Half an hour? I don't think so!: One of the... - Couch to 5K

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Half an hour? I don't think so!

Ullyrunner profile image
UllyrunnerGraduate
30 Replies

One of the beauties of running is that anyone can slot half an hour of exercise into their busy schedule isn't it? Well no! I don't think so.

For me it goes something like this.

A good 20 minutes faffage deciding what to wear, getting hydrated, adjusting the earphones, setting runkeeper and making sure the laces are just right.

Next 5 minutes waiting for the Garmin ( yes I am doubling up with Runkeeper and new Garmin at present) to lock on to the satellite.

40-45 minutes walking and running.

20 minutes post run stretching.

Drink of coconut water then into the shower and wash hair for 10 mins.

Another 20 mins getting dry and drying the hair etc.

So...2 hours in all!

Fortunately I am retired so can ft it in to my day easily, but I take my hat off to you guys who work and still manage to get out there!

And then, of course, there is the other two hours spent on the forum....

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Ullyrunner profile image
Ullyrunner
Graduate
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30 Replies
Sandraj39 profile image
Sandraj39Graduate

Ha! ha! That is so true! When I'm working I have to get up ridiculously early to fit everything in, but it just has to be done! Luckily I work in a school so am enjoying the flexibility that comes with a long summer holiday at the moment! Plus, I keep finding myself checking this forum on my phone.... very addictive!

Sandra

Ullyrunner profile image
UllyrunnerGraduate in reply to Sandraj39

Make the most of those holidays!

dagshar profile image
dagsharGraduate

Haha...yes, getting ready takes a bit of time, plus warm up walk etc...there is so much to remember. ...:-)

Hi Ullyrunner!

Yes, it sounds so easy, doesn't it?! half an hour of exercise! i know that when I go back to work on monday, I will have to get up at 6am, get myself and daughter ready, drive to the park, do the run/walk, go home, get us both a quick wash down (don't want to gas work colleagues/service users!)(shower later) then get ready for work, drive us all to work/school club at 7.45am - arriving at 8.45am for 8.30 start (yes, always late - only 15 mins for lunch for me!), then pick everyone up, home by 6.15pm, dinner, shower, bed! (snore zzzz)

phew!

I should be 3 stones lighter!

Lucy

Ullyrunner profile image
UllyrunnerGraduate in reply to

That takes real dedication - well done!

LyndaM profile image
LyndaMGraduate

I agree. In theory it shouldn't take too long, but I'm with you, have to allow around 2 hours all in (including recovery time!)

mfamilias profile image
mfamiliasGraduate

If I cut out the faffage it takes me an hour and 15 minutes from leaving the door to being showered and dressed. As long as Kermit decides to lock onto the satellite as I warm up- today he sulked for ten minutes. I'm lucky in so far that I work from home so I can run whenever I like, as long as I get the job done.

Ullyrunner profile image
UllyrunnerGraduate in reply to mfamilias

Haha! Quicker than me then...

gary_bart profile image
gary_bart

Running out and then walking back is also quite a good way of making it take longer.

What I have heard (for those of you who've graduated) is that intensity is better for you than duration. If you get pressed for time the thing to do would be to switch to doing stuff like intervals really flat out, with the aim of having the exercise part done in maybe 20 minutes or even less.

As for stretching, that could be ... stretched out. You could probably fit your cool down into the next hour of work?

Noaky12 profile image
Noaky12Graduate

Spot on. I can only run on the work mornings that I'm working from home or in the local office (you can't get in there until 9am. Yay!) Or of course that I'm staying away as I'm normally based within crawling distance of the office..

At weekends it's at least 2 hours out of my day & I don't do that much faffage at the start these days.........

Ullyrunner profile image
UllyrunnerGraduate in reply to Noaky12

It's having to sort out a sweaty head of hair that is the killer!

Noaky12 profile image
Noaky12Graduate in reply to Ullyrunner

It is. I went for a run last sunday having been at the hairdressers on sat. When I wiped the back of my next the tissue came back covered in purple dye! Lol. Thank god I had a buff on to stop the sweat getting in my eyes, looks like it may have stopped worse!! Lol

AncientMum profile image
AncientMumGraduate

Hahaha that's me too, I can faff til the cows come home :D School hols are a real luxury. Can have a cup of tea, a right good faff, a run, a stretch and a shower, and still have time to sit about drinking more tea and reading the posts on here. Happy days :) :)

Ullyrunner profile image
UllyrunnerGraduate in reply to AncientMum

A woman after my own heart!

Dunder2004 profile image
Dunder2004Graduate

I only have to go to the office two days a week on average and work from home most days and would be hard pushed to fit in everything if it were otherwise.

