That’s week 2 done with now!! 😁

[limberlou]

So a better night’s sleep last night but my legs still felt so heavy when I set off. I’d done some hamstring stretches before I set off but it didn’t seem to help much.

My daughter showed me how to set my Garmin watch so that I can press a button when I start to run, and again when I start to walk, and it will show my times for the running and waking bits separately. So with this in mind off I went.

It had been raining over night but had stopped now and stayed dry all through my run and until after I was home again so that was a bonus, but the paths were still wet and slippy with wet leaves,so I had to be conscious of that all the time. The first run didn’t seem too bad and was over quite quickly but the next 2 seemed like a struggle. I was down near Rock Park by then and halfway through and was thinking maybe I’d just turn and reverse my run for the second half but then decided to carry on through the Park for a bit and then turn back. Runs 4 and 5 seemed really hard and I was so relieved when Laura said “ this is the last run of 90 seconds”. How did I ever run for a whole 3 hours without waking??

But finally it was over and I just had the cool down walk home. I was thinking I’d maybe have a bath and soak my achey legs but after I’d got home and stretched and rolled on my massage balls a bit, then had my porridge, glass of water and a coffee… I got my foot massager out that my daughter had bought me for my birthday and sat and enjoyed 10 minutes of foot massage too before my shower.

I feel like a new woman now.🤣🤣

And when I looked at my running/walking laps I realised why some of the runs felt harder…. It was because they were quite a bit faster!!! So don’t feel so bad about it now. Ive for very gradually faster over this week… not much but for me that’s a win. Bring on week 3!!!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Well done.

You said you did some hamstring stretching before the run......... these need to be dynamic stretches pre run and static stretching post run. If you do static stretching pre run you can damage muscle and reduce muscle power.

[limberlou Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Yeah they were dynamic ones. I checked with my Pilates coach which ones to do . And I’ve done the static ones when I got home again and rolled my glutes on my spiky massage balls too - love how that feels 🤣

I’d been a bit lazy with stretches the two previous runs but I’m back on it again now

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to limberlou]

Stretching immediately after every run, nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/h... while muscles are still warm and supple, pulls out contractions, avoiding carrying tensions into the next run and also improves recovery by improving blood flow, as recommended in the guide to the plan.

Many people do not hold their stretches for long enough or put enough effort in. Hold post run stretches for 30 seconds and make sure the pull is strong enough to be on the verge of discomfort.

[Challenge2021 Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Iannoda, what’s the difference in dynamic stretches?

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Challenge2021]

Check out the links in the guide to the plan healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Static stretches are just that, giving a concerted pull on the muscle and only to be used on warm muscles, whereas dynamic stretches are........well, dynamic and can include squats, leg swings, jumping jacks and many other things to warm up cold muscles, pre run.

[Challenge2021 Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thanks, had been doing full stretching before and after! So far no problems but I sometimes tend to get leg and foot cramps at night. Also want to say that I have no problem jogging through the house (all doors open!) for 45 mins in bare feet with even breathing. However, the breathing goes completely to pot outdoors and I’m soon struggling for breath and back to walking again. I am currently trying out the Japanese professer’s slow jogging advice and I can get a little further before giving up but it’s really slow progress. Any advice to get over this difficulty would be appreciated.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Challenge2021]

This FAQ post about breathing may give you some ideas healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Perhaps you have an allergy which is causing your problems, but for most people breathing issues can be solved by slowing down to a pace at which they can speak aloud clear ungasping sentences.

Say this sentence out loud to yourself "Am I going slow enough to enable me to speak this sentence in one out breath?" If you cannot, you are going too fast for your current fitness level. It doesn't matter if your jogging is slower than your walking. It will still build stamina and endurance.

[Oldgirlruns Graduate]

Well done limberlou, go for it!