Yesterday I ran my second run of week 5. 10-12-12 minutes of running, 1-2 minutes walking in between.
I took 10, not 5 minutes of brisk walking to warm up (Last couple of 100 yards uphill - a bridge, 'cause that's the only hills we have here).
It was a nice evening run, in a neighborhood where I heard the hooting of an owl before. Now, suddenly I saw a large bird landing on a lamppost; and when I came near, I saw it was a barn owl. (This is one of the reasons I run...)
Later on, I made a mistake: The bridge I have to cross on the way back is closer to the center of our village, and since yesterday and today Carnaval is celebrated here, there was some more 'traffic' than usual. It doesn't bother me that cardrivers see me running extremely slow, but after me came someone walking with a quick pace, and I didn't want to be overtaken by a walker, so I did accelerate my pace too... The result was; that my max heartrate of this run was 146, where I normally try to stay below 130 (when possible below 127). But my average heartrate still was 122, which is among the lowest in my recent runs... (thanks to my longer warming up and cooling down I guess...)
Yesterday it was freezing during my run, but from now on temperatures are going to rise a little bit... Spring is really in the air today...
Running in BelgiumAnn
C25K W5D2 in the books, two 8 min runs. No trouble with the increase in run interval time for this run, and the 5 min walk interval seemed entirely too long. I've got that 20 min run looming on Thursday, wish me luck!
Michele in NC
I remember my first C25K... That 20 minutes run in week 5 was so special! I dreaded it, and meanwhile, I looked forward to it, because those 20 minutes already seemed something like 'real running'!
The Start2Run is a bit different, and has shorter variations you can do when you haven't been off the bandwagon for too long. I found Start2Run a bit easier, but it's only at the very end of the program that you're running for more than 15 minutes without walking interval...
started into week two...day two in the morning....so far...so good...
Start2Run, week 5, last run: 2 x 15 min running, 1-2 min walking.
I felt great today, so I thought my run would be great too...
But although I did a slightly longer warm up than usual, when I started running my legs felt so heavy...
Nevertheless, I found it easier to keep my heartrate at or below MAF, it even dropped sometimes to 122 bpm.
And yet, my overall pace was a bit faster less slow than before...
It was windy, and I had a cold headwind for a larger part of my run....
cagery, good luck on week 2
Ann, it sounds like you run more on your program than on couch to 5K. workouts seem to be for 30 min for your program instead of 20 min on mine, so there's a pretty big difference!
Got that 20 min run in today, W5D3. I only doubted myself a couple of times, but once I hit 15 min I knew I wouldn't quit, even though I had a hill to go. It's amazing the progress I've made in 5 weeks, since I was just complaining about 5 min intervals a week or so ago! I took it really slow, probably was running slower than my walking pace, but, whatever works.
I have written something about Start2Run last year.
(Scroll down to find the schemes)
I'm doing 'variation 2' right now...
just a quick note..
Finished week 2 - now on to three...on Sunday (I hope)...this next series actually makes you run for a 3min segment a couple of times.
So far...so good....ran this morning and hiked in the woods laying out an land navigation course for my cadets...he he...they will be so lost!!!!
@cagery: Hope those cadets won't get completely lost!
Today I went out to do what should have been the first run of week 6, but I'll repeat it on monday, since it went bad, very bad...
It was almost impossible to keep my HR below MAF while running, I had to walk so often and for so long, that about halfway I decided to go walk the rest of the time.
I already felt it was going to be tough during warm up, because even with a brisk walking pace my HR went to just under MAF.
Instead of running on the road I choose a path trough the woods then, because I didn't want to meet to many people seeing me struggle so slow...
I have no cue what could be the reason: I have slept well the last few nights (I'm not such a good sleeper), and I felt OK this morning.
I drank a glass of wine yesterday evening, and - just like my previous 'bad' run - I ran before noon instead of in the evening or in the afternoon.
I was wearing shoes I have only used for about 10 miles a year ago. They felt 'too different' from my two pair of Saucony Trigon Ride that I'm ussually wearing. But yesterday I read somewhere that this particular Saucony is ideal for heavy heel-strikers, I decided to try my seldom used New Balances that indeed have a lesser drop. (Reason: once the ground has warmed up a bit, I would like to try to run barefoot.)
I must say, where it is almost impossible not to heelstrike with my Sauconies, a midfoot-strike was easier with the NB's... but maybe it affected my pace.
But... although I walked more than half of the time, an although my AHR was slightly lower than during my previous runs, my overall pace was not my slowest....
Ann:
the Cadets did a great job navigating through woods, creek crossings, and around obstacles when all I gave them was a bearing and distance to target. They hiked close to two miles making two turns at key points to find a bucket hanging in a tree. We got to eat by a slow moving creek, too and the weather was great.
nice to see your run went better!!
W6D1, it was weird being back to walk intervals after the last run went so well, but I only have a few more workouts to go before I'll be running with "reckless abandon" lol. I could walk faster than I'm running, which is a little discouraging, but I've also put on some weight that is contributing to my pokiness. If I could only give up the beer
W6D2, the two 10 ' run intervals went great and this is the last time I intentionally take a walk break, which is cool! It warmed up here nicely, and even though this was a morning run I got to do it in shorts and was still sweating.
Good to hear it's going so well Michele...
Over here it's not so good...
If I wouldn't be so stubborn to want to keep my HR below MAF, there wouldn't be the slightest problem I suppose, but I'm really determined to go slowly, ever slowly...
So yesterday's run didn't go too well: I slept bad the previous night, and I think that caused it.
Weather is milder here too... The crocusses are flowering, and the first veggies are sown...
Ann, sorry your last run didn't go so well. Could it be because it's a tad warmer? My heart rate skyrockets with warm weather.
Got in W6D3 today, 20 min run, thought I'd quit a couple of times but somehow gutted it out. The nice thing is, on my next run, I'll have to increase distance, something I love doing and haven't gotten to accomplish in a couple of weeks.
Hi Michele! Well, actually yesterday's run went 'better', but still very slow. At least I was able to run 30 minutes without walking break and keep my HR below MAF. That running-pace is still slower than my walking pace, so my overall pace was 'worse' than before, but 30 min of running felt good...
I'm going to slowly increase my 'time on feet'... but I keep it at a low HR.
When I went over 30 minutes of running in the past, I already started adding some speedwork, which felt great the first few weeks, but soon it was too tiring... And no overtraining this time, I really want to do it smart this time.