This week was the first in my training programme. Nothing too difficult so far, and I am happy to report that I managed to stick to all four sessions. Tuesday, 20 minutes of jogging; Monday, a 'failed' interval training session as I was planning on using my residence's treadmill and it didn't have the appropriate setting (but I still ran well for the required 20 minutes!); Friday, tempo running (5 min easy, 10 min faster, 5 min easy, very enjoyable); and yesterday, a 20-minute easy run in delightful company, as Stephen came with me. We are incredibly rusty though, I have to say. It's hard to imagine completing the half-marathon at this stage, when we are still struggling past the 15 first minutes of a run. But I'll get there!
This week has also been completely awesome in terms of fundraising. Closest friends and family really dug deep into their pockets, sometimes from the other side of the Atlantic, which is rather touching. Thank you Marcia, Tom, Stephen and Mark for this week's donations; they got me to reach 40% of the fundraising target already!
Tomorrow, after a day of rest spent enjoying my own birthday celebrations (and therefore a large meal), it's back to the programme, for week #2. Given the current hot weather, which is apparently set to last a bit longer, I plan on fitting the runs into early mornings. Something that is not massively hard to achieve, given that our daughter is waking me up at 6 o'clock sharp every day. However, I have a cold right now and feel rather stuffed up, so I just wonder how hard I'll be able to run this week.
In terms of mapping apps, I had started using Mapmyrun but am getting relatively frustrated with it. For now it seems that Runtastic is working a lot better for me - easy and accurate GPS mapping, less work to do to enter new workout details, etc. So I may transition to it completely... You can see the detail of the most recent runs there.
Finally this week, a quick note of encouragement to my friend Arnaud (a.k.a Arno), who is running his very first race (the Asics 10k in London on the 10th July) and is also fundraising. Go Arnaud, go! You've come a long way!
Monday, 27 June 2011
Sunday, 19 June 2011
Practising With Soldiers
Woah. I am sore. That's what I am.
Yesterday I attended the first British Military Fitness training 'run' in what may well become a series for me. This is a very quick post before Maggie's dinner time, to share the excitement with you all.
Here's what I expected: 20 minutes of rough-ish warm-up and strengthening exercises, followed by a run for 40 minutes. I also expected to be at the back the group for that run, because let's face it, my first half-marathon was two years ago, and I've had a baby and very little serious training since then.
What really happened: there was no 'run' as such, but a lot of of running. What do I mean? I mean that for one hour it was a relentless (read: no breaks aside from a total of about 4 minutes to glug some water) series of hard and fast strengthening exercises such as squats and lunges, which we had to do while counting down aloud ("louder!"), and were interspersed by either short jogs or sprints of about 30 seconds - 1 minute max. So... not really a 'run' then, you see. But wow, what value for the mere 5 quid that I paid! The guys are truly nice folk (they do not humiliate you and you do not, I swear, have to respond "sir yes sir" (a shame, perhaps?). You get tons of exercise, tons of ideas for very good stretches, great outdoors training, and the opportunity to meet other runners who are also struggling (well those who were at the back of the queue with me struggled too, I could tell).
So, the only expectation that was matched for me was that I was the last in queue for most of the hour. I also thought I wouldn't be able to make it, and felt like throwing up for about 10 minutes towards the second half, right after trying to exercise through a 10 minute stitch. Yet I still would do it again, and I am so chuffed that I made it through to the end! Hardcore!
I then enjoyed being totally soaked under a hailstones shower, as I was walking to join Stephen and Maggie at the Natural History Museum where they had been watching Dodos and creepy crawlies all morning.
Evidently, I went to bed at 8 without even dining. And stayed there.
Yesterday I attended the first British Military Fitness training 'run' in what may well become a series for me. This is a very quick post before Maggie's dinner time, to share the excitement with you all.
Here's what I expected: 20 minutes of rough-ish warm-up and strengthening exercises, followed by a run for 40 minutes. I also expected to be at the back the group for that run, because let's face it, my first half-marathon was two years ago, and I've had a baby and very little serious training since then.
What really happened: there was no 'run' as such, but a lot of of running. What do I mean? I mean that for one hour it was a relentless (read: no breaks aside from a total of about 4 minutes to glug some water) series of hard and fast strengthening exercises such as squats and lunges, which we had to do while counting down aloud ("louder!"), and were interspersed by either short jogs or sprints of about 30 seconds - 1 minute max. So... not really a 'run' then, you see. But wow, what value for the mere 5 quid that I paid! The guys are truly nice folk (they do not humiliate you and you do not, I swear, have to respond "sir yes sir" (a shame, perhaps?). You get tons of exercise, tons of ideas for very good stretches, great outdoors training, and the opportunity to meet other runners who are also struggling (well those who were at the back of the queue with me struggled too, I could tell).
So, the only expectation that was matched for me was that I was the last in queue for most of the hour. I also thought I wouldn't be able to make it, and felt like throwing up for about 10 minutes towards the second half, right after trying to exercise through a 10 minute stitch. Yet I still would do it again, and I am so chuffed that I made it through to the end! Hardcore!
I then enjoyed being totally soaked under a hailstones shower, as I was walking to join Stephen and Maggie at the Natural History Museum where they had been watching Dodos and creepy crawlies all morning.
Evidently, I went to bed at 8 without even dining. And stayed there.
Monday, 6 June 2011
Coached Practice Run #1
Just booked a place on one of the race sponsors' training runs. I'll be testing my abilities in a group somewhere in Hyde Park on the 18th June, in the morning. Hoping to then have a nice picnic with my two favourite people - weather allowing. The awesome thing about this practice run is that it is lead by British Military Fitness: "All instructors are serving or former members of the armed forces". That should be, er, interesting.
The last time I run in Hyde Park was about ten years ago, in my attempt to join the Serpentine Running Club. I was rubbish. Trailing at the far end of the group, and as usual completely socially awkward. Hopefully I'll do better boot-camp style, and with all the practice I've accumulated since then!!!
The last time I run in Hyde Park was about ten years ago, in my attempt to join the Serpentine Running Club. I was rubbish. Trailing at the far end of the group, and as usual completely socially awkward. Hopefully I'll do better boot-camp style, and with all the practice I've accumulated since then!!!
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