Ju-Ju- magic 10k plan November group: Week 2 - Bridge to 10K

Bridge to 10K

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Ju-Ju- magic 10k plan November group: Week 2

UnfitNoMore profile image
UnfitNoMoreGraduate10
42 Replies

Apologies for the late post, and the fact that I’ll be putting most of it’s content in tomorrow morning, I’ve had a hectic end to the week and have just got home from after leaving the house at 5:30... get glasses of grape juice and, hopefully a lie in tomorrow.

Hope everyone enjoyed their running last week... I had a great time out there. Maybe some of you also have a new found love for planking too! This week it’s squats that are featured... and type will do with the exception of diddly squat!

This weeks runs:

Distance: 3k, 5k, 6k

Timed: 15, 30 and 39 minutes.

Have a wonderful week, and check back here tomorrow for the rest of my intended post.

EDIT: Hi all! roseabi here - UnfitNoMore's away at the moment, he'll be back soon.

Please remember to check the PINNED MAGIC PLAN POST for lots of useful information:

healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...

About those SQUATS...

Moving to the lower body this week, we introduce another great exercise for runners and life! The Squat predominantly targets the quadriceps (fronts of the thighs), hips, gluteals (bum), hamstrings (backs of the thighs), and core - but you’ll also feel your calves, feet, and even your shoulders, working!

There are many variations of the squat, but it’s best to start off with the basic, two legged, bodyweight squat.

When should I squat?

I suggest that you do your squats when you’ve returned home from your run. Your muscles will still be warm, and the three-weekly short rounds of exercise are a good foundational practice.

But you can choose to do your strength work on a non-running day - it's entirely up to you! 😊😊😊

In later weeks, when we have gone through all the exercises, I will discuss an option to put all of them together into a more extensive strength workout.

How do I squat?

I have put together a list of instructions, with illustrations, that can be viewed here:

docs.google.com/document/d/...

If you’ve never really tried squats before, it is useful to start with a chair behind you (or a loo is really good - I’d have the lid down!). This is really helpful for learning the correct posture and building confidence. Begin by just slowly sitting down onto the chair (or loo!), working towards being able to lower yourself until you can just feel your bum brush against the seat before you rise again.

I suggest you aim for 10-15 squats in each session this week. If you can’t manage that many yet don’t worry - it’s far better to do fewer, but with good posture, and build up to more as you continue with your strength workouts.

To perform a basic bodyweight squat, begin by standing with feet slightly wider apart than your hips, toes pointing slightly outwards.

Gently, keeping your back straight, push your hips out behind you, whilst at the same time allowing your knees to bend - keep your knees tracking in the same direction as your toes.

Lift your arms forward as you begin the squat - this will help with balance. You can have your arms straight out, or elbows slightly bent, or elbows bent with one forearm on top of the other. Keep your neck and shoulders relaxed, head up, gaze forward.

Lower your body until your thighs are roughly parallel with the floor, if you can manage it - if not, don’t worry, it will come. Go further if you can do it with your back straight - eventually you will notice your lower back is rounding, so stop there.

Be sure to concentrate on keeping your feet flat on the floor, but most of your weight on your heels. This will help stop you from tipping forwards, and will really work those glutes and hamstrings!

When you reach your lowest point, pause for a second, then slowly move back to standing.

It’s up to you how slowly you perform the squat - I suggest you try something like going down on a slow count of five, then up again on the same count. Don’t just bob up and down though - you really won’t get much benefit from that :)

Last week's post: healthunlocked.com/bridgeto...

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UnfitNoMore profile image
UnfitNoMore
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42 Replies

Glad you had a good week running. You definitely deserve a lie in tomorrow after such a long day!

I completed a repeat of week 2 this week so planning my 7k in the morning and hoping it’s a good one. Feeling a bit anxious as it was at this point that I picked up injuries last time. Slow and steady 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️🤞.

I did some planks in yoga today but the straight arm variety. I definitely need to build on my stamina. I try to remember to do squats while waiting for the kettle to boil or any other moment of the day that it pops into my mind.

Have a great week everyone.

FatterPenguin profile image
FatterPenguinGraduate10 in reply to

I picked up my knee injury at 7K too! Looking back I think I was actually too tired to run, so I am going to try 6K when I feel ready for it. Wishing you well for the morning! 😊

in reply toFatterPenguin

Thank you. I think I might have been the same last time round. It had been 13 weeks of running three time a week and I probably should have taken a week off and then consolidated for a bit longer. It’s easier to look back and see things differently.

