Nike Benchmark run

[CatMo13]

Well finally managed to do my first Nike benchmark run, so 7min warm up slow run, then 3 mins getting faster .. to as fast as poss. I did it! I didn’t push all out tho, as didn’t want to risk anything like another injury😁 Finished with 5 min slow jog. Couldn’t get my music to play though ? Happy Sunday running everyone. Anyone with Nike Run club explain why the music wouldn’t work ? Thanks all. (Unfitnomore )🙏🏻😁?

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

What music player are you using? Apple Music or Spotify can be controlled from in the app.

Congratulations on surviving your first benchmarking! What plan are you following?

[CatMo13 Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

I have Apple Music , but it refused to load while I was doing the run. I’ve got a plan, and it’s to aim for 5km on 22nd Dec ... park run ... it will be my first park run. (Hope they do it that close to Xmas !? ) so it’s not too demanding... but it includes workout days, and recovery runs and tempo runs etc 😁

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to CatMo13]

Yeah, they even do it on the 25th at lots of parkruns 😂

Ok.., have you downloaded the playlist?

[CatMo13 Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Oh interesting! Yes it is. Sorry Unfitnomore, you need to set up a help desk 😁

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to CatMo13]

And Jan 1st too 😂

Ok... very occasionally I get a run where the music doesn’t start, and then I press play on the next screen. I assume you’ve hit the music button next to the start button and linked to Apple Music?

[CatMo13 Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Yes I’ve done that. I have done a run where it’s played my music, but I think it was cos I pressed play in Apple Music rather than on screen in NRC, but they seem to be linked 🤨. Bleugh . Don’t worry I’ll sort it out , maybe it just had trouble loading. How do you find the speed runs - like 4 sets of 100m?

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to CatMo13]

I haven’t done 100m ones yet. I did 400s and they are strange at first, needed to mark out 400m as it doesn’t tell you when to stop and start! Once that’s done it’s fun really... and recovery time is visible as I’ve been just within the two minutes each time, but it’s about to start reducing that rest soon! I have a field with two football pitches end to end, as luck would have it nearest goalie to furthest is just under 200m so it’s been up and back. I think I get 200, 400, 800 and 1k intervals, so they all fit!

So you run an interval, press pause and watch the timer, press go again etc.

[CatMo13 Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Oh yeah 400m that’s the one not 100m 😂 oh I better bring my tape measure to the park 🤷‍♀️ I’ve got a week to go anyway before I need to worry about that. But next week it’s a short recovery run then a long run, 4K etc . Thanks for help ! 😊

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to CatMo13]

It’s 0.25 miles effectively... so just find a startpoint and use QuickStart to measure it out. Then delete that “run” and you’re ready. Doesn’t matter if you run a little over.

[CatMo13 Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Arh good idea 💡 thank you 😊

[CatMo13 Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thank you btw !!

[IgaT Graduate]

I was thinking of starting a plan woth NRC. Which plan are you doing? Get more fit?

[CatMo13 Graduate in reply to IgaT]

No I chose race day , as I’m aiming for the park run . It is good but I’m having tech issues ! See above! Unfitnomore is helping me out 😁 😂 I had to tweak my plan a few times, as it made a few that I didn’t like, but got this one eventually that seems very good. There is speed work too which I’m a bit apprehensive about, but I’ll try it 😁

[IgaT Graduate in reply to CatMo13]

Oh, I didn't know you can change workout inside the plan. Can you just switch one workout to another? I loved speed workout, or how would you call 30-20-10 (slow-medium-sprint). For me it was nice, short workout that was a great change.

Good luck with the park run. I have never done it, but I was thinking about it. Maybe in the new year

[CatMo13 Graduate in reply to IgaT]

Well you have to delete your current workout plan then make a new one. I think it may help with your motivation if you do make a plan 😀Thank you, I’m really looking forward to it! 👍🏻💫🏃🏼‍♀️

[CatMo13 Graduate in reply to IgaT]

Okay since last writing I have now decided to stop NRC! It told me to do a 4km run, and I should not have tried that as I’m only up to 3km... anyway so my knee started hurting and I carried on a bit but knew I had to stop (got to just over 3km) 😐 so now I’m going to rest a few days and wonder if I can ever run without getting injury 🙈🤔

[IgaT Graduate in reply to CatMo13]

Oh, so sorry to hear that your knee is hurting

Don't give up! Maybe your knee need slow, short runs at the moment. I would suggest give your knee 4-5 days rest with ice compresses, a lat of leg elevations, maybe anti-inflammatory topical gel and pills. Maybe start joint supplements? My knees were better after about 2-3 months of taking JointCare Max and calcium+magnesium (Boots). Yes, I did take them daily and no, I didn't really believed they will work. But I was kind of desperate. Afyer the rest, I'd suggest 2x per week 15-20 min runs on soft ground (grass, path), not pavements or cement. Apart from that leg exercises once a week and core exercises once a week. Don't overdo woth exercises as well. Remember to have 1-2 days rest after leg day for your muscles to regenerate. Do more isometric exercises than others, and for now avoid plyo (any high impact). Good 10 minutes active warm up before each run and long (15-30min) static stretches after run plus minimum 5 minutes with legs against the wall.

If you want I try later to find exercises for you.

[IgaT Graduate in reply to IgaT]

Those are warm up exercises I do, based on https/runnersworld.com/health-inj...

1. High knee walk

2. Leg swings (front-back, side-to-side)

3. Hip circles

4. Kind of 'Skip B' leg movement

5. Legs to buty walk

6. Foot stretch and circles

7. Hip extensor stretch

8. Full squads, just to ait a bit in a squad to stretch my knees.

[CatMo13 Graduate in reply to IgaT]

Arh thanks so much for for reply, really helpful. I will write some of this down. Yes I will try the supplement as I’m at the age where I need to do that anyway 😊. I have some hip flexor strengthening exercises too from the physio that I can put in the routine. Yes I think shorter runs and I will take the extra rest now for sure. Looks like my 5km will have to wait a bit longer than I thought x x 🏃🏼‍♀️

[IgaT Graduate in reply to CatMo13]

It sounds like you are back to positive mindset I am so happy that you are better.

My 10k is also postponed, I am not doing even 4k at the moment. The time will come for both of us. Sometimes we need to be more understanding and gentle with ourselves

I need to add more strengthening exercises, but I am so irregular with them... I will get there, the same as with regular running