Gellabell, feel free to stick around. We'd love to have you.

...do you run slower runs sometimes? Will this help me to slow down more sometimes?

If I go any slower, I'd have to go in reverse! ALL my runs are slow runs. Some slower than others, but that's just if I'm having a crappy day... (Not much help, I know. Just my experience. )

Hi Everyone. Missed a day on monday, as I was up at Wimbledon watching the tennis and that was from sunrise to beyond sunset. Back on it today though and just completed W7D1. Great to see some new guys posting too. Keep it up everybody.

OHR W3D2 This was my last run before my first 5k Saturday. That'll finish up my 3rd week of OHR. The next 2 weeks I'll be a bit out of my element because I'll be running in other states and areas I don't know. Hopefully, OHR weeks 4 and 5 will go well.

Anyway, question for those ahead of me, do you run slower runs sometimes? Will this help me to slow down more sometimes?

My tentative plan is this: Finish Couch to 5k Start OHR - and do the timed runs using the Maffetone/LHR guidelines. I've got a tentative target heart rate of about 138, though I may add a few beats to that. I'm planning on using a heart rate monitor and running the OHR timed runs at that target heart rate. From what I've read, this is going to seem really slow, but for me, the benefits are going to be in my favor (I hope!). 1. From my own personal experience, I know that if anything disrupts my schedule and I stop running...it might be a year before I find the motivation to start again. I know that sounds terrible, but I'm not going to deny reality. I want to AVOID injury at all costs and from everything that I've read, running at a lower heart rate forces one to slow down and as a side benefit, avoid injury! 2. I'm going to run a few races, but they are all in fun. No interest in placing or personal records. So, running slower, in this initial phase, isn't a problem. 3. I kind of like the concept of how LHR training works. It makes sense to me. Rather than working harder to get faster (and maybe not doing that in optimal manner), the idea is to, basically, become more efficient. Use oxygen better and get faster because of improved fitness at the same heart rate. I think this is pretty cool! Just my opinion - I've been reading up on it and am looking forward to getting my forerunner/hrm!

When something comes up, make a plan of how you're going to get back to running. The plan may not work, but that just means you'll need to tweak it a bit and try again. Never stop seeing yourself as a runner. If you can continue to see yourself as a runner, you WILL be back. As soon as possible.

Thanks, Wingz! This is a great reminder.

Thanks, Wingz! So, in preparation of Week 2, I went outside today and did 'test endurance runs'. Since Week 2 is only an increase of 30 seconds, I did full 90 second (slooooow) jogs up and down my neighborhood. I did four of those, only to realize on my fourth one I had to get back! I told myself if I just jogged from the spot where I was at to my house, that would be it for the day. I had to talk myself down when my feet hurt or I was out of breath, but I did it! It ended up being 2 minutes, so now I think I'm going to see if I can lengthen that by Week 3! I know I cannot really give advice since I haven't been there yet, but if you finish it by going sloooow, do it. It's better than stopping because you can't keep that pace for however long it is! Good luck everyone, and have great runs! ^^

Yay for not smoking, Katie! You are doing great. Keep scheduling those runs; I find when I commit to a specific time to go running, I'm more likely to get out there. At ten, the temp might be perfect for your run.