I promise I will keep this short, because I’ve got to get into the shower!
My intention today was to run 13 or 14 km depending how it went. UpTheStanley was going to run about 8 km and then sit in the car with a newspaper. So no pressure on me. Except I didn’t plan it very well and went out on a banana and half an energy bar instead of breakfast an hour before. I also had put the wrong socks on with my trails - they are great in the winter but my feet get hot in them in the warm weather. So excuses in I can confirm to over61andstilltrying that this was tough!
I started slowly enough and was running well making each km a little bit faster than the last without trying to . From the start point to the end of the trail, where the station would have been, is 4.25km so I turned and ran back 2.25km, turned again, and again at the end, to return to the start point. It was 18C with just a light SE breeze but I was mainly protected from it by the trees. The tide was high on the other side of the path and dog walkers and cyclists were a plenty.
Although cloudy when I started it got very warm when the sun came out and the perspiration was rolling down my face. Glad I remembered my buff to mop my face. I walked and drank water and had a fruit pastille at 6k and did the same at 9k. During 10k I found it really tough, my legs were like tree trunks and I ended up run/walking. Coach Bennett (NRC 90 minute run) was advising me that when we get tired our posture goes and it makes it even harder. So, eyes up, chin up, chest out, breathe properly, swing arms back and forth and let your feet just kiss the ground. It did help get me through the 11th km , but I was run/walking again on the 12th. I spotted UTS on a bench and ran past him until I reached 12.5km. That was enough for me.
I will get to 16.1k on the Great South Run , and I will be better prepared , and on a road in supportive shoes, which will help. But I will be hoping for a cool, cloudy day with a gentle breeze. Now to get some daily exercises done to strengthen those glutes and legs.
Oh yes, and I saw a little egret, and lots of pensioners walking while on their Warners holiday not far from here. I thought “I am going to get a bus pass and a pension next month. Aren’t I lucky that I can run?”
I am very aware that lots of my buddies have not been able to put in the miles of training for the GSR because of varying circumstances, so I’m thankful that I managed this much today, and I will be glad to see them that weekend, whatever they decide to do.
Well, maybe it was not short after all.. 😂
Written by
Dexy5
10 Miles
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Hay Dexy, lovely photos and good running. You will be amazing at the weekend, spurred on by atmosphere and the crowds. I’m sure it will be wonderful. Feet up now and ‘taper’!
It's still very warm isn't it? I went for a half hour walk and was still hot in tee shirt and shorts. What a good run and great prep for GSR.. ..hope the shower and exercises revived you 😃
Thanks David, I bet when you signed up last year you didn’t think your life would change like it has. There is some guidance on the GSR website regarding the cut off times for the various parts of the course, so have a look if you haven’t already. Enjoy your 100th parkrun and c25k garaduarion on Saturday and see you soon.
Another set of lovely photos Dexy5 I think Shake-and-run is getting a little mixed up thinking that The Great South Run is this weekend, it's the Great Scottish Run 10k and half marathon this coming Sunday.
Well done on your run today, UTS only ran 8K (I also ran 8K this morning) and then sat in the car reading the paper, that's not fair while you sweated running in 18C that 12.5k, I just hope that when you do run the Great South Run the weather is cooler than it was today.
More miles than me Dexy, you know that! Really well done! 👏👏
I do have my HM at the weekend which will make or break me, but whatever happens both then and at the GSR, I’ll be definitely having a whole ton of fun doing it.
Let’s order partly sunny and crisp, with no wind. 🙏
Oh yes, you can’t have picked a better place for that HM cheekychipmunks , but I hope Storm Agnes has departed by then. I’ve got a niggle in my knee probably from running 3 long runs with trail shoes on so I am hoping that getting into my road shoes again may cure that.
Maybe start slow and keep it that way if it is really hot Dexy5. I was a bit miffed at getting a slow time last year because of my calf playing up… but, looking back, I am not sure that the running time was such a big deal in that (lovely) crowd scene. The memories are built around the people I met.
Yes , meeting you for the first time last year was lovely .
This is a funny run because at the southern end the GPS goes totally loopy. I wasn’t aware that I was speeding up, it wasn’t that fast, but maybe faster than my 10 mile pace should be. .
Mission is to complete the run and collect the bling! . I started at the back last year after wandering about pre race.,I was able to overtake lots of people…. But I was 100% focused on just finishing. I dragged my right leg all the way back to the hotel….my time was rubbish….but I loved the weekend. You will get round.👍
I have just looked up the record of my last run that far - nearly 1½years ago. My knee complains about distance and pace so I just have to be patient. One run at a time. I shall look on in admiration 😊
I hope so too. According my various physiotherapists my knee, as a result of my gardening fall, will never be a normal knee. I'll keep trying, though.