I did the 7k but found it was the mental gremlins that were the most challenging!! The weather was perfect, my breathing was fine but I so wanted to walk at about 4k.

I didn’t give in despite quite achy calves and I made it so feeling rather pleased. Not sure why I find the longer runs so hard.

I am going to drive somewhere different for my 8k next Sunday and hope that makes it a bit easier.

Very best of luck with your 6k. Let me know how you get on. Happy running.

roseabi profile image
roseabi in reply to

Well done!! Those thoughts can be the most challenging thing in running 😊😊😊

Great idea to drive somewhere different! xx

in reply toroseabi

No gremlins this morning 😊. I had a great 5k. Despite not wanting to go out in the dark it is lovely running towards the light and 6 degrees is my perfect temperature.

roseabi profile image
roseabi in reply to

How lovely! Well done!!!

FatterPenguin profile image
FatterPenguinGraduate10

I completed week 1 of the plan with a PB at Park run 😊. Treated myself to a chocolate crispie cake and now I'm ready for week two. May have to do my evening runs on a treadmill 😴 as I am struggling with the cold, dark nights. Luckily though I've been doing lots of squats to strengthen my knees so I'm happy with this week's exercises!

in reply toFatterPenguin

Fantastic and a pb at ParkRun as well! Enjoy week 2.

roseabi profile image
roseabi in reply toFatterPenguin

Fabulous, congratulations on the PB!!! - I want that cake!!!

Have you been treadmilling? xxx

FatterPenguin profile image
FatterPenguinGraduate10 in reply toroseabi

Not yet, I've only done one run of W2 so far, the 6K, and I braved the cold. It took 3K to warm up but I really enjoyed it! I'm taking the view so long as there's no risk of ice I will run outside. ☃️🏃🏻‍♀️

roseabi profile image
roseabi in reply toFatterPenguin

Marvellous 😊😊😊

marmalademonster profile image
marmalademonsterGraduate10

Thanks UNM. Mastered some planks and squats in yoga last week and already got my 5k done for this week. 6k planned for Tuesday and then hopefully a little 3k n Thursday. But nervous about the 6 to be honest but I had a lovely, if steady, 33min parkrun yesterday so fingers crossed the other two runs go my way too 😊🏃‍♀️!

roseabi profile image
roseabi in reply tomarmalademonster

How was your 6K?

marmalademonster profile image
marmalademonsterGraduate10 in reply toroseabi

Thanks roseabi! Did my 6k yesterday. I completed the distance at a quite steady 41 minutes. I turned strava off at one point as I stopped to chat to a friend who was lurking in a hedgerow 😂 getting ready to lay it! I also had a little walk because I got a stitch. Trying to decide whether to do this week again so that I do 6k next week too. I think I might do that but maybe my short run could go up to 4K while my long run stays at 6..,,.?

roseabi profile image
roseabi in reply tomarmalademonster

Lurking in a hedge? Lol!

Well done!! - and btw I love your username 😊😊😊

Why do you want to repeat the week?

marmalademonster profile image
marmalademonsterGraduate10 in reply toroseabi

I just felt it was a bit hard and with the stitch and the chat....! Maybe I’m being a bit hard on myself! Can’t wait to run my 3.5 tomorrow and see how that goes then parkrun again on Saturday! Then I’ll see how those go before deciding to go for 7 or do 6 again! 😊🏃‍♀️

roseabi profile image
roseabi in reply tomarmalademonster

Stitch happens, unfortunately. Should improve as you get fitter, and core strength work may well help.

Chat is good, though - that can stay! Hopefully mostly not in the middle of a run 😊😊😊

marmalademonster profile image
marmalademonsterGraduate10 in reply toroseabi

Thank you! Great to hear it’s all normal and part of this running/fitness journey 🏃‍♀️😊

marmalademonster profile image
marmalademonsterGraduate10 in reply toroseabi

And lol about username! I think I’d just devoured about half a jar on loads of toast after a parkrun when I was signing up to the site 😂😂😂

roseabi profile image
roseabi in reply tomarmalademonster

Ha 😄 There's nothing like breakfast after parkrun 😊😊😊

Good stuff, MM

trogdelight profile image
trogdelightGraduate10

A good first week completed, mostly in the dark. No parkruns for me at the moment due to ferrying the youngest to football. Instead, I've been trying to plan new routes for the longer runs. Run 2 of week 2 planned tomorrow: the 6K run - I've only ever once run this far before, and that was a mistake. Methinks it will have to be a slow one to make that distance without collapsing in a heap.

roseabi profile image
roseabi in reply totrogdelight

How did you get on?

trogdelight profile image
trogdelightGraduate10 in reply toroseabi

It was ok. I started slower than usual and this helped, especially as I planned a nice downhill final km to get me over the line.

roseabi profile image
roseabi in reply totrogdelight

Lovely!!

