We had a question about how to time intervals without a running watch, here's a couple of suggestions:
★ The Jog Run Sprint mobile app has been recommended by quite a few people: jogrunsprint.com/
★ The above is only available on iOS, and is specific to the 30-20-10 workout. Tabata Timer is a more general intervals timing app: tabatatimer.com/
★ There is a bit more chat about intervals near the end of this post 😊
💥 THIS WEEK’S RUNS WILL BE:
Distance runs (to be completed in any length of time, and in any order you wish)
★ 3.5 km
★ 5 km
★ 7 km
Timed runs (for those not yet ready to do the distances in the 10k Plan. Can be run in any order)
★ 15 minutes
★ 30 minutes
★ 44 minutes
Please make sure you are warm before exercising - have a 5 minute+ brisk walk before you begin your run, and if you are going to try some faster intervals within the run ideally you should have been jogging for at least 5 minutes before you start them. After your run is over, finish off with a nice, reflective, cool-down walk.
💥 Here's a slightly older video from Ju-Ju (she's not actually in Spain at the moment), where she talks about a cool strategy for tackling longer runs:
A new one to the Magic Plan, bridges are a great exercise for the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back! And you get a bit of a lie-down while you're doing it - winner 😄
★ Here is my information about bridges - I have concentrated on elevated bridges (with feet up on the sofa) as they will give you the best bang for your buck (or butt), but feel free to keep your feet to the floor if that works better for you!
★ As previously, do your exercises up to three times a week - I suggest straight after your run when your muscles are still warm, and then everything is done and dusted for the rest of the day 😊
★ Do up to 20 bridges
★ EDIT: After your bridges, slowly and gently gently lower your spine to the floor. Bring your knees toward your chest, hug them with both arms, rounding your back. Relax and gently rock forwards and backwards for 30 seconds or longer - feel good!
★ ALTERNATIVELY: now there are a few strength exercises to do, you may like to start thinking about putting them all together into a workout. It may be better to do these on a non-running day, once or twice a week. Do a quick warm-up first - an nice simple one is just to march on the spot for a minute, lifting your knees high and swinging your arms strongly. Then work your way through each exercise, and repeat if you feel ready (take a few minutes break first).
💥 INTERVALS
I had a question last week asking to clarify the 30-20-10 intervals workout, and I realised I'd made a mistake in my Week 2 post - many apologies!!!
Thanks, Roseabi. I've been a bit scuppered by daughter #1 who's currently having her appendix out. I think I'll be working about a week behind. Haven't done my 5k from last week. Also find that hills/intervals can make me feel sick! But I'm loving the whole running journey: physically and mentally.
Look forward to reading your weekly post and also the main picture gets better each week 🤣 (your still not getting me in a pair of shorts even in this heat) 😓☀️
Week 2 done and dusted, looking forward to week 3 but 44 minutes will be my longest attempt at a run ever! Although this time a year ago I was worried I couldn’t do 1 minute so those gremlins aren’t getting to me again! 🏃🏻♀️ 🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️
Managed to get squats done yesterday but really felt it climbing the escalator at Shepherd’s Bush station this morning!
They’re ok now so I did some more squats and some bridges just for fun 😂!
Last night I did my first run of the week 15 minutes. I thought to myself I’ll get the ‘easy’ one out of the way. And it was ‘easy’. When did running become easy 🤔? Hmm maybe I am a runner 😉🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️ 👍🏼
As I run every other day i’m a little bit ahead, hope that’s ok? I did a 15 minute run on Saturday and my 30 minute run this morning. 44 minutes is looking a bit scary for Wednesday to be honest 😮😮😮.
Being ahead is fine, but at the same time it doesn't hurt to take an extra day off every now and then! In fact it is often highly beneficial, for example it could make that 44 minutes feel a lot more doable...
Well I did it! The 44 minutes was a lot better than I thought it was going to be 😁. I’m going to take a 2 day rest break now and then do a park run. We’re in Cornwall on holiday at the moment so i’ll be joining the Park Run in Trelissick ... as long as it’s not too hot by 9am. I usually run very early when it’s cool 🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️
Did my 5K run this morning. Can’t believe it was a PB. 7K planned for Wednesday morning. I must try and start at a slower pace. I can’t quite believe I’ll be running that far non stop 🤔👍🏻🤪🏃🏽♂️🐐
I'm so sorry!!! Great idea to take a break from running - make sure you keep moving though. Wishing you a speedy recovery xxx
Starting week 3 tomorrow with the 7k run at home as I can get the distance right. Then we're off on holiday so hope to run the 3.5k as intervals on a beach in Scotland on Friday and the 5k in a Scottish country park on Sunday.
PT sessions are definitely helping with stamina. Last week she made me do 1 min of star jumps between each set of weights. This week the cardio includes kneeling sprint blast offs and lateral hops. Looking forward to that on Weds and Sat - not!
Better week this week, I have been running with friends so did 3.5k on Monday, 6k on weds with the intention of doing 5k on Saturday at park run, however my friends decided we should head out earlier on Saturday and try 7k! I agreed thinking I will stop at 5k if I need to. We only went and did it!! So proud of myself. And squats done too. Back to week 3 plan today x
W3R1 done,7km is the longest run I’ve done since I was about 20. I’m so pleased as I thought the step up from 6km would be too much. Now I can look forward to two “easier” runs. 😁
First run of the week planned for tomorrow and the 44 mins hopefully out of the way. Feels like a big jump from last week and longest I'll have run ever but hoping I can do it. Really feel the exercises are helping (hard work!) but struggled with the intervals so leaving that for middle run. Signed up for 10k at end of year and going to sign up for one in September to give me that added push.
