Back in May, I started on the Couch to 5K running programme, I didn’t blog about it at the time, not sure why but I didn’t. Well to cut a long story short, I fell by the wayside following a couple of setbacks and haven’t run really since July. I was really enjoying it but I fell ill with dizzy spells, then a bad cold so had a break. When I went back to it, I struggled so much more than I had first time around and was suffering from shin splints so I threw in the towel. It has always been my intention to start again though, I am incredibly unfit, leading such a sedentary life as I do. So, last weekend, I went off to the running shop and got fitted for a pair of proper running shoes (instead of the trainers I had been running in, which were probably what caused the shin splints!). The shoes cost more than I wanted to pay really but I feel that if I’m going to stick with this, then I need the proper equipment to help me.
So bear with me and indulge me because I need to have some accountability to make me complete this programme and blogging it will give me that.
Last time I was doing the C25K, I had got up to week 7 but I knew I couldn’t jump back in there, when I tried to go back in at week 5 some time ago, I struggled badly with the 10 minute runs. So I decided to go back to week 3, which is equal intervals of running and walking, alternating between 90 seconds and 3 minutes. It might not sound a lot but I challenge any of you who are not already doing some form of physical activity to run for 3 minutes and see then how long you find it to be!! I did a couple of repetitions of the week 3 runs and last night moved up to week 4. This is the first week that you actually run more than you walk, it’s two repetitions of run 3 mins, walk 90 secs, run 5 mins, walk 2.5 mins. It was hard work but not too much for me, I felt I still had something left in the tank after the final 5 minute run so I’m optimistic that after 2 more of these runs, I’ll be ready to move onto week 5.
My immediate aim is to get up to the 30 minutes of continuous running and then track my distance. I want to do Parkrun in the new year and I want to be able to run it all and not walk any of it. Next year I will enter the Race for Life and again, I want to run it all otherwise there is no point, how can I ask people to sponsor me if I am not challenging myself?
So, here I am starting on a journey. Some people have started this way and gone on to run Marathons! I somehow don’t see me in that category though, I’ll be very happy to reach my 5k from the couch!