Did Stamina OMG that was not easy!!!

[Oldgirl]

I'm just back in from a run and used Stamina one of the new podcasts in C25K+ it was not easy. I always run first thing in a morning but for reasons I won't go into I didn't go out this morning so a couple of hours after lunch I was all set to go, mmmmmmmm.

I'll add at this point today in the NE Scotland its hot and sunny mmmmmmm. Should have got the sun lounger out instead I think. Anyway had a good drink of water 1/2 hr before leaving, then off I went.

I don't know about the rest of you but even doing a 5 minute warm up walk first it still takes me a good 5 - 8 minutes to get myself settled before I pick up a faster speed so going straight into a fast'ish stride wasn't good, I didn't think about the route I had chosen either, the first 6 minutes is a slight uphill into the park, mmmmmmmm. Running through the park I must have sounded like a steam roller and looked like an old fashioned fire engine BRIGHT RED, mmmmmmmm. I then have another climb out of the park, pick up speed says our lovely Laura, how I thought, mmmmmmm but I dug deep and puffed harder and picked up a bit more pace, now I'm at the part of this run that I usually love cos its downhill only slightly but its got to be good yeh? Not today I think because I had gone too fast too soon I wasn't able to lengthen my stride as I usually can on this section of the route, mmmmmmmm. I managed to finish the workout and covered 5K in just over 31 minutes which is faster than I have managed before but I didn't enjoy the structure of the run, I don't think stamina will suit me very well unless I can just learn to break into a faster run and maintain that speed, will not give up, will try it again but didn't enjoy it as I did Speed, the music didn't do anything for me either. Sorry NHS and Laura but its only my opinion and only my first try so plenty of room for improvement by me

[fifimas Graduate]

I have been doing Stepping up and although I don't find it easy, I do enjoy the beat of the music and it does keep me going even though I end up a beetroot red, sweating mess as the end of it, must be doing some good?

[Oldgirl Graduate in reply to fifimas]

When I think back to my early days on weeks 1 ,2 & 3 etc I used to come home bright red and sweating heavily. Of late not so much that is until I tried the new Podcasts so I guess I was getting either lazy or just used to it, the new workouts have come just in time perhaps!

[christian1 Graduate]

I also did Stamina today. I think I'm getting used to the strange (to me) slow pace but I find getting faster and faster, hard work. And today we had a strong wind which slowed me down. Just as I was getting to the last 5 minutes and feeling pleased that i was going to finish, the rain came down. i ended up jogging on the spot under the canal bridge hoping it would stop. it didn't and I was worried about my mp3 player and phone getting wet, so stopped, frustratingly, a couple of minutes short.

But I also will not give up and hope to finish it properly next time.

Thanks oldgirl, your blogs are always inspiring.

I wondered what people meant about bright red till I glanced in the mirror after a run the other day. Looking back at me - Beetroot Face!