To begin with, I felt very self conscious. I wasn't a runner. I was a bit of fraud, pretending to be a runner. As I passed young athletes pounding along the promenade I thought, "what am I doing here?". But now, I'm beginning to feel a bit more relaxed about it. I've started to feel almost as if I have as much right to be there as the rest of them. In fact, I'm beginning to almost fell at home on the promenade between 5 and 6 pm.
So, it was my intention to get out there on Saturday. That didn't quite materialise. Sunday? That one didn't ether. But, Monday, 5.15 I was striding down Bowleaze hill where I park the car, limbering up for my run/walk.
I decided to extend the 60 second run/90 second walk a little. I tried 70 second run / 90 second walk, (OK, I know that is a bit a a feeble increment, but let's not get too carried away). The aching muscles have subsided to the extent that I hardly notice now. But, after 70 seconds, I'm absolutely gasping for breath. It isn't so bad while I'm actually running but when I count to 70, and slow down to a brisk walk, I'm exhausted. I'm sure it will get better as I progress. I'm going to start upping it gradually and hope to get to 2 mins running / 1 min walking by the middle of next week.
I finished up with a walk to the top of Bowleaze hill and ran back down to the car. That was easy.
Tuesday 17 February 2009
Tuesday 10 February 2009
Snow go this week
What a week for weather, eh? It has played havoc with my training schedule. I only managed Thursday last week and it was Tuesday (this evening) when I finally managed to get out again. Needless to say, I was not perfectly toned. I stuck to the 60 second run/90 second walk X 8 regime. That is - run 60 seconds, walk 90 seconds and repeat eight times. I can't believe how breathless I am after just 60 seconds of running. Well, it's OK the 1st and maybe 2nd 60 second spells but by the time I'm on the 7th and 8th, I'm pretty knackered..
There must have been 20 other people running on my race track this evening. They have all presumably been in the same situation weatherwise and have chosen the first reasonable evening to get out there and burn some rubber. I'm hoping to get Wednesday and Thursday in as well. Won't get back from Swansea until 8pm on Thursday. So, hoping for some reasonable weather.
There must have been 20 other people running on my race track this evening. They have all presumably been in the same situation weatherwise and have chosen the first reasonable evening to get out there and burn some rubber. I'm hoping to get Wednesday and Thursday in as well. Won't get back from Swansea until 8pm on Thursday. So, hoping for some reasonable weather.
Sunday 1 February 2009
A new start
After the lower leg injury of last weekend, plus taking on board John's and Greg's advice, I decided that I needed to be a little less impatient and develop a sensible strategy. The leg was starting to feel better on Monday morning so I decided that I would take a long (ish) brisk walk on Monday evening and then try to alternate running and walking days. My plan was that the walking would stop my muscles from going back to sleep while giving everything a bit of a rest at the same time. I also decided to take some of the advice from Runner's World http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/news/article.asp?UAN=29
It says that you should comfortably be able to build from nothing to running continuously for 30 minutes in the space of eight weeks. It suggests that you follow this plan:
Week 1 Run one min, walk 90 seconds. Repeat eight times. Do three times a week.
Week 2 Run two mins, walk one min. Repeat seven times. Do three times a week.
Week 3 Run three mins walk one mins. Repeat six times. Do three times a week.
Week 4 Run five mins, walk two mins. Repeat four times. Do times a week.
Week 5 Run eight mins, walk two mins. Repeat three times. Do three times a week.
Week 6 Run 12 mins, walk one min. Repeat three times. Do three times a week.
Week 7 Run 15 mins, walk one min, Run fifteen mins. Do three times a week
Week 8 Run 30 mins continuously.
It does also say that if you are over 40, you should start by doing lots of walking for about 4 weeks before starting the above. But, I have decided to start by with a brisk walk for a couple of minutes followed by alternate 30 second runs/50-60 second walks for about 2.5 miles which takes about 30 minutes. This is from the Oasis cafe at Overcombe to the Pier Bandstand in Weymouth and back again.
We were away in Amsterdam for Tuesday and Wednesday but on Thursday evening, I started my new training plan. I also decided to cut down to T-shirt and sweatshirt plus hat and gloves and to try to stick to my beach front promenade running track.
5.30pm Thursday. Dusk, dry with brisk icy east wind blowing straight off the sea, brrrrrr! Promenade more or less deserted. Off I go. It seemed to go well. I was warming up (as in - no longer freezing cold) by the time I was into the last half mile and by the time I clambered back into the car, I felt as if I had stretched and exercised everything and needed to turn down the heating.
Friday was piano lesson so didn't do anything but Saturday morning at 11am, was back to running 30 secs/walking 50 secs. This seems to work well. Don't think I'm going to do anything today (Sunday) but will be doing either run/walk or walk only tomorrow (Monday).
It says that you should comfortably be able to build from nothing to running continuously for 30 minutes in the space of eight weeks. It suggests that you follow this plan:
Week 1 Run one min, walk 90 seconds. Repeat eight times. Do three times a week.
Week 2 Run two mins, walk one min. Repeat seven times. Do three times a week.
Week 3 Run three mins walk one mins. Repeat six times. Do three times a week.
Week 4 Run five mins, walk two mins. Repeat four times. Do times a week.
Week 5 Run eight mins, walk two mins. Repeat three times. Do three times a week.
Week 6 Run 12 mins, walk one min. Repeat three times. Do three times a week.
Week 7 Run 15 mins, walk one min, Run fifteen mins. Do three times a week
Week 8 Run 30 mins continuously.
It does also say that if you are over 40, you should start by doing lots of walking for about 4 weeks before starting the above. But, I have decided to start by with a brisk walk for a couple of minutes followed by alternate 30 second runs/50-60 second walks for about 2.5 miles which takes about 30 minutes. This is from the Oasis cafe at Overcombe to the Pier Bandstand in Weymouth and back again.
We were away in Amsterdam for Tuesday and Wednesday but on Thursday evening, I started my new training plan. I also decided to cut down to T-shirt and sweatshirt plus hat and gloves and to try to stick to my beach front promenade running track.
5.30pm Thursday. Dusk, dry with brisk icy east wind blowing straight off the sea, brrrrrr! Promenade more or less deserted. Off I go. It seemed to go well. I was warming up (as in - no longer freezing cold) by the time I was into the last half mile and by the time I clambered back into the car, I felt as if I had stretched and exercised everything and needed to turn down the heating.
Friday was piano lesson so didn't do anything but Saturday morning at 11am, was back to running 30 secs/walking 50 secs. This seems to work well. Don't think I'm going to do anything today (Sunday) but will be doing either run/walk or walk only tomorrow (Monday).
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