Waterlogged runs.

Some of my runs have been very interesting with all of the rain we have been having. I quite enjoy running around our local Nature Reserve as it gives me the opportunity to look at what our local river is doing. Last week on one of my runs I was confronted with this:

 

 The path was underwater, I didn't run through it. I'm not sure my shoes would have coped with it and running with soaking wet feet in the cold isn't something I would have found enjoyable.

Down there is normally a path, our dog used to love running up these steps. At the minute it is back to being a path, not a path I'd use at the minute due to being waterlogged but not under a foot of water either.

Week 4 Done!

I've been a little quiet here, but I haven't given up running. I started Week 4 last week, which consists of two 1/4mile runs and two 1/2mile runs with 220 yards of walking and an interval of 1/4mile of walking. After finding the previous weeks doable this week has been by far the hardest with the last 200 yards of running feeling very difficult. As the week progressed this got easier but the last 200 yards remained the hardest and I have needed the rest day whereas before I've not felt like I've needed the rest day


Statistics for the week

Run 1:
Distance: 2.0miles
Time:25:27
Overall Pace:12:42 min/mile

Run 2:
Distance: 2 miles
Time: 25:36
Overall Pace: 12:49 min/mile

Run 3:
Distance: 2 miles
Time: 26:45
Overall Pace: 13:11 min/mile

Running week 3 run 2

I was up early this morning to go out on my run and as I got to the front door I was tempted to just go back to bed. It was so cold I had to force myself with the promise of a hot chocolate on my return. A positive to it being frosty is the frost made my running route look very pretty. Within a few minutes my fingers felt numb but everywhere else was warm so I had to alternate which hand held on to my water bottle.

The 400 yard stretches are getting easier and I almost feel like I could do another repetition of both runs before heading in. I'm a quarter of the way through the program and I'm feeling a lot better for going out running but I'm still a bit apprehensive about the 5k. I should just stick to small goals, so let's finish Week 3 first and worry about Week 9 when it arrives.

Statistics
Time -14:22 min
Distance-1.1 miles
Pace - 12:33 min/mile

Playlist
Emeli Sandé - Our Version of Events

Running week 3 run 1

You may have noticed that I'm on week 3 but I'm only in my second week of running. Instead of running three times a week like the C25k suggests I have been running every other day which means last week I ran 4 times and this week 3 times.

Today is the start of a slightly different run. Instead of running for a set time, I ran for a set distance. I thought I'd struggle with the distance as I have mainly been running for roughly 250yards and this now jumps to 400yards. The distances were as follows 200 yards of running 200 yards of walking and then 400 yards of running and 400 yards of walking both were then repeated. The first 400 yard run was a bit of a struggle in as much I hadn't found the right pace. After that first 400 yard run, it felt like the run was over very quickly and it was as I was only out running for under 15 minutes. 

Statistics 

Distance- 1.1miles

Pace-13.02 min/miles

Time-14.55

Playlist

So Amazing Luther Vandross Tribute

Running Week 2 Complete

I have just run my third run of week 2. Todays run was harder than the last two for some reason, it could be due to the fact my thighs are still hurting or it could be I just didn't find my 'zone' today. I felt a lot more out of breath for most of my runs then I have previously.

Today I decided to go back to the park and try a different route in which I had to cross two roads, I think I might avoid that route again as although there were no cars today it could mean waiting for cars to go past and therefore disrupt the run. I decided on the park due to the rain we had last night which would probably have meant the Nature Reserve would be very muddy and some of the paths I have been using would most likely be very difficult/impossible to use. However, I had the same issue with the park as huge sections of the path had huge puddles meaning either running through big puddles or trying to avoid them.

Although it wasn't a great run I could have happily continued running. Small victories.

Statistics
Distance- 1.5miles
Pace-12:44min/miles

Playlist
So Amazing Luther Vandross Tribute- Various Artists

Running Week 2 Run 2

Yesterday I went a little crazy and thought I'd have a go at the 30 day shred on my days off of running. Bad idea! My knees hurt like crazy and I woke up this morning with stones for thighs. I set off today with my goal to just finish the 6 repetitions of 90seconds of running. However, as soon as I got into running my legs felt a lot better. I made it half way through my runs before starting to struggle with the runs.

I set off for the Nature Reserve again today, and have found a nice route avoiding the now non-existent path and most of the muddy paths. There are a couple of points on my route where I have to be careful not to slip on the mud but on the whole it's nice and clear with beautiful views. I'm not sure if it's the cold air but on a few runs where the wind was blowing in my face I started to struggle with my keeping my breathing consistent but this seemed to go away as soon as I was in a sheltered bit of the path.

After thinking I'd really struggle with week 2, I'm really enjoying it and could happily cut down the walking intervals to 30 seconds but I will stick with the programme.

Statistics
Distance - 1.5miles
Pace - 12:41 min/mile

Playlist
Emeli Sandé - Our Version of Events

Running Week 2 Run1

What a lovely way to start Sunday, everyone up early and off to the Nature Reserve. Nate on his bike with Daddy and I was off ahead running/walking. Today saw the run time going from 60 seconds to 90 seconds. I'll admit I was worried I wouldn't stay the full 6 repetitions but I did.

