Charlotte's Cozy Corner | Training for a 10k with audio...

Training for a 10k with audiobooks!

I've officially signed up for a 10k run in September!!!

Have I done a 10k before? No.

Have I done a 5k before? Yes, but that was approx 10 years ago...

Am I at least fit currently? Also no...

I am essentially doing a couch to 10k, so wish me luck!!

Why am I doing this? Why am I torturing myself like this? Fair questions honestly ahaha

I want to turn my life around, to work on myself, to become happier and healthier. I want to thrive, not just survive. And honestly, I've just been surviving, especially for the last few years. Do I need to run a 10k to be happy? No. Do I need to run a 10k to be healthier? No. There are plenty of ways to improve myself that don't involve running, and I am doing those too (so stay tuned for updates on my other activities/methods of joy). But I always loved running in school and want to challenge myself, so I signed up for a 10k that is in 13 weeks.

To help motivate myself, I have selected a list of audiobooks that I have waiting in my Audible library that I really want to read, and have set myself the rule of not being able to listen to them unless I am doing training. It's only week one but it is working so far!!

The first audiobook on my list is Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid and I am loving it so far!!

I will update with my progress, both with my 10k training and my audiobook progress, as often as I can. With the goal of updating weekly, if I am able to! So stay tuned and I hope to see you at the next update!

Training Update

What am I listening to?
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid on audiobook.
I'm loving it!!! This book will 10000% be taking over one of the top spots on my top 10 ranking when I've finished it. Just wow!! I have about 45 mins to go and I don't think I'm ready, but I also cannot wait to be emotionally destroyed or incredibly happy depending on the ending. I have been so motivated to go out each day just because I want to keep listening to the audiobook and put a rule in place that I can only listen to it whilst training. That rule is definitely working so far!!

But I am still training and will (sadly) finish the audiobook on my next training session.

Physical update: At the start of my training, I started to get shin splints. Not ideal at all. Especially as, when I spoke to my brother who runs a lot and has for years, he told me that I should stop running for a couple of weeks once shin splints start, otherwise if it gets worse it could have me out for months. He was speaking from experience and I remember him going through it before. So yeah, not ideal.

I found that compression socks can make a lot of difference with shin splints, especially the early onset of them, and so I immediately ordered some. And let me tell you... they are amazing!!!! I use them every time I go running now and almost immediately upon wearing them the first time, I went from shin splint pain to no pain at all! Just incredible! So I have been able to continue training and have done super well over the last week.

Weather struggles update: Because the UK is known for having overcast weather, rainy days, and only the occasional day that we see the sun, I really didn't even consider that the weather would have any impact on my training.
Well.... that has not been the case!
We have been in a heatwave. Like one of the worst heatwaves the UK has ever experienced, with record highs in heat and humidity!! And just as one heatwave ended, another started!! We have barely had a couple of days of low humidity and basically no days of rain. And it's been WEEKS!!
I started getting up at 5am to go for my runs so I could avoid as much of the heat as possible. One day I was so tired from work the day before, I went for a run at 8am instead of 5am, and wow I barely survived! Those 3 hours difference in the morning made all the difference with heat.

I did invest in a runners vest jacket thing that holds water in essentially the breast pockets. It has been a life saver! Taking water filled with electrolytes with me on my runs has made all the difference in this crazy weather!

Wrap up: So, it's been a wild few weeks with horrid weather and narrowly avoiding shin splints, but despite it all I am loving training. Loving it so much more than I expected to. The Atmosphere audiobook is definitely partially to blame for how much I'm enjoying my training sessions! I have a list of audiobooks lined up to choose from after I finish Atmosphere, but I have no clue what I'll choose yet. I'm going to put up a poll this weekend so you all can help me decide.

Thank you for spending time with me today, Cozy Family!
Until next time,
Charlotte xxx