44 mins (almost 7k) no problem! Well, not quite no problem- was still pretty tough 🥵- but kept a pretty regular pace and felt ok at end. Another shot at intervals tomorrow 🏃♂️
Well, due to the me being between the last version and this one, I actually did W8R3 today and ran 10k in 1:19:36.
I'm going to carry on with the plan for the remaining weeks and maybe stretch out the long run a bit further between now and the end, but definitely a couple more 10k runs before its over...
Did my 15 minutes this morning and my bridges. Never done faster with repeats before, think I prefer them that way
Roseabi, I feel I must mention that after any position that arches the back backwards like that, my yoga teacher told us it’s vital to counterpose by rounding the back forward afterwards. I did a forward bend after mine 😊
After your bridges, slowly and gently gently lower your spine to the floor. Bring your knees toward your chest, hug them with both arms, rounding your back. Relax and gently rock forwards and backwards for 30 seconds or longer - feel good!
Well I left the house at 8am this morning sporting my new sleeveless running top and a plan of a new route
Off I went with a quick 5 mins warmup walk that zipped by and it was time to run, off went like a snail or so I thought. 2k In i settled into my stride enjoying the new route the sun beating down on me and fantastic views around home. The first village came into sight and Soon I was in the village and saw the road sign 1 1/2 miles to my destination wow that’s gone quick I thought and only 1 mile and a half to go! ONLY I said a few months ago I’d have said no way but not now. That mile and a half soon flew by, I thought I could have easily carried on, but no I’ll stick to the plan and stop.
What a fantastic run today. It really was fantastic and another 5K PB in the process
30 minutes and the intervals done today. Managed all the intervals surprisingly n just had wobbly legs for a bit after. I turned at the halfway mark n ran out of field somehow so I actually finished my run as I got to the traffic lights on the way home 😂😂
I’m starting to notice some muscle definition emerging from the flab now. My daughter told me today she was a bit jealous of my legs 😃😂
I’ve just finished week 2 tonight 😀 onwards and upwards - week 3 here I come...7K 😬 it’s making me a little nervous but am determined to smash it 💪🏼
Off to find out about this interval business (my only experience of an interval is the one where you’re sat in a lovely theatre with a tub of ice cream in one hand and a glass of wine in the other! I’m thinking these intervals are a little more hard work! 😜)
I think the distance is the same as c25k, you finish one and you always think you will struggle with the next but by the time a week goes by you are looking forward to the next milestone 😁. The interval running seems to have helped my long run (maybe by getting the urge to go too fast out of my system with the sprints).
So I attempted the Week 3, Run 3 (7k) this morning and only managed to get to 6k. It was so hot and my legs just screamed 'no more' at me. Running a 6k in just over 30mins is in no way a failure, but I wonder if I'm maybe starting out too hard for these longer runs, as I'm so used to running under 5k? (My min/km splits were: 5.02; 4:51; 4.59; 5.05; 5.12; 5.19). I think I'll try this run again in a few days time, maybe going out a bit earlier in the morning when it's hopefully not as hot. I'll try Ju-Ju's counting tip next time too.
Those are pretty fast splits. Do you normally run at around 5 min/km, and how do you feel when you do it? On a day that is not so warm does that pace feel easy to you, or are you substantially out of breath?
Around 5 min/km is normal for me and usually feels okay, I'm not out of breath at this pace, but my legs feel quite heavy as I approach 5k. It's harder on hot days; like today. I've been trying to work on core strengthening exercises and I've just started taking a yoga for active bodies one a week.
OK, I think you're right that you're going a bit too fast for the weather. Do you mean you are feeling more out of breath in the heat? If so, slow it down until you are not feeling out of breath. If you have a running watch or some other way of seeing your pace, aim for a starting pace of 5:30 min/km or so. Running for longer at an easy pace is highly beneficial to your running performance, and you can expect to see your shorter-distance speeds increase as a result of regular long slow runs xxx
I've tried including as part of both my short and middle runs but thinking of doing as a separate run as a few sets absolutely wipe me out for the rest of my run. Interested to hear how others do it too
Lovely long slow run this morning for R3, 44 minutes of slow n steady. Really enjoyed it n I can definitely feel my strength n stamina improving with the exercises and intervals. Onwards to Week 4! 😃
Wow 3.5K run this afternoon. I tried 30/20/10 i managed 5 reps before I felt like dropping to the floor. My god they are tough. I did slow down and finished the run but my god my legs felt like lead. Roll on Monday and a steady 5K
Out the door at 6.45am on a Sunday (madness) but wanted to get my long run (7K) done before the heat sets in
Well I did it...my longest ever run so far...found a lovely new out and back route so I kept going until 3.5K knowing I would have to turn back to get home, slowed it right down even more than normal & incorporated a couple of very short walks as I was struggling a bit.
I’m thinking how on earth is next weeks 8k even possible 🏃♀️🐌 but I’m sure it is !
The W3R3 (7k) of Ju-Ju’s Magic Plan conquered this morning after Friday’s struggle with the heat. Set out slower than I have been and it was early, so cool with lots of cloud cover. We’re spending the weekend away from home, so I was also out on an unfamiliar route, which was definitely more interesting than trudging along my normal route. Ju-Ju’s counting tip was a massive help especially when facing inclines. Feeling massively encouraged, so looking forward to Week 4!
Still a bit behind ..but managed 3.5..and 5K this morning...no twinges..but slow....36 mins.....I've been sticking to my own exercise regime though..just habit I think and it works for me..I am going to try and get the 7K in over the next day or so....I love this plan...it has got me back on track so many times...thanks you xx
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week3run1 ✅. 3 x 17 mins with 1 min walks. 
How did your parkrun or (not)parkrun go?
