Begin with a brisk 5-minute walk, then two repetitions of 90 seconds of running, 90 seconds of walking, 3 minutes of running, 3 minutes of walking.
I'm not sure I can run for 3 minutes, and sure enough, the first day is tough. It doesn't help that there's a strong head wind. And it's raining. Running along the beach suddenly isn't so appealing.
After all that, my phone runs out of charge and my run fails to record. So I have to repeat it. Which means that this week, I'll do this run four times rather than three.
That doesn't sound like such a bad idea. After all, if 3 minutes is this hard, how on earth am I going to move up to 5?
So I do two runs along the beach, and we drive home from our holiday, back to pavements and dry summer grass. And I do two more runs, and the last one is super-easy, and I realise I was ready for the next week after all.
The app's annoying me. It's not super-reliable: sometimes the trainer's calm voice tells you to stop jogging, but sometimes it forgets, so I have to check my iPhone as I run. Plus these fiddly little runs are starting to bug me.
I'm so excited about all this running that when I get back to my computer, I announce it on Facebook: "I'm up to week 4 of Couch to 5K"! I get a few "Likes!" and a private Facebook message from my friend Jane*. She says,
I'm up to week 3 of couch to 5k too! Loving it! Loving the apps that allow you to use your own music! I will think of you tomorrow when I go for my next run xxxThat's when our virtual running partnership starts. And that's when I realise,
- it's much easier with two. Run with a friend if you can. Or at least with a virtual friend.
- some days will be harder than others. It's windy, it's hot, or it's rainy. You're just tired out for some reason. Don't worry, you haven't lost it. Next time will be better.
- when you're struggling, and the next week looks impossible, don't worry: you're more ready than you realise. Don't slow down. Don't repeat a run. Trust the program.
I'm not loving Couch to 5K at the moment. The adrenaline rush has gone. But I'm determined to stick at this...
How did you find week 3 of Couch to 5K?
* Jane blogs at the excellent foodthatserves.
5 comments:
Just ran my final week 3 this morning (barefoot around the local oval... my toes went numb by the end of the first 5 minute walk).
On Monday night I went for my second run, and at the end of the final 3 minute run I kinda felt like I wanted to keep on running. So I did.
I ran through the whole cooldown walk as well, and then through the intro of week 4 (my phone just started playing the next one). Then I figured I was still feeling good, so I walked for another few minutes, and then did another 4.5 minute run, walked again, and then a final 2 minute run.
It felt really good (which was unexpected)!
I guess this plan really is helping :)
I think the stop start thing is necessary for a while, but it means that your mind never stops thinking about how you are feeling, how much longer you have left etc. It's easier when you can just settle into a rhythm and keep going and think about something else. You'll be at that stage sooner than you think.
Yep, I agree, Simone. These posts are back-dated - they belong to last summer (didn't want to post them until I was sure this would stick and I could keep posting) - so I did get to week 5 and enjoyed the longer runs so much more. I was sidelined by a knee injury, restarted a few weeks ago, and just did my first week 4 run again - so much better! :) - 3 and 5 minutes instead of the little ones. But more about that next week...
My C25K progress this week consists of....downloading the app :)
Totally off the exercise wagon here this week since I'm on my own here with the kids until Friday so I can't get out to do anything. And it's raining :(
Before all of that happened I wasn't following the program but I was doing hour long walks three times per week with a bit of jogging at intervals during that hour of walking. At a vague guess, about ten to fifteen minutes of jogging in that, maybe??
I'm looking forward to seeing how easy (or hard!) it is to start from Week 1 of C25K when my husband gets back...and if it ever stops raining ;)
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