I have just and I mean just completed day 13 of the 5x50. Oh how I am beginning to wish I had not signed up for this.
The operative word is chore! I blogged that I was losing my running mojo and was helped by a number of kind responses enough to put in a reasonable run. Tonight I was back on the bike and really NOT loving it!
If I was not so bloody minded, I would have not completed it tonight, but I did my 30 mins and 10.7 km. Very slow and all I could think about was stopping.
I used to look forward to my runs and the day off between to recuperate both physically and mentally. Now all I do is dread and trudge. I hope this will improve next week and maybe I is just unlucky 13, but oh I want a day off so badly.
Also, has anyone else noticed the sheer amount of kit used on this programme. It is a major operation just keeping up with the waning of sweaty kit alone!
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shinjin
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Sorry to hear this, but maybe it'll get easier? if it cheers you up any, one thing you notice about teaching students of computing is that some of them pay less attention to personal hygiene than their coding, so one lecturer wearing the same sweaty kit every day doesn't make much of a difference. (:->) Thank goodness there's a shower so I can at least keep myself fresh after my lunchtime walks - although before the challenge I'd never have thought of needing to take one one mid-day ...
I am away next week and thinking what to do: squash, tennis, running, spin class, walking or even a run! Also thinking what to take in terms of kit. Seems like I need 5 sets or will be like your students.
I hope I can get it back together. I am 100% on he results. Everyday over 30 mins and everyday over 5k, but mentally, well I would have put it at 10% last night and maybe 50 this morning.
It's the first day that I've not done something (unlucky 13? )
I went straight from work to babysitting and got in about an hour ago, way too late to do anything energetic. To be honest I think the rest day will do me good, I ache in all sorts of strange places...man this challenge is hard
We can do this guys!!!!! I struggled going out tonight as well and wanted my walk over and done with so I could ice my foot. ;-( When you're feeling down, think of all the great virtual cheerleaders we have here! Also, Steve and I are here in the States thinking you guys rock!!!! Gayle
Sorry to hear you are finding it a chore, would you be able to break up the 5k over the day rather than feeling like you have to do it all in one go? Would you be able to go for a short walk a couple of times a day so that the activity you are doing is less strenuous?
Are there any other activities you would be interested in doing such as yoga, swiss ball or even a short workout with some hand weights?
Remember its only about incorporating 30mins of extra activity into your day, not necessarily in one go and certainly not pushing yourself to become super human.
Thanks for your reply. I did break up the exercise on a walk. I went to and from the Kebab shop! I might do the same this week with my colleagues, but maybe a better place to eat.
Mentally I feel I need to do either 5k or 30 mins in one session. I guess this is my problem and it is causing the issue with my enthusiasm.
That's good advice Doggymum. I have often broken down the 5k to three short walks. 5k on the bike is also quicker so you don't have to do the full 30 minutes. (I'm not sure why you pushed yourself to 10k ) Some other ideas:
Try to do the 5k in the morning. If it is at all possible get it done as soon as possible, because it is out of the way then and not something you dread at the end of the day.
Maybe get a friend to do one of the days with you. A 5k walk with a friend on the weekend, having a good catch-up with their news, is much easier than slogging on your own.
I think you are a member of another team of work colleagues. Could you get together with one of them to do an exercise class or a swim, or something new?
A home exercise DVD is a good idea. At least you can pause and have a cup of tea
Thanks, I know, I have it in my head that I should do either 5mins or 5km whichever is the longest. Maybe this is my issue.
I think a 5k on the bike ride on my turbo too easy, if I put the hammer down, I could do 5k in about 10 mins.
Actually that might be fun! I could do a 5k and challenge myself on the time!
Do you think this would count though? It would may it much less of a chore?
I am away this week, some of the time with my team colleagues, so it may be better. No bike and no turbo, but my hotel has squash, tennis and a Wednesday spin class. There is always the walk to the Kebab shop too, so I should be OK I hope.
Sounds to me as though a couple of 'easy' days using the bike might be just what you need? Maybe 'allow' yourself to do that once or twice a week, if it's all getting to be a chore. It is meant to be a challenge, but if it's starting to really drag already, and you're regretting starting, it might be better to ease off a little.
Hope you find a way of revitalising your enthusiasm soon.
Sorry to hear this You dont want it to become a chore and doggymum's and Theresa's advice is spot on. Also I'm not sure why you are cycling 10k either, 5k of cycling is the target so why not bring it down a level if you are not enjoying it.
Why not reassess what you are doing, take these suggestions on board and try a different approach for your third week. You certainly don't want this challenge to take anything away from enjoying your runs......
I think I will take your advice on board. Tonight I am going for a fast 5k on the turbo! Watch this space for a time. I hope to break the 10min barrier.
I really feel your pain! I've had a tough week as well - one day I got desperate and did the Wii Fit for half an hour just to get my time done. I agree with Theresa about getting it done in the morning if you can - that's why I'm so much looking forward to the kids going back to school next week. I'm fortunate that my work routine lets me run (or do something else) early in the day. It's not good to get towards the end of the day and feel the need to do 30 mins hanging over you with no plan.
