5K

yip! i did it tonight - ran for half an hour! forget the end of that wonderful programme - i just kept going and made it.

ok so it probably isnt actually 5 kilometres: at the speed I run and with legs as dinky as mine, its probably more like 4.5K; but I can only get speedier!

now I'm going to concentrate on the long hikes (this and next saturday, and planning a weekend or two of them), and run 5K three times as week as well - woo! - feels great!

Chloe

rest day schrest days

I took a friend's advice yesterday and forked out on some really perfect running shoes - Brooks ones with the correct support for my feet specifically idenfied by the man in Runner's Need by looking at my gait while running on a treadmill in the shop. Corr - what attentive service. Great store.

Any hoo, I could barely wait to get them home and pop for a test drive but the guy told me how important rest days are. For the last 3 weeks or so I have been trying to do some sort of exercise every day, give or take. Rest days...?

I had thought that more is more, and my butt ain't getting smaller so rest days could wait till I get back from nepal. Also my running program is so piddling - only about 15-20 mins running each time, that it would barely register in my body as actual exercise. Also, it hasn't hurt yet, which has to be a good sign.

Now I don't know. Yesterday I walked for a few hours then popped to the gym for some leg and core strengthening - so as these are different muscle groups to running, does that count as rest?!

I need someone with expertise.

Chloe

if I put this in writing on this blog, I have to do it!

This is sort of how I made myself sign up to the trek in the first place - if I put it in writing and involve someone else, then I am committed. So, lets see if this works:

the running (NHS Couch to 5K) plan is going so well that I am almost a week ahead of schedule. I started it at the beginning of the month and it's now the 21st and I am almost finished week 4. This is so promising, and I don't hate it yet that I thought I'd plan to get ahead of the schedule and write it. This will accelerate my fitness and get me running 5K and more (?) before Christmas.

w/c 21st - finish the program wk 4 and wk 5
w/c 28th - finish wk 6 and start wk 7
w/c 5th - finish wk 7 and start wk 8
w/c 12th - finish week 8 and start wk 9
w/c 19th - finish wk 9 and TA DA! I am running 5K!
w/c 26th (aside from the hangovers) - more 5K
then just carry on running 3 times a week until the trek... and after!

turning into forrest gump

So it turns out the best cure for over-enjoying yourself in the pub is to go for a run! who knew?

I started week 3 of Laura's calm and affirming podcasts from the NHS Counch to 5K programme this morning after rather a large galss of wine last night after a hectic week. I feel great. need to conserve some energy for the marathon cooking/cleaning/getting ready of today for the supper club tonight though.

Then a nice long walk across Richmond Common tomorrow. That should do the trick!

Chloe

run run as fast as you can

I started a new training regime this week. (short attention span, perhaps?)

Feeling the pressure from all the well-wishers at the recent pub quiz, and my pals at work, who keep asking me "hows the training going?" which I love of them, except that my answer is always so rubbish - um yeah, it's going ok I think.

Especially as my butt is as big as it was when Rosie and I signed up for this thing - I need to show, and more importantly feel, some serious progress, if I am going to obtain the (mostly mental) strength to get up this hill.

So, anyhoo, I started this thing, on top of my gym visits and long walks with Vicki every Tuesday - NHS couch to 5K - http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/couch-to-5k.aspx

Its a series of 9 podcasts that you download to your MP3 player and play to yourself 3 times a week. The nice lady called Laura tells you how marvellous you are, and times you running/walking/warming up/down etc and gradually builds up to running for half an hour. The music is abominable, unsubtly optimistic and life-changing in nature and it's all a bit faintly brain-washy. But I'm not complaining.

So far I have done 2 sessions (Laura tells me I am doing really well - I'll have you know). I feel proud of myself.

Cousin Alice told me all about it, and raved about how great it is, but hasn't done more than week one, so we will have to see how it goes!

Chloe