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

Real Late Starter

I have a theme tune this week. I'm a lazy late starter. But now I've started. So I won't be staying in bed, won't be living in my head - I'll be out there running. Making up for lost time!

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.

C25K - The End

I'm done. A graduate of the Couch to 5km program. I'm now going to call myself a runner. Because if I call myself a runner, it means I have to go out every week and run.

I was up at 5am, it wasn't wet or cold, but it was pretty windy. A few tree branches had come down in the night, I was just lucky I saw a dark shape on the footpath or I would have ended w9d3 pretty early on...entangled on the ground in half a tree.

Running for 30 minutes still isn't easy, but I could probably describe it as comfortable. My pace varied a bit today, I managed to stretch out my stride, when I wasn't weaving around debris on the footpath. I'm never going to be a super fast runner, my little legs are too short, but I'd like to get nearer 5km in 30 minutes.

It was great feeling to hear the podcast tell me I'd finished the 30 minute run, and knowing that I'd managed the c25k in just on 10 weeks.

Now I'm on to the One Hour Runner program. Another 10 week program, starting this Sunday. I'll transition from starting my week on a Sunday to finishing the week on a Sunday next week. I was thinking of skipping week one, and counting week 9 of the c25k as the first week of OHR, but I don't think I will. I might just try and challenge myself to run a bit faster.

C25K complete - pace 7.55km/min, distance 3.91km

Graduation Playlist

I've just been going through my playlists trying to pick some of my favourite running songs. Some of them aren't things I'd listen to on a day to day basis, but when I was experimenting with running to different music some of the songs had really stood out as ones that really made me enjoy jogging along.

No Way Out - Immaculate Machine (warm up)
Flashdance - Irene Cara
Harder Better Faster Stronger - Daft Punk
Stayin' Alive - The Bee Gees
Northshore - Tegan & Sara
Telephone - Lady Gaga & Beyonce
Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves - Cher
Heart of Glass - Blondie
Whatever I fear - Toad the Wet Sprocket
Freedom - Wham!
Hold On, Hold On - Neko Case (warm down)