Just after half way around my course I thought I wouldn't make it as I was focusing on the next landmark as soon as I stopped focusing (and therefore slowed down ever so slightly) the runs felt so much more manageable. The Nature Reserve is under even more water now then it was earlier in the week, the path along the rive we normally walk on is under roughly 4 inches of water.

Nate's Dad and I didn't plan our walk so when I bumped into Nate at roughly the half-way point in my run he wanted to talk to me and tried to follow me on his bike. Next time, we should plan it better and hopefully next time the pathes won't be so flooded so we can take very different routes so we only bump into each other at the end of my run.

I'm happy to report no Lead Legs today, and there were no aches after run 3 from week 1 either. It's still early days but I'm enjoying going out and running. I hoping for no snow this winter though, not sure I will want to run in the snow.

Statistics
Distance - 1.5 miles
Pace - 12.44 min/mile

Playlist - same as last week, it needs to be updated.

Running- Week 1 Done!

Today I completed Week 1 of C25K. After a rough night with Nate not sleeping at all well, he woke us up at 3am this morning for the second time this week. I didn't feel like going out for a run, but it's too early in the programme to miss a day so I pushed through and got myself out.

As soon as I was out, I felt a lot better and I think I'm starting to get my pace right. I decided to take a slightly different route around the park today as I didn't fancy running on the grass as on Day 1 it was very slippery. It wasn't a route I was familiar with and had a couple of roads to cross, which possibly wasn't the best thing as I had to stop at one of them for the cars and I am now suffering from Lead Legs. I'm not sure if the two are linked but I didn't suffer from them after Day 2.

Progress to note, after Day 1 my muscles felt achey (as to be expected) but after Day 2 no aches or pains, I don't know if I cooled down better after Day 2. There were a lot more people out today I guess as it wasn't raining when I went but had been a bit drizzly in the morning. I'm not sure which run I prefer the Nature Reserve or the park. Hopefully when it's a bit drier I'll be able to run more of the Nature reserve which will be a lot more fun.

Statistics
Overall Distance- 1.52 miles
Overall pace - 12.19 min/mile

Playlist
Same as Day 1. I need to shake up the music a bit for next week, I liked running to Rizzle Kicks the most so I might a couple more of their tracks onto my phone.

Running Week 1 Run 2

This morning, I went on my second run in the Couch to 5K programme. I started the morning with chia seed porridge and a cup of rooibos tea in the hope the oats would give me more energy. I don't know if that worked, I'll have to wait and see if I'm flagging by midday.

On to the run, I started with the normal 5 minute warm up walk but decided instead of running around the park to run around the local Nature Reserve. The Nature Reserve was flooded in places so my planned route had to be changed slightly.  I found the runs slightly harder this time with me feeling like I was beginning to get a stitch during the 3rd 60 second run, although the stitch never arrived.

Gate to a flooded field

I got my pace wrong in the first few runs so felt like I wouldn't recover in the walks, I did. At times I felt I should stop and catch my breath, I'm glad I didn't as I got through and still enjoyed the run. I don't know if the lack of rain made running harder as there was nothing cooling me when I was running. (I never thought I'd saw something positive about being out in rain) A goal for me I suppose is to work on my pace so I can keep the run going.

Statistics
Distance: 1.5miles
Pace: 12:37 min/mile

I ran slightly further today which is nice although I would have been happy with the same distance.

Running Week1 Day 1

No new years resolutions here, instead I decided to take up running again. After 3 years of not doing much to stay fit, I just don't feel like me. I've always played sports, from football at school, to rugby at university with a little fencing thrown in to mix it up. I've been doing a few things at home for core strength: push ups, crunches and planks mainly.

After Nate was packed off to nursery, I loaded up my phone with some more music started up the running up I had downloaded in anticipation of this run and was about to go out the door when the heavens opened. So I sat back down and waited it out, it gave me time to double check my music choice. The rain soon stopped and off I set, taking a water bottle and my keys with me.

I have decided to follow the couch to 5k programme, I haven't run in years other than the short distances a 2 year old can cover in the park. The five minute warm up was enjoyable, I like walking, then came the 60 second run. I have a big problem with running too fast, the thing with distance running is pacing yourself, something I find very difficult to do. The first 60 seconds were 'easy', the 90 second 'rest' period saw the rain start again, although it was light enough rain to not hinder the run/walk. However, at the start of the second 60 second run I knew I couldn't keep this pace up so slowed down enough to be able to just about sing along to the music for a few seconds. You should be able to hold conversion during the 60 second run so I thought it was a good way to test without talking to myself. After the first couple of pace changes it became easier to find a pace that I was able to hole for the full 60 seconds.

Just as my five minute cool down had finished and I was walking past a coffee shop it started to pour down and it was at that moment I remembered I'd forgotten to put any money in my pocket before leaving so decided to continue walking through the rain. Big mistake, I got absolutely drenched to the point my shoes let in so much rain there were puddles inside of them.

Statistics 
Distance 1.4 miles
Pace 13.18 min/miles

Running playlist
After Ever After - Jon Cozart
The A Team - Nico Collins cover
Just Give me a Reason - Nico Collins cover
When I was Your Man - Nico Collins cover
When I was a Youngster - Rizzle Kicks
Marry You - Bruno Mars
Let it Go - Frozen Soundtrack
Do You Want to Build a Snowman - Frozen Soundtrack