I also suspect that my running is suffering a bit with all the other exercise - if anything I'm running faster but I'm doing 5km including warm up/warm down walks rather so closer to 4km running. I've only run twice this week - my legs are quite tired at the moment from walking and extra exercise classes, so I'm guessing that's the reason and thought extra "rest" (ha ha) days would help. I'm hoping my body will get used to the level of activity and it will gradually get easier.
On the positive side, I have enjoyed (already in the 13 days so far) trying new things - I've cycled and been swimming. I also dragged the house teenager out on a couple of after-dinner walks using new routes. Next week I'm going to two short "taster" exercise classes (30 mins each) which are different from what I've tried before and will be my Thursday session. Do you have a local leisure centre that may have some ideas?
I hope you have a better week next week - remember the virtual cheerleaders are here to help us on our way
I also think my running has suffered, but from the above it seems I am being too hard on myself. I want to get back to running 5k again, but feel I need my rest days too.
I am by body make up a sprinter and have always found the longer distances hard. The whole challenge of the c25k was more mental to me than physical. Don't get me wrong the latter was also very hard, but I really did not believe I could do it. Now the 5 minute barrier is the "can I be bothered" point, 15 minutes is "can I last" and then 20 plus is "yes, I can do it!".....
To summarise, my barrier is 30 mins and that is why I was always going to that throughout the 5x50. Today I will put in a blasting turbo cycle and regain some of the fun for me. Next week should be ok, as I am away with my colleagues, so let's see!
Back again for another go! Having read all the above, I think the government, health (sickness) service, in fact the whole of society has a problem.
The general advice is that EVERYONE should do AT LEAST (caps for emphasis - I'm not shouting) 30 mins of exercise every day. Now, I think that most of us on 5x50 have been through C25K and been running for a while. We remember how tough it was to get started, and our fellow C25K-ers currently going through the programme are experiencing the same issues. We had/have the 'commitment' (or whatever it is) to stick with it and eventually it came good.
But we're not representative of the population as a whole. And my point is that if WE superwomen and supermen are struggling to do our 30 mins a day, how can Wayne & Waynetta be expected to do it?
I honestly don't think there's a hope in Hell, and one BIG message from 5x50 would seem to be that the health professionals really need to go back to the drawing board. I know that HIIT and ReHIIT came from the need to gain the benefits of exercise while fitting into our time-scarce lifestyles. Not sure that's the answer, but it's at least addressing the right question.
You are so right. The issue is we all spend too much time sitting around and not enough running away from sabre tooth cats! It's a modern day issue and one we really need to think how to resolve. We add on the exercise to our days with a deal of commitment, but Wayne and Waynetta, well they are growing fatter in Mc D's!
BTW, 5.1k in 9 mins 6 seconds.... Now that woke me up and I am back to loving it. May do another tonight as that was one hell of an adrenaline rush!
Fitting excercise unto a working day is quite hard, the commitment to it takes up a lot of free time. Maybe work needs to allow people to accommodate into daily life.
I totally agree, in theory finding 30 minutes to do something sounds so easy but in reality, it takes a huge effort.
Yesterday was a case in point, I started work early and there is no way I could get up at silly o'clock to do something (not a morning person!). I worked all day, no time at lunch to do anything more than throw a sandwich down and not in an area where you could safely walk anyway as a lone female
I left work, flew home, fed the cat, changed her litter and drove to my daughter's to babysit. I seriously thought about parking up 2.5k away and jogging the rest but realised that I would have to run back to the car at nearly midnight - probably not a good idea. 4 week old baby to care for so no chance of doing anything whilst there and then I got home just before midnight. Too bloody tired at this point to do anything but get on here, have a moan and go to bed!
To be honest, I have enjoyed the feeling of well being that comes after exercise and was probably feeling grumpy because I missed it yesterday. I've only done an easy 35 minutes zombie run on the treadmill today but feel sooo much happier
I agree it is hard, because it's not only the 30 minutes (or longer if I am runnng 5k), it's the showering, washing extra clothes, getting organised that adds on extra time and commitment...
I have felt bad as I have not done specific 5x50 exercise yesterday (dancing at daughters wedding had to count), or today (walking around preparing for a week away had to do) but I will be doing long dog walks, cycling and taking running stuff to Wales, so looking forward to different routes/scenery to encourage me!
ooh - I was away yesterday - did the wedding go well? Were your clothes great? Did you have loads of energy for dancing (which sounds like good exercise to me!)? Hope it was a lovely day for everyone. xx
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I struggled going out tonight as well and wanted my walk over and done with so I could ice my foot. ;-( When you're feeling down, think of all the great virtual cheerleaders we have here! Also, Steve and I are here in the States thinking you guys rock!!!! 
You dont want it to become a chore and doggymum's and Theresa's advice is spot on. Also I'm not sure why you are cycling 10k either, 5k of cycling is the target so why not bring it down a level if you are not enjoying it.
Woop woop! 😆 I've only gone and done it! 
