Keep On Running

I am taking up running again. Or rather I have taken up running again.

I have been trying to exercise all year, but I soon lose interest. My problem is lack of motivation. I start running or cycling and go for it for a week or two, but then, athough I don't give up completely, I taper off just enough so as to have no real benefit. Especially with the snacking and drinking I do.

So what to do? The answer is FEAR! I have signed up to run the City Of Salford 10K on 27th Sept AND to run the Liverpool Half Marathon on 28th March. Now I MUST train otherwise:

a) It'll really hurt.
b) I won't make it.
c) I'll let down the very generous people who have already begun to sponsor me.

Motivation is there in spades. Now I need to run 10k in 7 weeks (I begin in 7 weeks, not taking 7 weeks to run it... that would be EASY). I have downloaded a training schedule and tweaked it to fit into the 7 weeks and to fit in with my life.

I am now in week 2 of my training. I am planning on writing a brief blog at the end of each week, so I will just cover week 1 for now. Week 2 will follow in a few days.

Week 1
Monday: run for 15 mins, walk for 2 mins, run for 15 mins
Tuesday: rest
Wednesday: run for 15 mins, walk for 2 mins, run for 15 mins
Thursday: rest
Friday: rest
Saturday: run continuously for 3 miles
Sunday: rest

Monday was harder than I expected. Running for 15 minutes, walking for 2 minutes and then running for 15 minutes again sounds easy. It wasn't. I did do it though and covered about 3 miles. The 2 minutes walk in the middle really was a huge rest. It was also nice to not be tied down to a route that I had worked out in advance because I was running a specified distance. Gave me the chance to explore my area a little and make random turns on a whim. All I had to do was make sure I was near home for the end.

Wednesday was much easier. I did just run up the road though for 15 minutes, then turned round and ran back. Was more interesting and nicer than it sounds as it was up past the fields in the sunshine. I think I will head this way on most runs as it's flatish, for my area, and can be extended fairly well as I get better. I recovered much quicker than on Monday.

Saturday morning I was up and raring to go at 9am. Which is impressive as I sat watching TV and drinking lager til 1:30am. I planned a route on Google Earth that was exactly 3 miles (1.5 miles in one direction and then 1.5 miles back). I managed a time of 26:57. I am happy with this time for a first timed run. 9 minutes a mile. A pretty good start I felt. Although my pace needs addressing, as I ended up almost sprinting the end to keep it below 27 minutes. I must have tailed off somewhere in the middle.

I have also tried to cut down on my midweek drinking and snacking. I have been avoiding the sausage rolls etc left over from the buffets at work and have been eating the fruit provided when hungry. I didn't have a beer Monday - Thursday and didn't drink exactly loads at the weekend. I was never hungover. Just a few beers here and there.