OHR week 6 down, 4 weeks to go

So I skipped 2 of the runs, but hey, I managed 41 minutes this morning so I'm counting it as done.

It wasn't a great run, it wasn't an awful run. It was just too humid outside, after about 10 minutes I was damp and uncomfortable. It's APRIL, in Palmy...it's not supposed to be 18C at 7.30am in the morning. The nike+ still needs a bit of calibration, it seems to be bang on for the first km, but by the end my stride had probably shortened and I was a few hundred metres out - it said 6km, I'd only run 5.3 according to the phone gps and Map my run  .  Still, I've shaved off a few minutes from my first 5k time.

The ankle didn't hurt at all through the run, possibly due to the brace I was wearing.  So that's good news.  I've noticed a bit of discomfort during the day, but nothing bad.  Maybe I'll get a two morning runs in this week before work.

I also did the end of week two progress tests for the 100pushups, 200situps & 200squats. 

Pushups - 16 - an improvement of 14 over the initial test
Situps - 21 - improvement of 13 (less than my max yesterday, but my abs hurt today!)
Squats - 45 - improved by 20

So that's a win on all all counts.  I started with the c25k on the 17th January and I couldn't run 100m, do more than 2 pushups or 5 situps.  Now I can run 5km and I'm sure give me another month or 6 weeks and I'll be doing 100 pushups.  Anything is possible if you give it a go.

a lazy Sunday morning

I'm back from my Sunday run.  It is such a nice day out today, so far Autumn has been almost nicer than Summer was.
My ankle gave me a bit of discomfort a few times, but nothing bad enough to stop, but it did slow me down.  I forgot to start the sportstracker on my phone until a few minutes into the run, so it isn't quite accurate, and I don't think it picked up on the few times where I doubled back a bit on the stopbanks.  I think I got near enough to 5km in 38 minutes though.  And it certainly wasn't as hard as the first time I ran 5km back in the last week of the c25k.

I've stretched and done a short yoga program.  Just have to ice my ankle a bit, then I can get on with my day.  I've planned chicken vegetable soup for lunch - from scratch, so I've got a chicken to dismember to start the stock!

OHR week 2 day 1

Another 30min run down, and a pretty good effort after a 6 day break (not to mention a heck of a lot of sugar). I thought I was going really slow but I still managed under 8 min/km. So sticking to the 30 minute runs for a few weeks seems to be the right thing for me. It's helping me speed up a little. Hopefully as I slowly increase the time, I'll be able to keep up the pace.

I'm considering running day 2 tomorrow, as I'll be out tomorrow night - it's dessert + Whedon night with my friends (we're watching Dollhouse at the moment). So I doubt I'll want to get up at 5am on Friday. If I do, it will be my first consecutive running days since starting. And I'm also supposed to go swimming with a workmate at lunchtime. That's a lot of exercise in one day for a couch potato on parole.

I've also been chatting with a friend, she's looking for something to motivate her to get out and run again, so we're thinking of making it a goal to take part in the Manawatu Striders winter series . There are 3 5km run/walks held in June and July. It's a 'sign up on the day' type deal, so we don't have to commit until the day. Their next event is actually next month, but it's a 13 or 21km run/walk, which would be a bit of a daunting prospect, even if I walked it. And it's on the weekend I get back from my Melbourne holiday, so I probably will be a little tired from all the travelling.

OHR w2d1 distance 3.89km pace 7:52 min/km

OHR week 1 day 3 & Easter Break

Thursday's run was ok, better than Tuesday at least. My fastest so far at 7.14min/km, another 4km run. It was a slightly frosty 7C morning, and so far I seem to have my best runs in the cooler temperatures.

I thought I was getting a stitch for the first time while running, then it was accompanied by discomfort in my upper back/shoulder/neck just on the right side. Odd pains usually mean I've put my hips and lower back out of alignment. That could explain the funk I've been in this week, so I've got a physio appointment tomorrow afternoon.

My next run is planned for Wednesday morning. I've also taken a ww break and haven't been tracking my meals over the weekend, the only exercise I got was out doing some gardening on Friday. I have overindulged in the chocolate and coca-cola, gone out for three meals and am feeling a bit seedy now. I enjoyed every minute of it, and I'm really looking forward to my next run. I think the break has done me good.

keeping on going.

Yes, I did get the second day of OHR over and done with yesterday. I just seem to have lost the real drive to get out there. A couple of weeks ago I couldn't wait to get up in the morning and get out for a run. Today I'm dreading the alarm going off at 5am.

But I'm going to do it. I think it's just the initial loss of motivation after completing the c25k and starting over in week 1 of a new program. I toyed with not following a program, but I have come to terms with the fact that I need to have structure or I'll lose focus.

I think I need a few days off, so I've decided I'll run tomorrow, then the start OHR week 2 next Wednesday.

Me? Trying to be a One Hour Runner...

I completed the c25k on Thursday. So todays run was the first of the OHR program for me.

It's weird, I think a few weeks back I thought once I hit the post c25k runs it would all be easy! But realised last week that 30 minutes won't be easy until I can comfortably run for an hour. So on to the One Hour Runner for me. I don't naturally enjoy exercise, if I have free time I'd rather read a book or play video games so I need the structure of a running program with targets. At least for then next 10 or so weeks. Maybe by then I'll be in a routine where running is a real habit that I miss when I'm not getting out there.

The hardest thing this morning was getting out out of bed. Daylight savings is dragging on - a few weeks too long I think, but it finishes next week so the mornings will be lighter for a little while.

Once I was running I was brave enough to vary my running route and I left the streets and went up along the top of the stopbank by the stream that runs through the suburb I live in. It's not exactly scenic but it was nice for a change.

I'm still getting nowhere near 5km in 30 minutes, but my short little legs are getting quicker, I broke the 4km barrier today. I've gone from averaging about 8min/km to around 7.40min/km on a normal day, so as I go along the 10 week program I should get closer to the 5k 30 minutes mark.

OHR week 1 day 1, 30 minute run - pace 7.42min/km (max 3.31min/km) distance 4.13km

Playlist - forgot to update my shuffle so I ran to the c25k week 9 podcast again.