An engineering view of C25K

[davidhwynn]

My repeat of W3R2 done … whee!!... say it very quietly but easier than W3R1. I’m an engineer and very goal driven, so I look on my heart as a machine – a pump in fact. For some here C25K will be a dollop of maintenance of their pump, for someone like me it’s more like a rebuild! Well the rebuild’s going OK so far, thankfully this time a TINY bit better than my first attempt, when I messed the job up a bit. It’s taking longer than my original pre mess-up project plan, but hey no one says you can’t revise a plan. I’ve gone far enough again this time to do my “thing” and set myself a goal to reach (like I said, that’s my way!) – to make it a firmer target and more embarrassing if I start to wimp out, I’m telling everyone here in this wonderful forum that I have a new magic code: 130517/112. That’s to be a local 5K park run on the Saturday before my birthday on 14th May and that gives me 112 days to be ready. A lot longer that the C25K programme but I think I just might need that time. “Thanks everyone” – couldn’t do without you all XX

[AnneDroid Graduate]

Good analogy. And good plan! I'm sure you'll do it. x

[Hidden]

That's the way to do it. Sorry that sounds like a quote from 'Punch and Judy' !!

Like I bore everyone with my favourite quote "Where's the fire". You've probably heard me say this before that some experts reckon that whenever we start running that we could have 7 years of improvement in us.

Sounds like a cunning plan there !

[misswobble Graduate]

Hello! As an engineer you will want a project. So, this is it! Get your Project Manager head on. Log the sessions, outcomes etc and evaluate frequently, having cogniscence of healthy, diet, hydration and sleep 😃

Have fun!

[davidhwynn Graduate in reply to misswobble]

Because of my "techie" way of doing things I'm totally attached to my Fitbit. It helps me monitor sleep (not brilliant), activity etc. It links to MyFitnessPal where I record all my food & stuff: the result for me has been a big weight loss, slowly since Feb 2016, and a total change to my approach to food. I'm SO glad I started this whole thing. I started C25K when I had got the weight a bit more under control. I don't track hydration ..... does beer & wine count?

[runswithdogs Graduate in reply to davidhwynn]

Ha. I was going to suggest an activity monitor as you can get very deep into statistics and graphs if you record your runs.

[Dunder2004 Graduate in reply to davidhwynn]

I fear for you! You are going to end up like the rest of us who look at stuff like this connect.garmin.com/modern/a...

[davidhwynn Graduate in reply to Dunder2004]

I'm afraid you're right ... I can see this becoming an obsession if I'm not careful. At least it's healthy(ish)!

[misswobble Graduate]

If you carry on running and eating healthily you will lose weight. You will lose more weight and get even fitter, and better hydrated, if you cut down alcohol. You will sleep better too. Us runners need quality sleep 😊

[davidhwynn Graduate in reply to misswobble]

The sleep part is hard .... half of the time it's the mind going over my C25K!! Ironic, isn't it. Seriously on the drinking front I had to cut right back from the beginning last February, all sorts of reasons but importantly all those calories it uses up. I try to get 4 days a week with no alcohol, but maybe I should aim for more. Still headed for my goal weight and being careful what I eat, but my BMI now in the healthy range, so not all bad. Never really considered hydration - I've seen it on my FitBit but ignored it so far. Thanks, I'll look.

[Inominate]

Love your determination and planning. It will see you succeed . I like the way you are bringing your engineering skills to the task. I wish our bodies did behave like a machine with a linear growth in development directly relating to the work we have put in. However, I found the progress we make in running. has periods of rapidity and slowness and for no apparent reason. Good runs, bad runs, aches runs, easy runs...The genetics, biochemistry and physiology of the body has its own pace as it adapts over weeks to all that we put it through. It's fascinating to see it change and grow - my calf muscles definitely have. I wish I could fine tune my body like tuning an engine, but unfortunately I'm just the passenger being taken in the journey at the bodies pace.

[davidhwynn Graduate in reply to Inominate]

You're absolutely right, being a passenger's a good analogy. I'm repeating C25K from the beginning having given up once before. So far I've got to W3R2, tomorrow W3R3. Then it's the start of the hard part, mostly mental I guess though that isn't what my body tells me I don't think. First time round I gave up at W4R2 having decided I couldn't do it ... not long to go now before I prove to myself that this time I can really do this.

[melly4012 Graduate]

Well done you! You will find runs of the same duration will get easier. When you're running for 30 minutes you'll look back at that first 60 seconds and really see how far you've come. Great engineering perspective on the runner's body too. Keep going, you're doing great!