Achieved this month’s goal of 15 miles! Now to consider the goal for September.
Also, not sure if it was 2 runs in 3 days or because I went out this afternoon but my legs felt less enthusiastic than normal. However, my pace was a smidge up on Friday’s (which was my best up to then) so it can’t be all bad.
And yes I did put the right shoes on this time.
I went for a shuffle round the neighbourhood this morning, choosing to ditch the fixed “run x/walk y, repeat z times” schedule for a “run and walk as required until had enough” schedule. Without trying I got my best average mph over 2 miles – 4.67! Still postively sedentary as running goes but to me it’s as good as an Olympic gold medal. The longest run stint was 0.3 miles and I managed to repeat that here and there. Again, not exactly setting the running world alight but enough to give me a smile.
I think I will stick to the more relaxed run/walk sessions, rather than the fixed. Why? After doing some thinking I realised that when I do the fixed stuff I tend to get running-related injuries. When I do the relaxed stuff I don’t get anything like as many (though the score’s about even on injuries preventing running due to non-running related ones). So I’m going to listen to my body more and follow its lead.
One extra run/walk session – my 10% increase for the next week. Thus taking my session to 32 mins 30 seconds. Slowly does it.
I didn’t wake up this morning thinking “ooh, let’s go for a run”. It was supposed to rain today and I haven’t yet grown to like getting wet like that. Anyway, it was overcast with the chance of showers here and there. So I took a late decision and got on with it – aided and abetted by a good look at tomorrow’s diary and wondering where the time for a run would come from.
Note to self though: Please stop having uphill run sessions at phase 7 and 12. I bet if I set out to have uphills then it wouldn’t happen.
… finish your run/walk session this morning with an UPHILL! Note to self – plan ahead.
In fact, there were 2 uphill run sessions in this morning’s effort. I suppose I need to get on with them – can’t avoid them forever.
I was out the door for just after 8am, not bad after a second night of little sleep. The first couple of runs were draggy but after that I got into my stride. Really thought I’d gone further than last time, but not quite. Gonna blame the hills 😉
The new t-shirt is just the job. Loose enough not to constrict but not so loose as to cause chafing.
Hello blogosphere!!!! Is there anyone still reading?
After my long hiatus I’ve decided to resurrect the blog. I am (once again, hopefully for the last time) getting the running shoes on and setting up my training schedule. The past year hasn’t been wasted though. I have been swimming, and having an hour’s personal trainer sessions each week with the wonderfully knowledgeable Neil. Now I am fitter (mostly) and have better muscle strength (again, mostly), so the injuries should be less likely. The only long-term niggle is a problem with my left shoulder and arm. I’m working hard to prevent a frozen shoulder.
My weight has stayed off. Yes, it has fluctuated but after chucking out all my old wardrobe and buying in a new one that weight is going to stay off.
Last year I made myself a dare. By the time I’m 50, and including the year I turn 50, I want to have run at least 75% of the Great South Run. This is a 10 mile race (which is getting more and more expensive, so sooner will be better than later). Earlier this year, Neil decided I could be ready for it next year. So, here we go.
I’ll be posting on here about my training sessions, the shorter races I do before then, my dietary habits as I learn to fuel for middle to long distance running. It is my intention to have done a marathon by the time I am 52. If I get the chance I’d love to do London, New York and Boston by the time I’m 57.
So that’s the next 10 years planned. Join me?
I really thought I’d cracked the two and a half stone loss mark this morning, not that I am officially still losing weight or anything ;-). Instead I fell a pound short. Hopefully I will do it next week. I’ll have to be careful though, because if lose much more than that I shall have fallen out the bottom of my range.
I went for my assessment at the personal trainer this morning. It seems that I am not in need of any rehabilitation but am definitely in need of strentghening and balancing. I have a couple of things to do for homework, before going back next week to really get stuck in. He reckons I could run the Great South Run next year!!! I still think that’ll be pushing it but am game to try.
