Do the Couch-to-5k running plan at half speed

the present to get started on this goal again. Tonight is the night I get moving again…

It’s Rage Against The Machine’s “Bullet in the head”.

Firstly, it is in perfect tempo for my steps. Then, it apparently runs in a form of minute rhythm, by which I mean that the second verse starts exactly after 2 minutes (give or take a few seconds) and it lasts 4:57 minutes.
Since all I can normally manage are 4 minute runs, I can use this song to generate a last minute of running because Zack de la Rocha builds it up from a low tone of voice until he is going absolutely nuts screaming his head off at the end. The last 20 bars are in double time, with extra hard guitar, so I can give it my all before collapsing.

Early 2005 I started the cool-running.com version, I went from 263pds/1 mile to 222pds/4.7 miles in 11 weeks. But of cousre I stopped and after a while I gained all my wieght back and here I am doing the “5K plan” all over again half way thru 2008. Also I should mention I didn’t smoke and I dieted like two to three weeks of the 11. I was getting ready to go to the Middle East with a security contracting firm and didnt want to be out of shape.

Finally, after another week of unintentionally waking up very very early and being completely knackered, I made it out today. It went surprisingly well considering I hadn’t been out for a week. I definitely need at least three more runs on this stage though. I’ll try and get a couple of early mornings in this week.

Flying visit, everyone. I’m leading a ridiculously busy life right now and am way behind on answering a bunch of comments, and updating my own goals, but this too shall pass.

Could be that the reason is that I’ve stopped doing this. Or taken a 3-month-break.
The battery on the timer died, too, so even though I have been on a few walk-runs lately, I have no way to measure time run vs. time walked.
Still I feel like posting here that yesterday, I have managed 3 fairly “long” runs (for my standard!), and I ran further than the day before that. I am incredibly slow and my steps are tiny, but still, progress is being made. I feel becoming fitter and losing weight is just one of the benefits.

Finally managed this late this morning. It was supposed to be on Thursday morning, and then on Friday morning, but rubbish sleep quality and waking up at 5am both mornings rather put the kibosh on it. I know exercising gives you energy but you need some to kickstart you off.

Run seemed to go by really quickly this time. Each individual interval, though, seemed to last forever, which was really odd. I am definitely finding it harder this time around, and not nearly as fun. I guess now that I know that I’m capable of running 5k, moving up that ladder towards it just isn’t as amazing as it was last year. Perhaps when I am at 5k I can start astonishing myself with speed or longer runs, or jazz it up by joining the local running club and trying running with people instead of alone. If I don’t start enjoying it more then, perhaps I should look into some alternate form of exercise.

I’ve been up since half past six! Much as I am loath to admit it, because I hate getting up that early, morning runs are the way of the future. Running after work is so tiresome it feels like you’re running through treacle. and apart from anything else, doing it in the morning gets it over with so you dont have to think about it any more for a couple of days. I was asleep at 11pm last night, and that helped. I should make sure that I am in bed at a reasonable time on pre-run days.

Anway, I started week two this morning, and it went surprisingly well. I ran my intervals back and forth across the longest stretch of grass, which really seems to help my knees, though it does make me feel a bit unstable, as it’s on a hill so one leg is a little higher than the other. I didn’t get too out of breath or exhausted, which was a relief and rather motivating. I took it very easy, though, as my first run of this week, so that helped a lot.

Much better. Being well rested makes so much difference. I walked along to the recycling bank for my warm up, then ran and walked to the park, where I finished my intervals on grass to give my knees a break. It’s a beautiful day so after my cool down I lay on the grass in the sun for a while and watched dads running races with their little girls, toddling along with their little chubby jelly knees and falling over on their faces every 30 steps. Awww. Babies.

Completed last night after work. Evening running really doesn’t agree with me, you know. After a day at work I am really much too exhausted, mentally and physically, to haul my ass out, and when I do, I really don’t enjoy it. I think I’m going to have to start doing the early mornings again, much to my chagrin.

Again, this run was a bit of a struggle, and I don’t know why. It should be getting easier, but it was just as hard as run one. Afterwards I was so tired, physically and mentally, that I almost fell asleep on the sofa while chatting to HA, and was completely ready for bed at 9.30, though I forced myself to stay up and use up my cheers on this goal, as so many people had kindly responded to my plea for cheers. But isn’t this meant to boost my energy?

I’m finding that the soles of my feet are going numb from running these days. Perhaps I need more cushioned running shoes. I know I’m a bit of a tubster but I’m not so fat that carrying my own weight should make my feet hurt.

Completed last night post work. I was sooo tired and really didn’t want to go, but I got into my running clothes, sat on the bed and listened to my “Think like a person who works out” affirmations on my iPod while cutting out a few bits and bobs for my vision board, and drank a cup of decaf coffee – yay psychosomatic energy – then I was as ready as I could ever be. Weirdly, it doesn’t seem to be getting much easier this time around. I don’t know if it’s cos I’m lugging more weight around than I used to. By interval four I was knackered, though after a wee break (literally a break for a wee, I’m not picking up Scotchisms from my DB) I was ready to zoom off again. My shoulders and neck are very tense at the moment, and last night while running I could feel them rock solid and barely moving. It was very uncomfortable in contrast to the fluidity of my lower half. Half of my reason for running is to relieve tension. I hope it starts working soon. Luckily, I got a shoulder rub off HA later on while we watched the finale of Lost, and that loosened me up enough to get a decent (and fragrant) night’s sleep.