First Run of the Year

[Bibs]

I am very new to this running, I have always been fairly active, mostly MTB and more recently road cycling, but I haven't run since I was at school, which was a long (very long!) time ago.

The combination of typical English pear shape figure and knock knees does not lend itself to running, or so I have told myself for years, worried that I would get my legs in a tangle before I got 10 feet : )

I started out two weeks ago without a clue, just decided a route, jogged as far as I could, then walked to recover, then jogged, walked, jogged, walked ...... you get the picture. Was very relieved to find legs still tangle free after 20 mins.

My husband found the C25K online and I started using the podcasts at the start of my 2nd week. After reading various posts I decided to start with the week 1 podcast, even though it was my 4th run, thinking the more positive the experience the more likely I'd be to continue.

Amazingly I actually enjoyed it, it is so much easier to have someone telling you when to run and walk and the music also helps, very inspiring and much more fun than counting paces, though I gave up trying to stay on the beat as it was too slow except when I was running uphill.

I found the warm up and warm down periods helped a lot, on my own I was not spending enough time, particularly on the warm up, and found that one of my calves was aching while I was running, a decent warm up seems to have solved that.

It went well enough that I moved up to the week 2 podcast for my next outing. Today is New Years Day and I have just completed my 2nd week, running in the sunshine for the first time : )

Looking forward to week 3.

[greenlegs Graduate]

Welcome! I'm in the middle of week 3, so you're just on my shoulder - will you overtake me?!

This is a really good place to get support and encouragement. Now I need to get out and do today's run!

[Bibs Graduate in reply to greenlegs]

Hi greenlegs, unlikely that I'll overtake, but I'll keep looking on the horizon for you : )

You are right, I have already found the advice on the forum very helpful. My big challenge will be keeping this up when I am back at work. I have had a long xmas break this year, which was perfect to get started, I will need to find a routine to keep that up when I go back.

Hope you enjoyed your run, was it sunny where you are? Made a lovely change for me this morning.

[greenlegs Graduate]

Yes, sunny here too. The idea of me being out ahead, 'on the horizon' is hilarious, in the context of my past running career (always last at primary school and I haven't done any running since then.) But it's a good image - I rather like it!

I managed my run - the longer ones this week are a bit 'erk!' but by going very gently I made it, and even did a little bit extra on the last one. Though that was probably a mistake, as when I started the cool-down walk, my left calf felt rather over-worked. Silly girl - I really should listen to Laura! Seems ok now though.

[skf28 Graduate]

Well done.

I have just finished wk1 today, so you are one step ahead of me. I love the 30 mins session, I always get to halfway before I know it. Which makes it so doable. It was sunny here too which was lovely. Looking forward to starting w2 now.

[Bibs Graduate in reply to skf28]

Thanks skf28 and well done for completing week 1, I think getting started was probably the hardest bit, so you should enjoy week 2 as much as I did.

[gdeann Graduate]

WELCOME! So hubby is doing this with you? My husband/smhall joined me as well. It was nice having someone share the experience. Gayle

[Bibs Graduate in reply to gdeann]

Yes it was hubby who started us off on this, but he pulled something in his calf on one of his early runs (before he discovered this programme) so is taking it very steady and just walking at the moment. Hopefully be back next week sometime, but not rushing it.