Running II – trying again

Walk to Run group (I’m second left)

 

I started 2018 with three health-related resolutions to achieve before June :

 

1. Stop taking sugar in my tea
2. Lose a stone in weight
3. Complete a 5k run

As I write this in early March, I have already achieved 1, close to reaching 2, and have just started a 12 week programme Walk to Run with Lou of New Waves so I can complete 3. My husband is on board with the food aspect of my new regime as he also wants to lose some weight. He can’t run, but is going to the gym.

We met in Saumarez Park – 12 of us in the group (photo above, Chantal on the right is helping Lou) – and did some warm up exercises, followed by brisk walking for 30 minutes, then our stretching. The weather wasn’t great, but at least it didn’t rain!

We have two ‘homework’ runs (or brisk walks as they are initially!) each week, gradually building up to running the 5k. All our activity is recorded on Strava so Lou can see what we’re doing.

Tomorrow, I am doing a homework walk with three of the group in our lunch hour. I can already see that we will be supporting each other. I know two of my group but have already included a new friend in our lunchtime session. The accountability of our activity, and the support, is key – as I have said previously, I tried C25K on an app last summer and got disheartened as I was doing it alone.

I’m looking forward to wearing my Walk to Run t-shirt (right) as the weather gets warmer. I will continue to update this page with my progress, culminating in the Guernsey Parkrun on Saturday 19 May.  There’s a big circle around that date on the calendar….

UPDATE (30 March 2018)

4 weeks in to this programme and going well so far.   We have run for 2 minutes which is now easy, and just started 3 minutes (I know it doesn’t sound much but it is!) My first session of the latter was a couple of days ago, and it went ok (3 minutes run, 3 minutes walk) although I did get one rather wet foot when I ran through a puddle that was deeper than I expected! The 3 minute walks seemed quite long which I suppose is a good thing. I’ve been doing my homework runs early in the morning before work, which suits me. I tend to drive to my nearest park – which gives me views over the east coast of Guernsey like the below picture.

Tomorrow is the start of week 5, when the walking intervals get shorter…..wish me luck!

UPDATE (19 May 2018)

Today was the day – the one circled on the calendar. My first Parkrun.

Looking back, I cannot believe how far I’ve come in terms of running.  I never really thought I would be able to run any distance – not for any particular reason, although I can always use the age card 🙂

Up until Week 10, we were doing walk/run intervals to some degree.  Week 10 we were just running, with a 5 minute walk before. Week 11 we ran – and we ran 5k around the Parkrun route. I managed to run the whole way and finished in 37 minutes which I was pleased with.

Parkrun day dawned fine and bright – thank goodness! I was awake before the alarm and decided against breakfast as I’ve always run on an empty stomach (more or less) and didn’t want to jinx it! We listened carefully to our ‘new runners briefing’ and the Race Director’s information before setting off. I was really conscious of not starting too quick but actually there were so many people – and I was near the back – that I didn’t have to worry. The Guernsey Parkrun route is a double loop around the common. Some tarmac, some pathway, some grass with a couple of small inclines. I gained huge confidence from not only knowing that I’d done this the previous week, but also from the marshalls who encouraged us, and my own ‘team’ of ladies who were ‘high 5-ing’ when we passed one of the group (all in our blue T-shirts) on a loop. Both my husband and my daughter came to cheer me on and I was thrilled to complete it in 37 minutes again (according to my Strava, although my official time is 38 minutes).

Proudly showing my medal – and my Parkrun token!

I can highly recommend undertaking a walk to run programme as it gives you the support and the accountability. If you’re in Guernsey I would definitely recommend Lou at New Waves – you even get a medal! My first of may be not ‘many’ but at least ‘several’ 🙂

I have every intention of continuing to run – it’s free, all you need are decent trainers and I feel so much better for it. And I enjoy it which I never really expected to do. (and I’ve lost over a stone in weight now, so New Year resolutions done!)

#thisgirlcan