Run a 5k race

Well, I haven’t run 2 miles for 4 weeks, never mind 3 miles so this is looking like an uphill task right now. The first local 5K is in March so that’s what I’ll be aiming for. Rar!

I feel I should probably update this as I set this goal 2 months ago. It might look like I’ve made no progress but I’m plugging away on the treadmill a couple of times a week. It’s not the only way I’m improving my fitness; I do other exercise too.

At the moment I run about a mile and a half each time, uphill and at 6mph. It’s not record breaking but I’m improving. This is after I’ve cross-trained a mile and rowed 1.5km but before I cycle 4 miles uphill. I daresay that I could run further, especially if it wasn’t being piled in with a heap of other cardio work. I’ve been increasing my speed and distance slowly because I’m so nervous about my knees.

This time I seem to have succeeded in not crippling myself, proving that patience is a virtue. My plan is to continue increasing distance until such a time as I feel comfortable enough to increase speed. I’d like to get to 3.2 miles at 8mph.

I’m very fat and not very fit, though I’m getting there. Right now, I’m heavy and that makes it hard to run. I’m not horribly unfit but I have dodgy knees so high impact stuff isn’t too good for them. If I was lighter it’d be more sensible. As a teenager I was addicted to running and regularly ran 10 miles. I love that 3 steps rhythm you get where your breathing is in tune with your stride. That’s what I’d like to regain.

My aim is to run a 5K next year.