Finally did the 5K thing

[stewieUK]

For various reasons I've not been "out" for almost a week but today finally made it to my favourite treadmill and decided that 5K was easy so best get on and do it. Set up the treadmill and did the distance in 43 minutes as evidenced by the photo. Am I pleased? - yes. Am i totally elated - Not quite.

Why not completely over the moon? Because I feel I cheated a little.

I had two goals today. First was to up my pace and the second was to go the distance and I achieved both but did so using some power walking (my version of it at least) at intervals, not to get my breath back because I maintained the same speed as running but as a means to convince my brain that what I was attempting wasn't too different to running slowly for 30 minutes. Not sure if that makes sense but what I was able to do was to increase the pace after each of the breaks for a couple of minutes before slowing down to a speed midway between the last "walk" and that increased pace. Is this the interval training some of you have mentioned?

Anyway, this little exercise has set me up for the next challenge to myself - increase the pace a bit more but in the meantime I'll try a bit more consolidation of running without the fast walk breaks.

Next run is scheduled for Saturday, so I'll let you know how that goes then.

[melly4012 Graduate]

Well done, sounds like you're being sensible and not pushing yourself too much. 5k is not easy at all so, although it's a good way to trick yourself into getting through, make sure you give yourself the credit you deserve too. Even with a few walk breaks, I bet you couldn't contemplate doing that a few months ago! You'll be able to up that distance and pace and won't be far off running the whole way. Well done.

[stewieUK Graduate in reply to melly4012]

Thanks Melly. It is quite amazing really that the 5km bit is coming good but I have a complete block on running for even a short time outside. Hopefully I'll have a way to overcome that last gremlin in the coming weeks.