Week 2 post graduation

[lola465]

I graduated from C25K almost 2 weeks ago and in the intervening time I have run 3 times a week but it's surprisingly hard going! My legs are aching more (I've started doing daily stretching exercises for the muscle groups that seem to tighten the most) and I had to abandon my run on Monday as it just wasn't happening. It was alright though, I ran on Tuesday instead and that went fine. Also I'm not able to do the 5k every day. Some days the 30 minutes is all I can manage so I'm only running 4-4.5km. Other days I do the extra few minutes (6) and manage the full 5k.

So I thought "I need more structure again" and today I did the "Stepping Stones" podcast.

I learned some things:

1) The pace actually seemed quite slow - I did it with ease. This means my pace is fine

2) My technique, however, is AWFUL! Laura's frequent prompts about arms made me realise that mine were definitely crossing over my body. I also wasn't picking up my feet enough and had a tendency to stiffen my shoulders. It felt good to focus on form and feel like I was improving - perhaps that's why the run seemed quite easy. Distraction is a tremendous thing.

3) If running pace is 150-160 bpm then my playlist of 130-140 bpm is way slow!

So I've done a playlist of songs at 150-160 but to be honest there aren't many out there that I like. Hey ho. I might just do upbeat songs that I like and play them but run to my own pace........we'll see.

Park run still seems a goal that I won't reach in the next month, but I will get there.

Have decided to run on Saturday to my own music and next week give the "stamina" and possibly "speed" podcasts a go too. And I'll definitely do the stepping stones one again.

Graduation felt like such a blast but a little while later and I realise the hard work of becoming an actual runner is just starting.

oh, and my mother has suggested I do the Great North Run (since she lives near and it means I'll go stay with her). I have a vague aim of 2015. I'll be 45 then and it seems like a nice goal to aim for.

13 miles though!! Crikey. At the moment I'm barely managing 3.

[Landesman Graduate]

Definitely worth trying the other two 5k+ podcasts, Stamina and Speed - they have a much better pace than Stepping Stones, which I too found a bit slow. It's interesting to find out just what pace you feel comfortable to run at - as mentioned here before, it's the Goldilocks approach...

I find it very helpful to run to a beat, and I'm not concerned about running to my own music, so I got one or two of the Audiofuel downloads which I use for intervals and longer runs.

[lizfish]

The variation in people's pace is amazing really. In quite long-legged but I found stepping stones pretty hard, especially the 160 Bpm. I guess as I get fitter it will get easier.