I might have a little bit less faffage going on but any run does take out a good chunk on the day.

Ullyrunner profile image
UllyrunnerGraduate in reply to Dunder2004

I bet you don't have to blow dry your hair!

Dunder2004 profile image
Dunder2004Graduate in reply to Ullyrunner

True enough! :)

poppypug profile image
poppypugGraduate

Ha ha Ully !

Love this post and can relate to it totally as I am the Undisputed Queen of Faffidge !

In fact, I faff about sooo much I could have been out and back in again by the time it takes me to get my sports bra on , then theres the toilet visits, making sure everything is charged up, have I got my headphones, sweat band, jelly babies , more toilet visits ( just in case ) earrings in ( don't know why but feel odd without them in ha ha ) , tie shoelaces again ,untie them and tie them again . Its flippin' exhausting this running lark isn't it ? :-D xxx

Ullyrunner profile image
UllyrunnerGraduate in reply to poppypug

Crikey Pops! I think you are possibly worse than me.

I am happy to relinquish the crown for pre-run faffing to you!

farawaytree74 profile image
farawaytree74Graduate

Can relate to all that! Don't know how I will fit it all in come September when back at work. Being new to all this, to add to the faffage, is the mental struggle to just get out there. Suddenly even the most boring jobs look appealing (like the ironing )when it comes to the time to get out there and go running.when I am out I absolutely love it but the thought of going out and running is the battle. I can take all day deciding when to go,along with whether it fits in my hair washing schedule!

Ullyrunner profile image
UllyrunnerGraduate in reply to farawaytree74

Now really - I can't say that the ironing ever looks attractive!

But certainly trying to work out the weeks running in conjunction with the weeks hair washing I do identify with!

Glen53 profile image
Glen53Graduate

Thanks for the heads up on what to look forward to :) sweaty hair, and sweaty everything else in the weeks to come lol.

I am up and out by 6.15am and I have only just completed week 1 as I am righting this I am thinking about the weeks that are coming up and the fact that as I am home by 7am on the morning of my runs (10 min drive each way to canal) the next hour is spent recovering and drinking tea (at least 3 mugs ),with my feet up then wash, change, make up, hair, breakfast and feeding the dog, then into work by 8.30am (around corner from my home).

Methinks in the weeks to come I will be up and out earlier :)

Glen :)

Glen53 profile image
Glen53Graduate in reply to Glen53

Ps not getting very sweaty at the moment :)

Ullyrunner profile image
UllyrunnerGraduate in reply to Glen53

Believe me - you will!

Glen53 profile image
Glen53Graduate in reply to Ullyrunner

Yep that's true found that out this morning LOL :)

Lovefood1984 profile image
Lovefood1984Graduate

Im so glad someone else is like me! If I can't get out of the door by 5:30 after I've got home then I call it quits, like you say by the time you've dressed, warm up walked, ran, got back, missed the stretching (yes I'm naughty) and jumped in a shower and changed its not a 30min job, more like 1 1/2 hours for me and that's if you only do a 30min run.......what about those long ones we're supposed to fit in? (And don't say Sunday because I've already proved my body doesn't like to run on a Sunday, it's the only day I get to myself with hubby and until I have kids I'm determined it'll stay that way!)

Pigivi profile image
Pigivi

Oh yes... faffing is my speciality :) I only work 3 times a week, and when I don't the plan is to get up and be out running by 9 am... then I find that Garmin is not charged, that I need a coffee, go online to come here and get a bit more motivation, feed the chickens, then the post arrives.... and by the time I am out and running is usually 11 !

And after - yes all you mentioned Ully, plus 20 minutes to untangle my hair after washing it! i (Think Curly's hair, more or less...)

Curlygurly2 profile image
Curlygurly2Graduate in reply to Pigivi

Yes, trying to get the comb through it takes longer than anything else...Baldy is always yelling through the door "You still in that bath?"...still, not surprising he doesn't understand I suppose...

Coddfish profile image
CoddfishGraduate

I remember being delighted in W1 that it really did take 30 minutes from going out to coming back in. Then I started running on the seafront, which added a few more minutes to the warm up and warm down walks. Then I started adding in stretches before and after. Then I wanted to do the 'After' stretches on the seafront, which meant warming down, then stretching, then walking home. Then the runs built up so I usually run around 40 minutes now. So the 30 minutes easily became an hour plus it's ages before I am cool enough to contemplate the shower.

Curlygurly2 profile image
Curlygurly2Graduate

My two main time stealers are the number of times I go to the loo before I go out (I drink gallons of tea in the mornings!) and my walk home. I live at the top of a very steep hill, sometimes I have about one and a half KMs to walk back from where it's "flat (ha ha!) enough to run!

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