Also, I have booked myself in for some swimming lessons this term. I can swim, mainly breast-stroke, but haven’t been for years. The lessons will teach me front crawl (and a crawl is exactly what it WILL be for the first few sessions), and I may be brave enough to learn to tumble turn. Swimming lessons aren’t just for children and aren’t just to teach you to swim. If I can get my crawl technique sorted then I’ll no longer crick my neck and shoulders doing breast-stroke.
I’m planning on going for a run tomorrow morning.
On Friday I finally summoned up the courage to contact a personal trainer, someone to help me set up some strength training and an overall fitness programme to complement the running. I go and see him tomorrow.
I’ve also been watching some triathlon events on TV and found I fancied the idea, almost. You see, I’m not a fan of fish in the flesh. You won’t get me walking round the aquarium section of the pet shop – yet I can happily walk round the aquaria tourist attractions. Go figure! So the thought of donning a wet suit and swimming in open water (with the fishies!) was more than I could bring myself to do.
So imagine how happy I was when I discovered there IS such a thing as a duathlon. These consist of run – bike – run. Sounds like something I could work up to. Plus, some of them are team events. Hubby’s running days are probably over but he does like his bike. So we could form a 2 person team. I’d do the running and he could do the riding.
I’m also planning to hit the pool (no fishies in there, lol), hopefully sometime between 7 and 9am for their ‘proper’ swim sessions. It’s a great non-weight-bearing exercise that works the muscles not worked by running/cycling.
I’ve really got the exercise bit between my teeth.
One for you, dear readers. Now that I have hit my target do you still want me to report my weigh-ins? This week I gained a pound (but it was really over a fortnight as I didn’t weigh in last week).
I’m gearing myself up to start walking again – as in, walking for fitness. It’s just finding the time. There’s so much going on in real life here in Couchland and I’m trying to keep all that off this blog (as much as possible). I aim to start stepping out again next week and will see how it goes. First week’s target will be 5 miles.
Sorry it’s a day late. This “lovely” weather is playing havoc with my sense of self. So much so that I have been making poor food choices for 3 weeks now. Yet I have lost a net total of 2.5lbs. A 3lb loss followed by a maintain followed by this week’s half pound gain.
That was the motivation I needed to stop messing about and get rid of the last pound and a half by Monday – even if I have to amputate something lol .
As you’ve probably noticed, there’s not been much getting off the couch in recent weeks. Well, as long as this heat lasts there won’t be much in the next few weeks either. My knee seems to be bearing up reasonably well. My arm twinges if it gets in a breeze for too long. I am ready to get out there and knock off some 3 mile walks before slowly easing back into the running again. Just need the heat to go away.
I got my sulk over and done with by bedtime last night. I was just so disappointed at the results, after being a very good girl last week. Hopefully, it’ll show better this week.
Since running has been off the menu I have been so tired. I’ve quickly returned to my pre-exercise ability to sleep till 8.30 in a morning and still be tired. Fortunately I know that as soon as I get exercising again it will pass. Unfortunately, although the knee is mending – I did a 3 mile walk today – I’ve now done something to my left arm. <sigh>. It suddenly started aching yesterday for no good reason and today there’s a bruise. These things are sent to try us.
Once we get into July I am going to phone a personal trainer that I know to see if he can get me sorted out. I want an exercise plan that works on core strength, running strength, and non-running strength. I want him to analyse my walking and running gait as well as general posture. Then I want some exercises I can do to get this body of mine strong enough to get back into running and keep running without getting injured. It’s so disheartening to pick up injuries, so I want to get myself into optimum condition. A friend of mine has suggested swimming so that will probably be on the menu too. I’m not a fan of swimming as I get cold really easily – and being in water seems to be the quickest way for me to get cold. But I shall pull on my big girl panties and give it a go for a few weeks.
Leaving The Couch Behind 