Food and warm up/cool down walk.

[Becktoria]

Hi everyone,

I'm about to do my first 30 min run tomorrow after an on off week 8. Seeing as I'm such a novice at this I stupidly thought you shouldn't run on an empty stomach (I'm not good at being hungry!) and made the mistake of running 45 mins after a proper lunch. I had to stop after 20 mins, feeling really dizzy, sick and hot. Now I just eat a banana quite a way before I run and what a difference!

So week 8 consisted of two hard runs, and a really easy one. I feel ready for the extra two minutes.

With the walks either side, I'm managing about 5.5km. Do any of you drop the warm up/down walks once you've graduated? I admit, I've cheated a bit when I've been short on time and done just two mins warm up and just straight into stretches after. I haven't suffered any muscle pains so feel ok about it. What do the graduates think?

Woo hoo, only 3 more runs and I'm there

[Tadaruns Graduate]

I'm just one week ahead of you - finished week 9 yesterday - but In week 8 I did start the podcast in the house so that by the time I got trainers on, did a few stretches, locked up etc I only had 2-3 minutes walk. Otherwise I found I walked too far in 5 mins and 'ran out' of route! I wouldn't give up on warm up altogether, and I was doing some stretches...but I really need the walk at the end though, just to cool down!!

Best wishes for your final three runs - I found week 9 much better than week 8 (as really those extra couple of minutes don't really seem significant).

[Hidden]

Good luck for your graduation week. Best wishes.

[misswobble Graduate]

I do a longer warm up walk now as 5 minutes is just not enough for me. I always do the cool down walks too as I feel I need them. I often do a lot longer if my run finishes a long way from home or the car. Ooops

[ultrabluedress Graduate]

Sometimes I'll shorten my warm up walk by a minute or so, but not often, even if I have had a full day working I still do it and thats on a day when I've walked at least 5 miles minimum.

I guess everyones different but I find the walk gets me focussed into the run I'm about to do... I find I need the cool down walks now as I get towards the end of the programme, I used to get annoyed if I had to walk home more than two minutes, but now I find I recover quicker once I'm home if I do them and I'm no longer hacked off having to do them...

[GoogleMe Graduate]

I just about always do the warm up and cool down walk - and I notice if I don't. I don't do any stretching as part of the run session, although I have a daily first thing short yoga session.

I like ultrabluedress's thoughts on the psychological merits of sandwiching a run with walks. In my case it allows for time fiddling with my tech and an opportunity to get the dog poop scooping out of the way before the running.