Graduated and discovered Japanese Slow Jogging on the same day!!!

We'll, I covered half my usual distance, and took about 25 minutes to catch up and overtake a walker, but I did it with a smile on my face the like of which I've not had since around week 5! I wasn't out of breath and I even managed to speed up for the last minute. I am looking forward to the next 'run' whereas until today I'd started dreading them. If you haven't watched the video and given it a go, I'd really recommend it, especially if you're finding it tough going. Don't get me wrong, I was hardly Speedy Gonzales before, but there's something magical about this technique and I can see I'm going to get very boring about it!!!!

[backintime Graduate]

DiscoRunner loves this technique too

Congratulations on your graduation

[Hidden in reply to backintime]

I was so busy being excited about the slowness I barely noticed the other 😂

Thank you! X

[DiscoRunner Graduate]

You make an old slow running woman very happy! Running this way makes running (particularly for us novices) into an absolute pleasure. And the motivation to get out for the next run is always there simply because it feels good in the moment. And you get all the benefits of running - I’ve lost 5 inches from my waist, feel fit & strong in ways I haven’t for years. And no pain or injury - in fact a niggle in the knee has completely gone & a twinge in the hip is now very occasional.

Huge congratulations on your graduation! Once you’ve consolidated those 30 minutes for a few weeks, you can start adding 5 or 10 mins to one run and then discover the absolute joys of a long slow run!

And here’s the film - because I post it all the time - so why not!

m.youtube.com/watch?v=9L2b2...(Not working as expected?)

I’ve been reading up on this and plan a longer post.

[Hidden in reply to DiscoRunner]

Oh DiscoRunner, please let me know when you do a long post on the slow jogging!

It was so lovely to read your reply.

I'd seen a few mentions about the technique and only somehow got round to watching that video yesterday just before I went out. I'm sure I need a while to perfect the technique but already it really has turned things around for me, it was so gentle and enjoyable I feel almost evangelical.

I hate being out of breath - in fact I don't like any kind of sport to do (or to watch) - but this is just something completely different. I actually smiled and enjoyed it and didn't feel out of breath once! Result.

I also have no interest in speed, and actually, 30 minutes a couple of times a week will suit me just fine. I can't imagine doing a Park Run, what I am enjoying is just being able to spontaneously leave the house when I feel like it, listen to music and watch the countryside go by. I also gave up worrying about what other people think of me years ago!

I've not lost any weight yet, but I'm hoping that will come!

Now, tell me, where do I buy those special shoes?!! Mine are wrong, just like that lady's!

xxxx

[DiscoRunner Graduate in reply to Hidden]

I will certainly let you know when I get that post done. Sounds like you love this style as much as me!! I run smiling - if I look a twerp but I don’t care!

I’m not sure where you get the shoes, - the description from the book is - “simple shoes with a thin elastic soles and a wide toe box fitting well at the heel”. I think the elastic might mean rubber, so maybe just ordinary plimsolls? I saw this after I’d had my gait analysis done & bought expensive running shoes so still wear them at the mo. I practiced the light jumping landing with the video, barefoot & with my running shoes so I could feel what my feet were doing. The concern is that thick soles can encourage or at least mitigates bad landing on your heels, and so with thin soles it’s be painful and you wouldn’t do it. But I’m very mindful of that and think about the ‘tap, tap, tap’ as I set off and land properly. There are the barefoot doctor people who sell thin sole shoes but these are very expensive so I haven’t bothered with them.

So glad you’ve found this - it feels so good! Another note from the book - you use as many calories running 5k whether you do it in 30 mins or an hour! So it’s the distance not the speed!

[Hidden in reply to DiscoRunner]

Now that last point makes me even happier! Thank you, and thanks for all the tips!

Tap tap tap and off she goes 🙂