It occurred to me that all you frequent park runners are, I expect, running your version of a speedy 5k most weeks. I think it is about time I, at least tried.
,,,,,,
Time delay. So I decided to put my beginning of a plan into action. I chose NRC 5K Race. My plan was to go for a sub 35 minutes, so just under 7min/km pace. Bearing in mind I haven't done this since February 2020! Yikes that is a long time ago. Only just looked it up. Well I started out and tried to go for effort 6+. Found my watch said pace 6:18 and I just couldn't seem to slow down. I ran 5 hours after breakfast so food should have been well digested. I can't really describe the uncomfortable feeling inside, but I decided that a full 5k wasn't for me today. The straight forward head homeward route meant I reached 2.65km. I plan to try the same thing next week and go for say 3km, then 3.5km the next week and so on. I refuse to believe that my heart rate was 124bpm with pace 6:19. I look forward to trying again.
Sorry for this long reply. All the very best with your GSR training. 😊🏃♀️
😂 Speedy Gonzales! If you are going to go faster than you usually do, perhaps best to do a slower warm up run first to get your body prepared. I tend to start slower then build up.
Well done Dexy. I think you are probably the best prepared of all of us this year and I know you really like the Billy Trail, which makes it so much more pleasurable. I know my time is going to be rubbish this year, if I do it, but it’s meeting up that I’m looking forward to most 😃😃
And I’m certainly less prepared than previous years due to the sciatica (thank goodness that’s gone), but even if I have to walk some of it, I’m sure I’ll get to the end eventually. I hope the physio can ease that piriformas for you.
Hope you made it to the shower. You did it even though it was tough - bonus points for that.I did my 16k (with the 99m 59s run that UTS recommended .. followed by music because it took a lot longer than that!). Stupidly I left my water at home. I'm paying massively now 🙈 I went and bought chocolate milk, forgetting that that makes me queasy after a run. So all in all, dehydrated and struggling to digest the milk drink, I've felt better. But at least I got it done too!!!
And I too am so gratetful I am able to run 🙏
Rest and recover and you'll be good to go on 15th 🥰
I did Linda, and have been doing lots of laying around since. Well done you for doing 16k! No niggles for you I hope. Hopefully you are better hydrated now.
I was disappointed that I didn’t get as far as planned but I didn’t prepare well, and I probably stopped at the right time.
I was thinking of doing one more long run on roads in my GSR kit. Do you think that’s wise? I’ve got a sports massage on 9th so I was thinking of doing it on 1 or 2 days before. Then to take easy short runs.
Yes, I think there's still time, especially if it will help your confidence. I've got another 14k next week on my (homemade by extending the NRC 10k plan in a kindof logical fashion 🙈) plan 😍I also have a sports massage tomorrow so made the effort to do calf stretches after this run. I don't think it'll be enough though - I'll be squawking tomorrow 😱🤣
Well done Dexy! 👏 You're in great shape for the GSR and, as you say, hopefully it’ll be cooler then which will help. That, and all your VRBs and ARBs (actual running buddies) there in person 🥳)
Well done Dexy5 on running that far in such heat! Lovely photos. I love the Billy Trail. I ran part of it only once but it’s somewhere I will return to 👌🏻
Back out there running Dexy - and still seeing my physio. Not running more than 3k the moment though (initially run/walk but now just run) as things are still a bit ‘achey’ and working on all my rehab exercises!!👍
Looks like a beautiful place to run 😀🏃♀️ I think having lovely views does help somewhat 😀 Having a supportive other half too 👍
Coach B is great 🥰 he was talking to me the other day when I fell 🤕😁
I’m getting my old age pension (or whatever they call it these days 🤷♀️). I’ve had confirmation - which is a stark reminder that I’m a certain age 😁 I don’t use buses as the fares are too dear, plus I can get into town much quicker on two feet, but if I can get a bus pass I’m planning on using it to expand my running horizons to pastures new 🏃♀️
Age is but a number etc 😀💪🏃♀️💪
Good luck with the rest of your training for GSR 👍🙂
I have a plan already to explore a nearby town on foot, having got there by bus, and following a “philanthropists’ trail”. Apparently lots of them had fine houses there, including George Stephenson 🤓 There’s also a footpath leading to a farm shop with cafe ☕️🍰
Having taken the bus, using my shiny new bus pass, when I get one, I will run home 🏃♀️
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Last run of the year