 10k). I think I will be having Mondays off so back to Sat and Mon morning runs again 😊

[slow_runners]

hi, Skysue. I am here too. Although I don't understand the reason that how I found this website from a few casual clicks when surfing the net couple of days ago.

Anyway, still keep running 3 times a week for now. Running on a road route, 10k+ each time. Running pace is about 6-7 minutes per kilometer. Hope can run into below 6 min/kilometre after enough volume of running building up on a regular basis.

Will do yoga one time in the weekend. It's a good stretching also a good relaxing exercise against the physical and muscular fatigue and strains accumlated during the every distance runnings in a week. Have been doing yoga for about 5 yrs as a pretty amateur male yogis, so far. Naturally take it as a good way to avoid injuries and illnesses from long-term running.

After all, for me, here, a small town in China, the hard road surface would do no good for a runner with large volume of running. So will not exercise on the rough road too much and just enjoy it while run.

Nice dog. And nice trail scenery for your exercises, btw.

[skysue16 Half Marathon in reply to slow_runners]

Sounds a good routine and clocking up the miles - well done 👍 Yes, stretching is so important and strength work. I am thinking of starting Tai Chi again….

[slow_runners in reply to skysue16]

Wow, good for you. I had taught myself Tai Chi for a while but didn't keep practicing it.

Yoga is very similar to Tai Chi in regard of its basic skills or nuts and bolts, that is, strength, stamina, flexibility and balance, especially a strong core is essential for a Master. Need a lot of time spending in basics when practice Tai Chi.

Besides, they have similar basic knack too, such as "abdomen in" in most poses or movements. They are slow so they are good for exercising internal organs, for both a healthy endocrine system and nervous system, etc.

Last but not least, in essence, take them as breathing exercises. Always make these movements in line with the rhythm of a slow, relaxing and deep/full breathing technique. Then you might get there in practice someday, which is an extremely relaxing state, called "Samadhi" or the state of "forget-all" in movements.

FYI, this is only my personal experience during yrs of practices. Glad to know a Tai Chi-er here. Way to go.

[misswobble Marathon]

Lovely jubbly. It looks inviting 😀. I wanna run it now! 😀🏃‍♀️

It must be great to be back. Bet the dog is pleased 🐕

[skysue16 Half Marathon in reply to misswobble]

Thanks MissW, yes Squiggy loves it. Nice too that some of the trail he can be off lead but need to watch out for those white fluffy things 😂 🐑!!

[misswobble Marathon in reply to skysue16]

Oh gosh yes! They’re everywhere, mind you my main problem at the mo is cows. Even without a dog in tow they’re causing me to backtrack, rather than go through loads of them when they’re blocking the squeezer stiles They are so big, so mobile and skittish that I’m not risking it 🙂

[skysue16 Half Marathon in reply to misswobble]

yes, cows are unpredictable as well as big and heavy!

[SueAppleRun 10 Miles]

Good to see you back and 9k is a good distance

[skysue16 Half Marathon in reply to SueAppleRun]

Thank you 😊

[Sandraj39 Half Marathon]

Well done skysue16 - and good to see you back on here too! I haven’t posted for ages either and also had my first 10k in a while yesterday! I do lose the desire for longer runs in the heat and am really looking forward to building up my distance again now it is starting to (slowly) cool down.🙂

[skysue16 Half Marathon in reply to Sandraj39]

Yes, too hot even starting very early!! Looking forward to a jog in rain 🌧, which seems to have arrived in Somerset at last 😊

[aliboo70 Half Marathon]

That's great skysue, good to see you back! Well done on your 9k xxx

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

Hey there! Good to have you back enjoying the trails again🥰

[Maddee_6333 Half Marathon]

glad you’re still here too 😊