Week 5 Run 1 🏃‍♀️👍😊

[Jools2020]

Week 5 already! Out the door at about 6:30 again and what a fabulous morning. I had decided this morning to do a more circular route as it’s psychologically better for some reason, and just makes it more interesting than just turning round at the halfway bell.

W5 R1 involves the usual 5 minute walks at the start and finish. Then 3 x 5 minute runs separated by 3 minutes walking. Nice and simple! I post my runs on Strava - but the times of how long it takes to run each kilometre are meaningless when you’re running and walking, so I devised a workout in Garmin to better monitor my progress. Of course it’s overkill and not necessary to do this, but this is my second time around and I love stats!

I’d done my stretches of course and left the house. Short sleeves and shorts, trademark sun visor. Punk hairstyle 🤣. I felt that cool air on my skin and sighed with satisfaction! I started my watch and the app at the same time and I was good to go!

I have been suffering from something similar to the Toxic 10, although for more like 3 or 4 minutes - so for the first 5 minute run I slowed it right down. Stats showed afterwards it was 9:29. Happy with that, and it worked. I’m not looking to do this fast, it’s not about speed - but I was curious. It was a comfortable pace and I could have continued. Definitely my happy pace for now!

The second run I speeded up a little. I couldn’t see my pace when I was running as the workout was showing and I didn’t want to fiddle with the watch in case I lost it! I was right though and my pace increased to 8:30. Perhaps a little fast for my current fitness level, but I recovered in the 3 minute walk.

I had planned this run so that part of the last 5 minute run was downhill; it yes, I’ve done this many times before, I need all the help I can get! So I took the brakes off a little and although I wasn’t exactly flying, my pace for this stretch was 7:29.

I’ll probably write a workout for the next run, too. It’s interesting to look at the stats. For now, I’m happy with getting W5 R1 under my belt.

Happy running! 😊🏃‍♀️👍

[Runninggirl59 Graduate]

Very organised Jools, the main thing is you're out there running and loving it! Have a good saturday 😀

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Runninggirl59]

Thanks, Runninggirl - I am loving it! Off shortly to spend some time with my son and one of my grandchildren. Hopefully we’re going out somewhere that will involve cake and coffee ❤️

[Runninggirl59 Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

Enjoy , you deserve it 🍰☕😀

[Gthants]

This is interesting. I had that slight downhill for the home stretch yesterday. I think at some stage I will reverse that and do the uphill first to add to the fitness pot! 😂

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Gthants]

Great idea...those hills will become friends...

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Gthants]

Mmmm. Sounds good! (Doubt I’ll do it 🤣)

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Gthants]

I checked my stats for when I did Week 5 Run 3 in 2020. I covered 1.87 KM! I think that this time i will probably cover slightly more but my plan will still be to run at easy conversational pace with a burst at the end if I’ve got enough left in the tank.

[Gthants in reply to Jools2020]

Firstly: stats back to 2020! 😮 The pace I'm going at is the same pace as I jogged the first one minute run and it just seems right to me. I wish I had someone to run with so I could converse as I'm pretty sure I could talk easil; I'm never out of breath at all. Until the last three years when I could barely walk at all I've always been a fast walker - my lady calls it "fal-de-re" walking ... 😂

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Gthants]

I logged all my stats for 2020 onto a spreadsheet! I had all the early data in various formats before I bought a Garmin watch and also started to use Strava. I run alone and sing to assess my conversational pace! I can’t walk quickly and actually find it easier to run. I certainly do get out of breath if I push myself too hard! Which I’m trying not to do right now. Sounds like you’ll have plenty in the tank later on if you are considering speeding up after you’ve graduated.

[Gthants in reply to Jools2020]

Ok. Sorry to go on; I'm a newbie and SO curious! 😀 Which Garmin to you have, if you don't mind me asking? And no idea what Strava is, presumably an app, so I will look that up!

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Gthants]

It’s fine. A lot of people helped me on here when I was a newbie! I have a Garmin Vivoactiv 3. There are many newer, better models now that do much more. You download an app to go with it. So - basically you set the watch when you start running and it records your run (or bike ride, walk or swim) so that when you sync them together afterwards you get all these great stats to look at in the app! Even a little map!

Strava is an app for athletes. Runners, bikers, swimmers …… So after a run, when I sync my watch with the Garmin app, I have set it to automatically upload the run to Strava where you get Even More wonderful stats! And followers. The basic version of Strava is free - or you can subscribe for Even More stats! (I haven’t subscribed yet). Many people on this forum use Strava as well.

[Gthants in reply to Jools2020]

Thank you so much. I will have a ponder, but I'm not much of a stats guru. I'd probably just get confused or pull a muscle in my brain ...

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Gthants]

Remember this programme is not about pace !It's simply about time spent running .

Stick to the pace that you are comfortable with and make sure it's conversational

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

Absolutely!

[Gthants in reply to Instructor57]

Yes! As I said it was the 3k that stunned me, not the time. That 3k "still" (ie the next day😂) sends shivers down thy spine. I can still vividly recall about 18 months/2 years ago seeing the chair on the patio less than 5m away and knowing I simply could not make it that far. What's happening now is simply a miracle.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Lovely run, done and dusted and what a great start to the day... Love the downhill letting go, bit too; I have been known to do similar on many occasions.. quite unfitting for a lady of my advanced years!

That was of course, long after I completed C25K...where of course we do, when following the programme, take it steadily at a conversational pace!

Very well done you!

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks, Oldfloss! The advanced years thing didn’t occur to me 🤣 I just do stuff anyway!

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

As do I...my downhill includes hurdling over cow parsley !!🤣🤣🤣

[Jools2020 Graduate in reply to Oldfloss]

Now that I would like to see! 🤣

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate in reply to Jools2020]

Such fun!!!