Week 6 run 3

Moved up to 25 mins solid running this time. This run was on Tuesday.

When I got home I had real shooting pains in my Achilles' tendons. I'd be sitting normally and then - ow!
This is the first time I feel proper damage, and I'm not sure what to do now. I have an enforced gap until Saturday anyway because of Christmas nights out, so hopefully it will feel better by then.

Week 6 run 2

This was on a Sunday and overall it felt pretty good. The schedule was 2x 10 mins with 3 min walk between. This was the last of the interval runs though - Laura says at the end that its all nonstop from now on.

Week 6 Run 1 - gym

My weeks are a bit askew, from missing a couple of weeks and last weekend being away for the Sunday run, so I started this "Week" on a Thursday. Awkward.

So the run requirements were 5 / 8 / 5 with a 3 min walk inbetween each run. Total of 18 mins so less than the last run, although strangely it felt just as hard work. I think if you gear up for a time period then you go flop a bit when you hit the end of it.

I ran in total for about 2.1k I think (hard to count, when adding on the walking). I ran the first 5 mins at about 7kph, then dropped down to 6.7 for the other two blocks. I find when display-watching, that it's nicer to look at the track image and calculate in my head that I'll need to run to about THERE in the time allowed, rather than look at the clock and work out how many more minutes I have run for. Is that a positive thing? I think so. I certainly would never have thought that 2 months ago I could run for 2+k in half an hour.

Week 5 Run 3 - the biggie - Gym

This run was the first long run - 20 mins non stop.

Mentally I was scaring myself about it in advance (knowing what's coming...) and was telling myself both "you'll never manage that" and "come now, other people on the forum say that they thought they'd never manage it, but they did. Trust in Laura".

So I gave it a go and took it gently (6.7kph and 0% gradient - maybe that's cheating), but lo and behold, I indeed did manage it. Just kept slogging away and I got there in the end. I gave myself a quiet sky-pump to celebrate, and told Lynne the gym worker. Yay me!

I don't think I've ever in my life ran for a continuous 20 mins. Ever. At school, I probably had to do 1600m round the track, but I am sure I would never have managed to run it all (or it would perhaps have taken me less than 20m anyway). And when we did cross-country runs I definitely didn't run it all!

Week 5 Run 2

Completed this run today after work at the gym. Nicely, it wasn't too full tonight (I was maybe 10 mins later than "normal" because of trying to go via the bike shop to pick up the Cannondale), so I didn't feel the normal guilt of being the longest person on a treadmill when people were waiting ("Please limit your use to 15 mins when busy")

So tonight's run was 2x8 mins, with a 5 min walk in between.
I feel I just about managed it, although the prospect of 20 mins non-stop next time is rather freaking me out.
It is apparently a Mental Thing.

Week 5 run 1

After a couple of weeks off running, I went back to the gym on Sunday and repeated Week 4 run. It felt OK.

Today I had a go at Week 5 run 1. This is 5 mins running, 3 walking, 5 running, 3 walking, 5 running (i.e. 15 mins running in total). Slightly less than last time, but all longer.

There is only 1 of this run, the next one (Thursday, probably) is 8 mins running x 2. And then after that (when, I'm not sure, as I'm away for the weekend...) is 20 mins solid running (minor eek!)

I felt today that 3 x 5 might be too much (on top of commuting), but it's a mental thing - I managed it. While I was running, I actually was thinking to myself, "if I had to keep going for another 3 mins, I could make myself do it" - and perhaps the same will be true of 20 mins non-stop. Of course the aches and pains might take over on that one; we shall see...

Livia Doesn't Run

Haven't run since last Thursday, as I got hit by a cold last Friday lunchtime, and walking was a struggle, let alone running.

I think I will re-do the final run of week 4 when I feel better (breathe, breathe) and then have a go at week 5, whenever that is.

A week into the cold, and I'm still feeling choked with it. :(

Week 4 run 3 - gym

Completed week 4. I looked at the distance I travelled today, and added it up that it was about 350m for each of the two 3 min runs, and 600m for the 5 min runs = total about 1900m.

Total distance travelled about 3.2k in 34 mins, including the walking bits.

