So I broke off half way through writing the 1st post because I realised I was just using it as procrastination to avoid actually doing the exercise I was talking about. Now I've finished that I can post my update.
This was the 1st stage of the couch to 5k (C25K) from the app I am using (RunDouble It seems OK, but I've never used a running app so what do I know?) 5 minute brisk walk warm-up, 60 second run 90 second walk x 8 then 5 minute gentle walk. I should be doing this 3 times this week then it gets a bit harder next week.
Should be a piece of piss right? 8 minutes of running in 1 minute chunks? Lets go!
First of all, it was harder than I anticipated it said "start running" so I set off running. Soon I was desperately hoping for my minute to be up soon, then 90 second recovery, that's loads right? Nope. I managed the 2nd 60 seconds just barely then the 3rd, 4th and 5th I couldn't do the whole minute. I could hardly breathe by around the time I had to go back to walking. The last 3 reps were a bust thanks to my stupid choice of route.
I thought running along the canal would be a good plan. It's flat, the only place in the area where I wouldn't be running up/down a fairly steep hill for at least part of it which I wanted to avoid, pretty quiet and I reckoned about my 5 minute warm-up away. I had just hit the tow-path when I'd finished the warm-up so it went well as far as that goes. Things started OK, it was dark but there was enough light to be OK on the wide paved path. Then when I got to half way I was just by a lock, so I thought, why not cross over and go back on the other side? Big mistake. It was raining hard all day and the other side is a dirt path. In the dark I couldn't tell the path from the puddles, the path was slippery and the grass/mud at the side even more so. My last 3 reps turned into a trudge through the mud since as well as being knackered I didn't want to risk breaking my neck. Then of course as I was walking I was going much slower so instead of being back to my house by the end of the half hour I was still trudging along the tow-path. Balls.
I got back eventually, put the bins out and hosed off my trainers and the bottom of my trousers and came in to see how I had done.
I completed C25K Week 1 Day 1 (timed) (1.44 miles), in 18:30, pace 12:52 min/mile
The app gives me much better stats than that but it only exports the very basic. I apparently burned 426 calories including the warm up which is great (if a little unbelievable), but I'm disappointed with the rest of it. The whole "run" averages out as a brisk walk.
I'm a little worried about how I am going to do this now but I haven't given up yet. I think I have learned some worthwhile lessons:
Pace myself - I just set off full speed on my first run section, I should have gone for more of a jog than a sprint to make sure I could actually complete it.
Think of a sensible route - In hindsight I could have run on an at least relatively flat course on the road with a bit more planning, and some smallish hills would have been better than the mud path.
Run on the road if it is wet - I could do the canal path again and just turn around at the half way point but once I'm fitter/doing longer runs I have a feeling that it turns to a dirt track on the paved side too further up.
Do it in daylight - I planned to do it as soon as I got up, but I had a long lie-in so I was starving by the time I finally got up.
Looking on the bright side I'm so bad that I should see some good improvement fairly quickly. As to sticking to the plan, well I'm going to see how it goes but I'd like to be at least able to complete all 8 repeats of this section. If I can't do that in 3 goes then I think I will stick with this "easy" program until I can, then move onto week 2 when I'm ready. So effectively week 1 might actually take a bit more than a week.
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