It's been a shortened programme - where the 9 week c25k took me 10 weeks, the 10 week OHR has taken me about 8.
I wasn't sure how far I'd be going this morning, I'd planned at least 54 minutes. It was hard going for the first 30, I'm over my sore throat, but have been left with a cough. I was prepared to give up, but somehow never quite got to that point.
At the 40 minute mark I left the streets and ran along the stopbanks toward the main road. I seemed to get my second wind, and the last stretch home wasn't too bad. Except where I had to go up and over the railway tracks, I had been feeling good, and powered up the slope a little too fast. Not the thing to do when you've got a mild cold...I could hear my breathing getting worse and on the way down I was sucking in air like an asthmatic. Took it easy for the last few minutes and by the time i reached the 60 minute end point, I wasn't feeling too bad. But I was pretty glad I stopped only about 200-300m from home. Warmed down with 20 minutes of yoga - I've found a short program that is rather good for stretching and relaxing after a run.
I managed an average pace of 7.44min / km - which isn't too bad, considering I picked a route that included a bit of hill work.
Not sure where too now, I'll keep up with the 30 minute week day runs, and a 60 minute Sunday run, but need to figure out how to push myself out of the comfort zone.
I'm tentatively planning my first 5km run with a friend next month, so that is a short term goal anyway. I'd like to crack the 35 minute mark by then...
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
unfortunately I had to come back from holiday
I had a great time in Melbourne, great flights on Air NZ. They really are a great airline to travel on. And I'm a real fan of the inflight entertainment systems these days. I watched "Boy" on the way over, and "Precious" on the way back.
I really love Melbourne, the city centre is reasonably compact to walk around and the trams mean that you can get almost anywhere with no hassles. It was nice to arrive before lunch on a Sunday (and lovely hotel meant we could check in immediately) and the town was packed with runners and walkers who'd just finished the Mothers Day Classic run. Pity I hadn't arrived in time to run with them!
Didn't pack my running shoes, but we walked for miles over the 3.5 days we were there. Walked, shopped and ate. There are so many nice places to eat, we spent a lot of time walking around trying to decide where to go. And we attended two Tegan and Sara concerts - they were great live. Really enjoyed it - worth the trip over the ditch. The local support act was ok, a band called The Jezebels - I just found them a bit boring, and all their songs a bit samey. The other support act from the States was Astronautalis. And he was awesome - bought a couple of his albums from iTunes once I got home.
I've been back running - with a short 2k the first morning home on Saturday, then I skipped the usual long Sunday run as I was dead tired and couldn't drag myself out of bed! But I've run twice this week - 3.5k and 5.3k. Not too bad, considering I haven't been eating very well and I've been fighting a cold and sore throat all week. My sinuses have stayed clear so it hasn't stopped the running yet, but I had such a sore throat and strained voice today I took a sick day off work.
At the Melbourne Aquarium, I decided that feeding Stingrays for a living wouldn't be THAT great. Unless you like being squished whilst underwater.
We ate lots of baby cupcakes
Took photos of random towers lit up all pretty
and attended two concerts at the Forum Theatre
I really love Melbourne, the city centre is reasonably compact to walk around and the trams mean that you can get almost anywhere with no hassles. It was nice to arrive before lunch on a Sunday (and lovely hotel meant we could check in immediately) and the town was packed with runners and walkers who'd just finished the Mothers Day Classic run. Pity I hadn't arrived in time to run with them!
Didn't pack my running shoes, but we walked for miles over the 3.5 days we were there. Walked, shopped and ate. There are so many nice places to eat, we spent a lot of time walking around trying to decide where to go. And we attended two Tegan and Sara concerts - they were great live. Really enjoyed it - worth the trip over the ditch. The local support act was ok, a band called The Jezebels - I just found them a bit boring, and all their songs a bit samey. The other support act from the States was Astronautalis. And he was awesome - bought a couple of his albums from iTunes once I got home.
I've been back running - with a short 2k the first morning home on Saturday, then I skipped the usual long Sunday run as I was dead tired and couldn't drag myself out of bed! But I've run twice this week - 3.5k and 5.3k. Not too bad, considering I haven't been eating very well and I've been fighting a cold and sore throat all week. My sinuses have stayed clear so it hasn't stopped the running yet, but I had such a sore throat and strained voice today I took a sick day off work.
At the Melbourne Aquarium, I decided that feeding Stingrays for a living wouldn't be THAT great. Unless you like being squished whilst underwater.
We ate lots of baby cupcakes
Took photos of random towers lit up all pretty
Friday, May 7, 2010
16 weeks of running
16 weeks and running seems to have become an integral part of my week. I don't think I'll ever be fast, I don't think I'll ever run really long distances, but I just like to run. I hope that continues, with the winter coming quickly and a few more months of dark, cold morning runs...
I'm in to week 8 of my shortened OHR programme. I'm not struggling with the longer runs, but I do find I have to push myself a little harder to keep going past the 30 minute mark. 36min run yesterday, and I managed to hit the 5km mark and felt good the whole run - so I was pretty proud of myself and on a high most of the day. So much so, I'm considering going for a short jog around the block if I wake up early enough tomorrow....and I NEVER run on a Saturday.
I am getting to the point where I don't need so much structure in my running to keep going, but I think I need some kind of programme to keep pushing me to be better, fitter, faster, stronger! Not sure where I'll go to after the OHR, I'll have 2 weeks left after my week off....I'll have to start looking around. Maybe I'll check out the coach section on the nike plus website.
Which reminds me, I'm loving the nike+. A garmin would be great to track my fitness and running, but the social aspect of the nikeplus site is pretty neat.
In other news, I have a 6 or 7 hour drive ahead of me tomorrow - Palmy to Auckland. We've got the whole day, we're not in a hurry, so we might not go direct - maybe we'll go via Taupo and stop at the lake, or take the National Park route through Taumaranui - I've never been there, so it would be something new.
Then it's up really early Sunday morning to the airport to fly out on Air NZ to Melbourne for a week of shopping, walking, great food and two Tegan & Sara concerts. I've got my earbuddy concert earplugs all packed and ready to go.
I'm in to week 8 of my shortened OHR programme. I'm not struggling with the longer runs, but I do find I have to push myself a little harder to keep going past the 30 minute mark. 36min run yesterday, and I managed to hit the 5km mark and felt good the whole run - so I was pretty proud of myself and on a high most of the day. So much so, I'm considering going for a short jog around the block if I wake up early enough tomorrow....and I NEVER run on a Saturday.
I am getting to the point where I don't need so much structure in my running to keep going, but I think I need some kind of programme to keep pushing me to be better, fitter, faster, stronger! Not sure where I'll go to after the OHR, I'll have 2 weeks left after my week off....I'll have to start looking around. Maybe I'll check out the coach section on the nike plus website.
Which reminds me, I'm loving the nike+. A garmin would be great to track my fitness and running, but the social aspect of the nikeplus site is pretty neat.
In other news, I have a 6 or 7 hour drive ahead of me tomorrow - Palmy to Auckland. We've got the whole day, we're not in a hurry, so we might not go direct - maybe we'll go via Taupo and stop at the lake, or take the National Park route through Taumaranui - I've never been there, so it would be something new.
Then it's up really early Sunday morning to the airport to fly out on Air NZ to Melbourne for a week of shopping, walking, great food and two Tegan & Sara concerts. I've got my earbuddy concert earplugs all packed and ready to go.
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