Laura should meet my husband

[runner45]

Tried Stepping Stones, Speed and Stamina this week - Stepping Stones was Ok but I failed miserably to complete Speed, gave up half way through which I never do - and went v....e...r...y slowly to Stamina. You know one of those runs where when Laura tells you to slow to walking pace you feel like walking pace will be faster? Has lovely Laura been replaced by her evil twin? I was really looking forward to her company again (haven't run with her since graduating) but she felt so on my case, and fierce. Was like being back at school with one of those terrifying games teachers.

Oh it's probably just me. Maybe I've not been pushing myself and it's just a shock having someone do that again. I think I might go back to running without her though. I've been running for the last six weeks with Runkeeper - does anyone else use that? It's a great App - free (which I always like), and I set it so it tells me at the end of each km, which really helps me along. (I used to set it to tell me every five minutes but I go faster if it's measuring distance, funny that). At the end of the run it tells you how far you've gone, how fast, and for how long and then it saves your run, so you can go back and see your progress.

My husband is quite odd about my running. Must be weird having been married for ages to someone who's never even run for a bus and suddenly she's out three times a week and slightly obsessed. But I couldn't work out where the sarky comments were coming from. Then yesterday he said - how do I know you're not going to run away from me? Joke. Sort of. Maybe I need to get him running

[RainbowC Graduate]

It's taken me a while to get to grips with the 5k+ podcasts. I've struggled with each of them in turn, although I think I might have finally completed all three on the treadmill. I've not completed stamina or speed outside, I know. Those darn hills, they just make it too hard!

Mr Rainbow took a while to realise that I was serious about this running and fitness thing, but seems to be taking it in his stride now (hah!). I don't want him running with me - he'd be far quicker even on his first try, and I'm a bad loser! My main motivation for even thinking about 10k is that no *way* would he think he could run that far, so I'd officially be 'better'!

[Lynds Graduate in reply to RainbowC]

My OH is absolutely barred from running in front of me, he is far far quicker and doesn't even get out of breath when I'm blowing out of my ****!

Sometimes I let him run just beside me, but if he ran infront I'd give up in a moment...!

[runner45 Graduate]

yes it would be horrific if he found running really easy!

[Lynds Graduate]

Umm, bit awkward re sarky husband - maybe he feels threatened... My husband has taken to joining me running as I run after work and its a bit dark and scary!

I'm going to have a look at Runkeeper.

[runner45 Graduate]

I'm really looking forward to the day when I can run so fast that I no longer feel scared if I see a lone figure in the dark woods. What do you reckon? A year of regular running?

[swanscot Graduate]

> Maybe I've not been pushing myself and it's just a shock having someone do that again.

I think that is the whole idea of the 5K+ podcasts. As a graduate you can do the 'run 30-mins' thing - which is great and all that the NHS advise as a good basic guideline - but I think the newer podcasts came about as graduates asked for more.

I do one session of speed intervals a week and I see this very much as a 'training session' I don't look forward to it as much as the other runs, I find it very hard, but I choose to push myself with this, as I know it will hlep me run faster.

[runner45 Graduate]

that's useful - I guess it's that thing that it's when it's really hard that it's doing you most good