Watch out, here comes SUPERSLOTH!!!!

[nomoresloth]

Ok, it might be an exaggeration And it should be Supernomoresloth but that's not as catchy as Supersloth...

I just came home from the gym where I did not only 30 minutes of circuit training (my arms and upper body are very grateful for that) but also did my longest voluntary run since they've changed this site!!!

I remember my excitement when I did my last 7k and came to this site, bursting of proud, to tell you all and all I saw was a complete mess... Well, I was about 2 minutes faster back then but I think my 50:01 minutes for 7.1k are still pretty ok especially as this has been my longest run in months. Again, I couldn't motivate myself to go to the park (one of my biggest problems: since I joined the gym, I've run outside only two times... and I always feel that the treadmill is a lot easier so it's perhaps too easy... well, that's another topic) and as I wanted to do circuit training today as well I combined the run as cardio training with it.

I feel great. I'm freezing as always after a run/work out but I feel absolutely great. I was dizzy after 5.5k and wanted to stop many times (after the magical 5k mark) but I kept going. Several weeks ago someone here asked how to get to the 5k as she "only" was able to do 4.x k. I answered, that she has to think it's only one additional k and how great it is that we now can say ONLY one more k. I thought of that when I hit the 6k mark and wanted to stop so badly. The decision to make it a 7k was made during the run, I only planned a 6k before so it was even harder to keep going after that mark.

A year ago, I did my first attempts to run. I gave up after three weeks (it wasn't C25K). I bought a pedometer in March and did 10,000 steps (sometimes more) a day. I found C25k on another site at the end of March and decided I would start it after Easter (and I did!). Nine weeks later, I was able to run for thirty minutes. I ran in the heat during the summer. I felt dizzy sometimes but didn't give up. I joined the gym in September and have never missed one of my three training sessions per week since then. I did my fastest 5k ever on the treadmill (random programme level 5, 31:23min) (Have been focussing on getting my 5k time down not on distance). And now, 6 months after I've started to run, I'm able to do a circuit training followed by a 7k run...

As I said: Watch out, here comes SUPERSLOTH!

Now my next challenge will be: Get used again to run outside where you have to push yourself!

PS: I did another long run between the day they changed the site and today... but it wasn't voluntarily, my lack of orientation caused the longer run (ok, yeah, I got lost ...and I've been living here for more than 2 years...)

[Markee Graduate]

Hey, well done Supersloth! Fantastic effort, soon be 10k maybe?

I just joined a gym as I am worried about running in the dark. Not sure about the treadmill though, as I felt very disorientated after just 3 minutes walking! Probably get better as I use it more. :s

[nomoresloth Graduate in reply to Markee]

Thank you! Well, I should stick to the 6-7k first as it was really hard work before I move on

I had to get used to the treadmill as well but now think it's a good thing. It's so much easier to run at a certain speed (simply because you can see it in front of you) and it also helps to push yourself a lot more than on a run outside (because you always know how fast you are and that you've run at that speed for a certain amount before).

Some tipps that might help you when you switch to the treadmill:

Hang a towel over the display so you can't see the distance or time all the time (of course only do that when you're already used to the treadmill). I tend to stare at the time and, as I use the random programme that has a lot of inclines, I can see them coming up which makes it sooo much harder I still let the speed uncovered so I can easily speed up or slow down if I feel so. Make sure your towel can't fall down as that's not only annoying but also dangerous (had to jump over my towel last week... at a speed of more than 9km/h.

If in your gym those cardio machines are also set in lines (as in mine: bikes at the windows, behind them the cross trainers and in the last row the treadmills), check before if they are all perfectly standing behind the machine in front of them or if there's a slight difference. In my gym, they used to be perfectly straight but last week they moved the treadmills so they are slightly sloped to the right in comparison to the cross trainers (I hope you get what I mean, English is a foreign language for me). I didn't realize it before and still tried to run straight behind the cross trainers. I stumbled a lot and everything felt wrong until I found out that the treadmills weren't in line with the cross trainers. It's still hard not to run in their direction but at least now I know where I have to be careful.

[Markee Graduate in reply to nomoresloth]

Thanks for the tips.

[susan22 Graduate]

That's a lot of work to put in. Well done. I am impressed.

[nomoresloth Graduate in reply to susan22]

Thank you! I'm also impressed that I could do all this. Me!!!! The girl who never liked sports and was always the last one chosen in PE!!! It's so amazing what this programme did to me and my life

PS: I was pretty tired afterwards but feel great today. No sore muscles, nothing. Well, usually I get it two days after so I'll see what tomorrow's in store for me and my muscles