Rebellion against the programme

[Tomas]

It's time to have a rebellion against "the programme". Time to run just for the fun of it. Time to enjoy, rather than colect miles, minutes and seconds. If not for fun, then why?

For the last 6 weeks I've been following "the programme" strictly. Monday is a tempo run to build stamina. Tuesday is a recovery run to errr... recover. Thursday is speed sessions to build speed. Saturday is a long run to build endurance and get me in "the zone" for the half marathon in a month's time. Week 5 and 10 are gentle weeks with shorter runs.

The program is working. I'm stronger since I started it, and I can run further. But it's also somewhat mechanical, and as the date for the HM is fixed, I've been planning my days around it. When we went caravaning I got up early on Saturday to get the long run in. Tuesday this week I didn't get to the shops until 7 pm as I had to go out running first, so dinner was late.

But enough with the tyrany of the diary! I started work early today and can flex my working day. So I'll take an extra hour lunchbreak and go on my long run today, and then on Saturday when I've got a train to catch I'll do the speed work which only takes half an hour.

It's crazy, but I do feel like quite the rebel for breaking the routine and going outside the programme. Maybe I need to get a life one of these days?!

[useitorloseit Graduate]

It can feel a little restrictive, can't it? I'm only on Wk6 of the C25K, but my ipod didn't have much charge this morning, so I went out with a watch on just in case Laura fell off her perch. It was actually pretty good just looking at the watch to see how much time I had done (though Laura made it through with me), and she gets on my nerves when she tells me I've still got x minutes to go as I usually think I'm doing ok till then. I will stick with her till graduation, then I think I will resort to some tunes of my own or, (deep intake of breath) ears free! I'm so wild and wacky! Phew.

[Maysie1 Graduate]

My best (most enjoyable) run so far has been the one where I just went where I wanted, no headphones, took a leisurely pace and just enjoyed the countryside passing me by. I ran further and for longer than I had ever done before - and really had a great time.

Every now and then it does you good to free ourselves of the podcasts and just run-free!

I have my first 'beach-run' this weekend as I have a weekend away!

We should have a sweepstake on how far I get before I face-plant in the sand.....

[misswobble Graduate in reply to Maysie1]

Yep, a fall into a kid's sandpit hole is on the cards! Oooh running on the sands. Sounds like a film set. Well maybe not if it's Skeg but we can dream can't we

I like free running too. It's good to run without stuff. I try and do it as much as possible. Shoes on, door key. Nothing else and just go. No plan, no nothing. See where the run takes you. Bliss!