Next week looks scary though... up to 20 mins running by this time next week? (I'll be in Glasgow that day...)

Week 2 Run 2 - gym

Completed this too, despite a short wait for a treadmill to become available (5.45pm is busy time at the gym...)

I confess that I started the session with "I probably won't manage this today" in my head. It's after work, I've cycled (and it's been on the mountain bike so knobbly tires = harder work) and I was remembering that last week on run 2 I hadn't had a day's work (YBS day off). So I felt some doubts that I would manage it.

Anyway - I did manage to see it through to the end, and completed all 16 mins of running. And yes, in my head I'm doubting that next week I'll manage 3x5mins, or 2x8mins, or 1x20mins... (especially as I'm not sure what I'll manage when staying with Katie on the Tuesday run day).

Week 4 Run 1 - gym

This week the regimen is:
5 mins warm up walk
3 mins run
90s walk
5 mins run
2.5 mins walk
3 mins run
90s walk
5 mins run
5 mins warm down walk

Which according to my calculation makes 16 mins running and 15.5mins walking - over 50% for the first time!

I had a sore heel early on (in the first 3 min run actually) but it seemed to get better over the duration of the run. Interesting...

I managed to do all the running without faltering. I appreciate the positive language Laura uses (she always assumes that you finished the running sections, and didn't give up) and the gradual progressions do make it all possible. This time next week it's 3 x 5 min runs though, and that goes up to 1x20 by the end of the week. Big eek!

I have also been reading the NHS Forum about the programme too, and draw strength from the fact that many other people seem to be overweight, not fit, not confident, but get through it.
Of course, the ones who drop out are maybe less likely to be posting on a forum about it...

Week 3 Runs 2 & 3

Forgot to blog about the 2nd run separately!

Run 2 was on Tuesday, but not after work as usual; instead it was after only a trip up to town to see the YBS chap, and then a descent back to Leith Cycle Co to drop Trek off for gear stuff, and then a walk from there to the gym. It was noticeable that the running was less hard work than the times that I've been there after a cycle commute.

Like on Thursday - This run felt tougher than the last ones. Perhaps (probably) because of the commuting effort, but the 3 min runs really seemed to stretch out and my feet had cramp. Argh.

Anyway, completed everything successfully so On To Week 4!

Week 3 Run 1 - gym

This week's programme is:
5 min warm up
90 sec run
90 sec walk
3 min run
3 min walk
(repeat x 2)

So there's only 9 mins of running this week, compared to (I think) 10.5 mins last week. However one runs for longer - stamina!

It seemed OK, although I was quite glad when the 3 min runs were over.

And on leaving the gym I did actually break into a spontaneous jog, at least as far as the corner, anyway. And in the wrong type of shoes.

Today was the first day I have used my new New Balance running shoes. No major aches or pains, which is good, and no foot-cramp. Result. Worth £75-ish then...

Week 2 run 3 - gym

This seemed OK. I'm not sure how much more I could have run, but I did feel a bit bouncy for some of it, not just shuffling along with my toes scraping along the floor. My shoes were definitely a weak point - cramp in sole of right foot for a fair stretch of time. Last time I had sore shins. Trip to Run and Become on Saturday becoming more tempting...

Next run will be at the weekend and will be Week 3 Run 1!

Week 2 Run 2 - Gym again

This time was the first run I'd done on top of a normal day's work and cycle commuting. It was tougher than the other ones, surprise surprise!

At the end of the run my legs were a bit jelly-ish. I was very glad that the gym had cancelled BodyBalance because of some maintenance problem in Studio 2.

I think I won't try to combine both in the future.

Maybe
Mon - run 1 / ringing
Tues - Body Balance
Wed - RTO
Thurs - run 2
Fri - crash out
Sat - run 3

Although Mondays could be tough too.

Vigour

I felt quite energetic today. Maybe this was a result of a week of not-quite-work or maybe it's because of all the running, either way, woo!

Week 2 Run 1 - gym

I should really have had a day's break between runs, but I didn't (needed to do a gym session today anyway) and I won't get the chance tomorrow.

So I had a go at Week 2 (5 mins warm up, 90s run, 2min walk, repeat for 20 mins, 5 mins warm down).

