Running. It's become something of a habit, and something I very much look forward to, so I'm not sure why I haven't put down much about it here. Maybe because it's something that has just become part of my routine, so didn't feel bloggable? Whatever the reason, here's a bit about what and how I'm doing.
Firstly, for those I haven't raved about it to, I'm doing the Zombies, Run! Couch to 5K programme. It's an app for iPod touch/iPhone, with an app for Android either in the pipeline or already available. It cost me the princely sum of £2.49 and has been worth every penny. It's kind of like a cross between a really good audiobook and a personal trainer, so you are told when to run, when to do knee lifts, when to stretch and when to get your breath back, all the time listening to events at the Abel township develop and bopping (or is that just me?) along to your favourite tunes.
The workouts are interval-training based, so you do running/walking drills with the occasional exercise and free-form run in the mix. The free-form runs are a great way to challenge yourself, you can run the whole thing, walk it or do a mixture depending on how you feel. You are told how long you've been running for at various intervals, rather than every minute, which is great because you don't feel like you're just slogging along. You really have time to get into the run and enjoy it.
I started the "missions" on the 23rd of October. The first mission is a basic introduction and gives you the background story of what's happening at Abel, and why they need you, Runner 5, fit and ready to do supply runs.
Once you get on to doing the proper missions, you do each one 3 times, which is enough times for you to feel like you're getting fitter, but not so many that you get bored. Each run has different characters and events that move the story along, and you genuinely do want to go out and run so you can find out what happens next.
The first mission is 10 minute brisk walking, then walk/run drills of 1 minute/15 seconds 10 times, then a 10 minute free-form run. I'm not ashamed to say I walked most of the free-form run, seeing as I'd literally just got off the couch and boy-oh-boy was I unfit.
It moves on to longer running drills, longer free-form runs, and throws in heel lifts and knee lifts to keep things interesting, all the while adding in more juicy details about the intrigue at Abel. I can now run for a solid 15 minutes without wanting to throw up, and today's run (5 min walk, 5 min run, 30 sec walk/1 min run/6 heel lifts 8 times, 10 min run, 5 min stretch, 10 min run) was completed with enough energy to run the last 5 minutes home.
Now, I know this isn't a massive distance for those of you running marathons and doing a 10K before breakfast, but for someone who hasn't been running in almost 4 years, it's a big deal and a hell of a boost to the confidence to know I can do this, even if it takes a bit of work!
There are 8 weeks of 3 missions each. I'm on Week 5, Mission 2 (yes, yes, I'm not doing 3 a week because it's dark and scary when I get back from work) and I'm already looking forward to moving on to the Big Girl Panties app, that shows you how to train for things like 10K races and marathons.
I will be sticking with this app, because as well as being novel, well-designed and fun, their customer support is excellent and that makes all the difference. Top work, Six To Start, top work indeed.
Anyway, that's how I'm doing. Hopefully I'll remember to update after I finish each week's worth of missions, and let you know what the next app is like and how my 10K training goes!
Firstly, for those I haven't raved about it to, I'm doing the Zombies, Run! Couch to 5K programme. It's an app for iPod touch/iPhone, with an app for Android either in the pipeline or already available. It cost me the princely sum of £2.49 and has been worth every penny. It's kind of like a cross between a really good audiobook and a personal trainer, so you are told when to run, when to do knee lifts, when to stretch and when to get your breath back, all the time listening to events at the Abel township develop and bopping (or is that just me?) along to your favourite tunes.
The workouts are interval-training based, so you do running/walking drills with the occasional exercise and free-form run in the mix. The free-form runs are a great way to challenge yourself, you can run the whole thing, walk it or do a mixture depending on how you feel. You are told how long you've been running for at various intervals, rather than every minute, which is great because you don't feel like you're just slogging along. You really have time to get into the run and enjoy it.
I started the "missions" on the 23rd of October. The first mission is a basic introduction and gives you the background story of what's happening at Abel, and why they need you, Runner 5, fit and ready to do supply runs.
Once you get on to doing the proper missions, you do each one 3 times, which is enough times for you to feel like you're getting fitter, but not so many that you get bored. Each run has different characters and events that move the story along, and you genuinely do want to go out and run so you can find out what happens next.
The first mission is 10 minute brisk walking, then walk/run drills of 1 minute/15 seconds 10 times, then a 10 minute free-form run. I'm not ashamed to say I walked most of the free-form run, seeing as I'd literally just got off the couch and boy-oh-boy was I unfit.
It moves on to longer running drills, longer free-form runs, and throws in heel lifts and knee lifts to keep things interesting, all the while adding in more juicy details about the intrigue at Abel. I can now run for a solid 15 minutes without wanting to throw up, and today's run (5 min walk, 5 min run, 30 sec walk/1 min run/6 heel lifts 8 times, 10 min run, 5 min stretch, 10 min run) was completed with enough energy to run the last 5 minutes home.
Now, I know this isn't a massive distance for those of you running marathons and doing a 10K before breakfast, but for someone who hasn't been running in almost 4 years, it's a big deal and a hell of a boost to the confidence to know I can do this, even if it takes a bit of work!
There are 8 weeks of 3 missions each. I'm on Week 5, Mission 2 (yes, yes, I'm not doing 3 a week because it's dark and scary when I get back from work) and I'm already looking forward to moving on to the Big Girl Panties app, that shows you how to train for things like 10K races and marathons.
I will be sticking with this app, because as well as being novel, well-designed and fun, their customer support is excellent and that makes all the difference. Top work, Six To Start, top work indeed.
Anyway, that's how I'm doing. Hopefully I'll remember to update after I finish each week's worth of missions, and let you know what the next app is like and how my 10K training goes!
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