Cardio
I'm a bit behind with my exercise logging. Last Wednesday I did my walk/run. The short/medium term goal with my walk is to run all but a steep section through the woods/steep section down. On Friday I did day 3 of the 'Couch to 5k' program. Doing this program I follow the timing rather than distance as that is much easier to calculate. I figure I could do one of these programs to help me towards turning the walk into a run. Also it would just be nice to be able to run 5k. Now its getting dark I have less chance to do the hill. The
couch to 5k program:
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml
Day 3 was too easy. I did feel it a little at the end of the last 3 minute run, but I wasn't sweating at the end of the session. When I do my run/walk, I'm dripping with sweat at the end. In theory I could have considered having a rest day on Saturday, but my body and mind both wanted to exercise. I did my normal walk/run route, but set off following Day 4 of the couch to 5k program. I surprised myself in what I can do (albeit at a very slow pace). Its the first time for a couple of decades I have run 5 minutes straight (away from a treadmill at least, I may have done it there I'm not sure). Didn't think I would be able to do it but managed, even with the last section being up hill, a section I had considered unrunnable for now (but not the very steep section). As usual I ran the downward section on the road (took about 8 minutes). For the first time I ran the whole of the last section, albeit very slowly.
Basically following the program for that day encouraged me to push through barriers. I didn't think I could run 5 minutes on the flat, I didn't think I could run up that section of the hill (I got a Pavlovian response at the bottom of it to stop but pushed through) and I didn't think I'd be able to run the whole last section. Its very slow at the moment but its progress. On days I can go up the hill I'll loosely base things on the program. When its dark and I can't do the hill I'll follow the program exactly. I don't know how well this mix and matching will work but I decided at the start of this that I would experiment with things and not worry about getting it wrong first time, so I'll do that here. I also did a proper 5 minute brisk walk as warm-up, and some dynamic stretching.