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

I’m still suffering from my foot problem, and running is hors de question, as someone pretentious might say. Plus it’s getting to winter and it’s fucking freezing. I miss running and hope to get back to it, but in the meantime I shall endeavour to find another method of exercise. The trampoline thing didn’t work out – it’s too noisy and a pain in the arse to assemble, but there’s an underused exercise bike in our bedroom, so perhaps I can combine some reading for uni (or, er, watching Buffy on the laptop) with some indoor cycling.

After a holiday in France and a brief visit to Ireland, I’m back on the horse. Not that I’ve fallen off it, I’ve gotten off it, gently, just to get back on it today.
The run was fine, felt good, and though I didn’t cover much ground, I did the times and ran comfortably. I was proudly wearing my super yellow safety vest, which I had originally bought to have in the car in France (it’s the law!), but now that we are here, I might as well wear it at dusk and not get run over by a bike. Yay, me!

I’m doing great following the routine and running through Vondelpark like a gazelle. Not. Today, a girl in front of me was doing a brisk walk right ahead of me. She never broke into a proper run. I still couldn’t catch up with her… But I’m OK and at least I am having fun.
The 3-minute runs are good and fI can focus on my form and feel like I am getting more into the whole sporty thing. Let’s see how we can keep this up during our holidays, though…

Still running. I love it once I’m out there, but getting ready to leave the house is the hard part. I am using the Ullrey podcast and even I normally despise housemusic, I think for running, it’s OK. A bit boring, maybe. But the dude has a nice voice, so I’ll go on with this podcast.
Running is fun now and my personal motivational character is helping me to focus when I’m running out of breath or slow down. She kicks ass and so will I, eventually.

I strangely did not feel any strain doing this run. At all. I enjoyed it through and through, running around 9:30 p.m., when the day’s heat had finally subsided and a great many people were having barbeques in the park. Apart from the smoke, I was having the best time.

This one went even better than the first. I liked being by myself and do my thing after a long day in the office and picking up the baby afterwards.
I also have a “secret” motivation. It’s the body image of a fictional character and I am using her in my head to make me run with more control and ‘tude. If it works in the longrun (haha), I’ll let you know who it is. For now, she is “mine”.

For some reason, lately my heels have been incredibly painful and inflamed, in particular in the morning when I get out of bed and when I first walk on them having sat down for any length of time.

I’ve done a spot of research, and I think what I have is plantar fasciitis, tearing and inflammation in the pad of fibrous tissue and fat that runs from the heel to the ball of each foot. It could have been caused by any number of things – running itself, wearing high heels, wearing flat shoes, wearing shoes of a height different to what you’re used to, being a bit lardy. I’ve always had tight ankles, too (that’s what put the kibosh on me being a famous tap dancer), and that doesn’t help, apparently.

I desperately miss running. Without it, I am starting to feel lethargic, flabby in the leg, and a wee bit depressed. But there’s no way I can run at the moment, so I need to get it sorted. I’m going to call the NHS physiotherapy line tomorrow and see what they think, maybe make an appointment to see the physio. I’ve also found some exercises (linking so I can find them again) to try. In the meantime, perhaps I’ll haul out my mini-trampoline and see if a softer, bouncier surface will make exercising agony-free.

‘nuff said.

I upped my runs to two ten-minute intervals today. I did have an abortive attempt at this on Friday, but before I started the second run I was overcome with nausea and exhaustion, probably because it was midday and I was running on an empty stomach.

Today, though, it was pretty damn doable. Up hill and down dale through the park in a light refreshing rain, with a toilet stop in the middle of my intra-run walking interval and two ten-second breaks to say hi to a cat and a baby in the second run. It was a bit of a stretch at the end, and I had to push myself, but doing my gratitudes and affirmations really gives me the edge – I was cackling with happiness for a lot of this run. Ace.

I took a couple of weeks’ break for health issues, then restarted back at week five day one a week or so ago. That was easy, so now I’ve done a couple of day two runs – the eight minuters. Are you confused yet? Eight minutes is now a fairly easy run for me, especially if I keep it slow, but I just don’t feel ready to move onto the long 20-minute run of week five day three, especially while it’s hot and humid like it is at the moment.

I’ve added new components to my running though, and I’m finding that they make it even more enjoyable and uplifting. Inspired by a Tony Robbins CD HA and I got from Freecycle, I’ve taken to spending the warmup walk doing an energising breath pattern and some EFT-style tapping (on the finger points). Then for the first run I think of all the things I grateful for – amazing what plops into your head once you start. Then for the second run I incant (in my head or out loud, depending on who’s around) affirmations, affirming my increased confidence, health, happiness, fitness, all-round awesomeness and so on until I feel really really really really ace. This routine seems to make the runs go by quicker, and definitely helps improve my mood even more than running on its own.

Feeling pretty good at the moment. Yay!