Being on a treadmill, I could see actual speeds (and of course there were no hills). Walking pace was 5.2kph (although this felt a little slow at times) and running pace started at 6.7 but I upped it to 7kph by the end. I think there were 7 runs.

7 x 90 = 630s = 10.5 mins.
6 x 120 = 720s = 12 mins
And I'm pretty sure that it was about 22mins of the fast bit.
So that's up from 8 mins of running from the last 3 runs.

My shins didn't hurt today, probably because the treadmill is a softer surface. I do get crampy feelings on the outside of my feet though. 

Week 1 run 3 - Lochend railway

Back home, so after a 2-day gap because of yesterday mostly being spent in a training room and then on a train, I went out for a jog today around the old railway line route, down to the new bridge at the far end of the Links and back.

Hard work, but I managed every jog as described. My shins were sore and I'm not sure what to do about that. Better stretching pre-jog? Better shoes? According to the NHS, perhaps I shouldn't run for a couple of weeks and also get fitted for proper shoes. This could be expensive...

The weather was sunny, and fairly warm, considering that it's October. I wore my long sleeved blue merino, my bamboo buff and my red cycling top, but that was too warm so I wrapped it round my waist after about the second jog.

Week 1 run 2 - Brighouse

Mainly to escape the clutches of the hotel, and to celebrate the fact that it was sunny, not raining, I decided to take today's run outside. I knew from watching the machine the other day that week 1 run works out about 2 miles, so I plotted a route around the hotel that would be about right. The first but (walking, thank God) was up a really steep hill, but I got to the top before the first run segment. Phew. From there it was nearly all flat, downhill (have to jog carefully) or some very slight undulations. Which felt tough in the latter stages of the run. I think I might be better suited to the treadmill. I noticed that one could vary pace more sensitively though in the real world, for example I could jog at a very slow pace when crossing the road. If you're on a treadmill you may have to just pick a pace and stick with it which can actually be harder work.

At the end of the run I was walking across the grassy field at the back of the hotel and went through a soggy bit so my lovely gym trainers are now rather muddy. Oh well I suppose that's life. Perhaps I'll have to buy new trainers!

Week 1

After a not very successful first attempt, when I couldn't find the podcast and improvised (I don't think I did enough iterations), I had my first proper go at the week 1 run tonight in the hotel gym in Brighouse. It seemed ok! I didn't feel at any point that I couldn't do any more or that it was too hard. I felt as though it was a good work out though. Twice more (could be Wednesday and maybe Friday morning, need a day gap between each). Then have a go at week 2 run on Sunday I guess back at LVSC...

Tomorrow I think I'll go on the bike to "cycle to work" and maybe go in the pool in the evening.

In the beginning...

In August I participated in the Scottish Gas 5k "road race" - where I determinedly Did Not Run, but walked (briskly) and finished in about 50 minutes.

I stubbornly refused to even break into a jog for a few strides to get over the finish line, or at the beginning. This was a WALK and I would complete it at that pace. It did feel a bit sad getting to the furthest point, on the promenade, when there were 10k runners who had been all the way to Cramond and were back at that point before I had even walked there. Perhaps... somewhere down inside me, I felt a little nudge to say "perhaps you could run it next year".

Then I decided (later in August) to aim to lose 40lbs by my 40th birthday (July 2013). Another challenge, but about 0.8lbs a week, "how hard can that be?" The answer (about 2 months on), is quite hard. I think I've lost about 5lbs so far, but not convinced that my starting weight was actually representative (dodgy scales...) so in fact I may have only lost a couple overall. And now I'm about to head away for a week in a hotel for work and will no doubt be able to pile that back on without even trying.

The final straw is that Jenny this morning posted on Facebook that she has lost 38lbs since March, and is 6 weeks ahead of target (her 40th birthday too...) so I guess that the gauntlet has been thrown down. She recommended the NHS Couch to 5k programme. So perhaps I had better give it a go.

My worries are: knee stresses (already get sore quite easily with walking / cycling) and Achilles Tendinopathy (already a problem) and Plantar Fasciitis (has been a problem before). Maybe I will try to get there on gym machines, to begin with anyway, and see if there is a reason to invest in nice running shoes in a bit.