Week 1, run 1....again?

[Idolitorus]

This is a proud shout out for my son who completed W1R1 today, with me.

After much cajoling (for which read a near on blazing row) I finally convinced him to come out to Taekwondo with me again last night. We did it together several years ago when he was still a whelp until an unfortunate incident with a couple of broken ribs put paid to my training.

Fast forward about 8 years and I have started C25K and enjoying it so much that I have been spurred into taking charge of different areas of my life, including re-starting TKD.

Needless to say last night he went from I don't want to go, can't we go just on Saturday to Wow! that was great, absolutely loved it, can't believe that so & so is still there, and they're a black belt now.... etc. and even foolishly suggested he would like to start the running programme with me.

Many a word spoken in jest.

He was awoken from his pit this morning with 'get your kit on and give me your phone, we're going running!'

I uploaded the lovely Laura and the podcasts onto his phone and we both left the house. It was funny doing synchronised podcast starts on our respective phones so we were together.

We started off up the hill to the top of the road with the obligatory brisk walk - Whoa there lad, too fast! I am taller than him and still had to increase my stride length to keep up.

'She said a brisk walk, this is a brisk walk', says child 1.

'That's as maybe but you won't keep that pace up, grasshopper', I warned in my most sage like, beard stroking style. I explained that you should have enough puff to be able to hold a conversation but not be able to sing.

5 minute walk is up and the first run begins. Honestly, it was like the hare and the tortoise except I thought I was going to be the hare. SLOW DOWN matey. He slowed. 10 more paces and he was pulling ahead again. SLOW DOWN.

UUUrggh. Is the reply.

By run 3 he started to realise why going slowly initially is the only way to go. As I went on, you may be OK this week going a little quick but as the run lengths progress you will have to pace yourself.

By run 5 it was, how many have we done now? (Starting to look how I used to look at this point)

Five.

Really? Uuurgh.

Yep, nearly done. Over half-way. Keep it up, you're doing really well.

To his credit, it was not a one-sided conversation, though I had to make him run behind me so that we could maintain a sensible pace. He kept speeding up and slowing down. I had forgotten how hard it was to find my pace. I remember reading how others had got into their groove and thinking, 'it is never going to happen for me - I am just too ungainly'.

Running behind me really helped him. He asked if at the end of run 8 we could just stop? I said absolutely not. Keeping the legs moving was vitally important to stop the build up of acid and reduce the post run soreness. He was great and finished run 8 and we warmed down. By the time we got home he was quite chipper.

We have TKD tomorrow morning and I wonder how much incentive it is going to take to winkle him out for R2 on Sunday.

What this will mean for the rest of my training is yet to be seen. My next due run is W7 R3 but between TKD and (if I can get himself bitten by the bug, which for lots of reasons I sincerely hope so) re-running the beginning of the programme with the boy, it may have to be slower progress than I intended.

It is funny, when I first started out, I wanted to get to the end of the programme either in the 9 weeks or even before if possible. Now, what the heck. I will do it and I'm really enjoying it and it will be what it will be.

I really hope the chap goes on here himself and posts and gets as much encouragement as I do.

(Ha-ha, just seen the tags. 'BEARD' )

[RibbleLady Graduate]

Ace! All I get from my offspring is "I'd be impressed if it wasn't all downhill!"

Good luck at keeping him going with it, kids these days don't see enough of the outdoors in my opinion!

[Idolitorus Graduate in reply to RibbleLady]

If life was a computer game, he would have done several marathons by now!

He is a great lad though and I have a feeling that concerted, gentle coercion (for which read threats of turning the internet router off) may do the trick.

How comes yours is all downhill? Even though I run in a long loop, I swear the entirety of my run is uphill!

[Hidden]

One of the best moments of my life on Wednesday at running club with 17 yr old daughter. Running across deserted playing fields in the dark, in the pouring rain, she said "I'm so glad you took up running Mum, you're much happier, you look amazing, and we're running together in the dark and rain, it's so much fun" (She followed me into C25K when I was on W6, 18 months later we're still at it !) Hope you succeed with your offspring as well....

[Hidden]

Hi Ids that's lovely to hear, getting in some activities with your son. Hope he enjoys it as much as you! I would love to get my mum involved in c25k, but she's worried she's too old, unfit and over weight. After I've graduated I may get her started and see how she gets on. She doesn't have much confidence, so I may introduce her to you lovely lot on this forum. Hope it goes well

[misswobble Graduate]

Cool runnings peeps! So lucky to be running with family members. Hell would freeze over before I'd get any of my lot to join me. My husband used to be a runner! He can't run now as he's too fat and unfit and, seemingly likes it that way. Grrrrr!

[AncientMum Graduate]

How lovely that you run with a family member. My husband ran with me once and hurt his achilles (I did suggest running in his every day trainers wasn't a great idea!) and my daughter decided she was going to run with me, and then promptly broke her toe! Hummm....... It's just occurred to me, I wonder if I'm bad luck!!

[Sandraj39 Graduate]

Well done to your son! I have also got my two sons out running during the holidays and they do seem to have that natural stamina of youth that I remember from my dim and very distant past! Anything thay gets them away ftom computer games, playstations and the like has got to be a good thing!