SueAppleRun profile image
SueAppleRunGraduate1060minGraduate

A good first week in our household, we ran 30 minutes last Sunday then 15 minutes Wednesday and 35 minutes on Saturday. The planks went ok until Thursday then life got in the way and we forgot

We do squats so are looking forward to this week

roseabi profile image
roseabi in reply toSueAppleRun

Excellent! 😊😊😊

Trawa profile image
TrawaGraduate10

Sorry for a stupid question but how much squatting should I be doing this week and what type? :)

SueAppleRun profile image
SueAppleRunGraduate1060minGraduate in reply toTrawa

Not stupid at all as we don’t know either, was hoping to be told, i do 10 every morning but now increased to 15 not many but increasing

roseabi profile image
roseabi in reply toTrawa

Hi Trawa and SueAppleRun !

Not stupid by any means!!

I have added some info about squats to UnfitNoMore's post, including a link to my Squats sheet - here it is again just for you 😊😊😊

docs.google.com/document/d/...

Enjoy!

How are you getting on with the Plan so far?

SueAppleRun profile image
SueAppleRunGraduate1060minGraduate in reply toroseabi

Thank you roseabi I do some squats daily so have been increasing by one a day, up to 18 this morning

Last week was awesome, ran 35 mins 15 mins in the dark and wet then 35 mins Saturday but carried on walk/ run until i reached 5 k

This week having a few rest days due to lots of driving and work so it will take us a bit longer than 8 weeks

roseabi profile image
roseabi in reply toSueAppleRun

Fabulous!!!!

Trawa profile image
TrawaGraduate10 in reply toroseabi

Fantastic! Thanks

Olivia78 profile image
Olivia78

Just done the 7K (am on week 3). Phew, it was quite hard. Can anyone tell me how a single loop run can manage to be uphill all the way? Eating a banana before going out at 5am definitely helped, though, and I think I could have managed another km at the end, so am feeling reasonably confident about 8K next week. I’m going to be in Berlin for work, so already planning my 8K circuit round the Tiergarten!

in reply toOlivia78

Well done. I’m at the same stage as you but will not have such lovely views for my 8k this week. Have a great run.

roseabi profile image
roseabi in reply toOlivia78

Awesome! Looking forward to hearing about the Berlin run!!

It is a spooky running phenomenon that has never been explained by science... 😜

Cantbelieveit profile image
Cantbelieveit60minGraduate

Completed week 1, all good. But failed miserably on the planking. Will try harder this week with squats.

Have also done the long run for this week already and got a PB for 5k in the process. So pleased!!

Hope you managed to get a lie in UNM 🤞

roseabi profile image
roseabi in reply toCantbelieveit

Planks are really hard!! xx

Achy4days profile image
Achy4daysGraduate10

I do squats regularly with weights. If anything on Pinterest is to go by, I should have a bum like the Kardashians' by now unfortunately that hasn't happened 😭 But I reckon my hamstring responds better with longer runs. So happy running and squatting 🙌🏃‍♂️

roseabi profile image
roseabi in reply toAchy4days

That's great to read, well done!!

How has everyone been getting on this week with the darkness and what feels like constant rain at the wrong times?

I was meant to do my last run this morning, fortunately it was only 3.5k and for the first time since June I couldn’t face it. I got up at 6 and even got my running gear on but the sound of the rain had me back in bed within 5 mins 😂.

That does mean, however, that I now need to go out at 6.30 this evening no matter what the weather as I start my running week on a Sunday with the long run!

🤞it will be dry and for all of you doing ParkRun tomorrow morning.

roseabi profile image
roseabi in reply to

Did you get out?

in reply toroseabi

Hi. Yes I did thanks and luckily it didn’t rain! It was slippery on paths and grass but I did a slow run which ended up as 4k rather than 3.5k so all done.

Today is the 8k. Wish me luck 🤞

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