Post graduation report - week 1

[Minuette]

So I graduated last Friday and since then I've started on a 12 week plan to firstly get me to doing 5K, then a parkrun and then to get me to the Race for Life in July.

I plan on running 3 times a week on the same days I usually do, with an interval day, a medium day and a distance day.

Run 1 - did the week 1 podcast again, but running very fast (well fast for me!) and walking the walking bits. Did this on a treadmill and to be honest it felt far too easy, so next week I'll do week 1 again but fast run and then jog the walking bits. However I did up my speed on the fast runs so that was good.

Run 2 - did 25 mins total run again on the treadmill, first 10 mins at one speed, then upped it for second 10 mins and then upped it more for last 5 mins. Felt good and like I'd really done a workout.

Run 3 - did this outside around the whole perimeter of a lovely lake which is a 15 min drive away. And how gorgeous! Ran for 33 minutes (upped 10% from last weeks graduation 30) and initially I started off far to fast knackering myself early on. But I kept going and whilst it definitely wasn't easy by any stretch I did it and am very proud of myself. Not looked at any of the stats from my lovely Garmin yet as I've been out, but I was very very slow, there were lots of runners out this morning, all looking very professional and me still huffing and puffing away, but at least I now have something to work on.

With my new plan I feel like I have something else to work towards now until the next podcasts come out and I like the discipline of that.

[TJFlute]

Three happy runs!

[Minuette Graduate in reply to TJFlute]

Yes very happy runs!

[CaroleC Graduate]

Very well done Minuette, you are like me, I much prefer to have a plan to run to! Never worry about the huffing and puffing, everyone huffed and puffed at one point!! I really don't like the treadmill very much, it's ok as a "make do", but not like getting out in the (sometimes extremely!) fresh air.

CaroleC

[Minuette Graduate in reply to CaroleC]

I do quite enjoy the treadmill but running outside is fantastic and I feel so much healthier!

[Tapira Graduate]

Someone used to say to me "What gets measured, get's done!" and while I don't think it's true for everything I'm certainly finding it true for running. I love my Garmin too. Are you using a heart rate monitor with yours? I find that really satisfying cos all my huffing and puffing gets shown up as a good cardio workout!

Hope your week goes well. I'm on W6r2 tomorrow...

[Minuette Graduate in reply to Tapira]

Yes I have the heart rate monitor, it's a bit scary because sometimes it goes so high!! Good luck with the W6R2 run

[digbyfuller Graduate]

I'm trying to do something similar - ran on Monday to the new podcast, but after 2 weeks school hols and not much running it was a bit of a struggle and only managed 20 min run. On Wed i used week 2 to do intervals and ran and then jogged to recover which was really hard work (so it must be doing some good!), then today went for a run in the sunshine and it was lovely!

Need to work up the courage to do a 5k - but want to get to that distance first!

Well done you! I'm finding post graduating motivation difficult as I really liked having the programme as something to work towards.

[Minuette Graduate in reply to digbyfuller]

Yes that's why I've put together a programme for going forwards as I need the motivation otherwise I'll get bored and I need something to work towards. Good on you for doing the run/jogs, that's my next effort!

[juicydee Graduate]

I did the new podcast this morning for the first time - it was good (though not really my kind of music - I find heavy rock preferable ), and quite challenging enough; I was 'on the verge of discomfort' most of the time, as I read on a running website recently. Discomfort in the lungs, that is, not legs - they were fine. I did take about a minute's walking break in the middle, but only because the voiceover suggested it and I thought he was about to say 'now we're going to get even faster' - but he didn't and I realised too late that I could've kept going.....) er, sorry, is that ME getting annoyed because I walked when I could have run???

Anyways, average speed for the whole 30 mins workout (including cooldown which I ran very slowly) was 8mins 5sec per km which is a tiny bit better than my recent times, so it looks as if the podcast works! Not sure, even with the other two that are supposed to accompany it, that it'll take you to 10k though, so that will have to be Laura's next challenge!

[Minuette Graduate in reply to juicydee]

I'm hoping to do the podcast as part of my medium runs so it'll take my speed up, hopefully anyway!!

We've come a long way!!

[sfb350 Graduate]

That sounds like a good plan - a bit of discipline and variety too. I know that I will need to run to a plan when/if I graduate so this makes for interesting reading. Thanks for sharing, please keep us updated.

[Minuette Graduate in reply to sfb350]

Will do, it's great to be able to carry on posting here even after graduating

[blueboots Graduate]

I like the sound of that plan. I'm still running but have not decided on a plan yet to improve anything. I think I must become a little more disciplined.

[Minuette Graduate in reply to blueboots]

I like ticking off that week's runs on my spreadsheet, it feels like I'm getting somewhere!

[bonnie68 Graduate]

I too have been using the new podcast for the faster run mid -week! It is testing and has given a structure of sorts, cant wait for the next ones now...

[Minuette Graduate in reply to bonnie68]

I know me too very excited for the new ones