Upping my distances, trying to be cool

About time I wrote a running update for your eyeholes to read. After completing my first 5K Park Run with the ‘grown up’ runners I’ve been trying to up my distances. I improved my time at my second Park Run and felt a little more confident. Since then (two weeks ago) I’ve been gradually upping my distances and running every other day. The best run was on Sunday when I managed a full 4.25 miles. Very pleased with that! My dodgy ankle has also been behaving  just about.

However, this week that big ball of hot stuff in the sky has scuppered my plans somewhat. Lovely as it is I didn’t realise how a rise in temperature could make such a difference. After a sleepless night on Monday night my attempts to run in the sun on Tuesday proved difficult and for the first time I had to give in. I tend to be quite hot blooded anyway and I’ve already found getting too hot a problem above any other even in cooler weather. I tried again yesterday morning and went out earlier. It was still quite warm and I just did 5K. I’m going to do my third Park Run at Brueton park in the morning and then (weather pending) just keep working on my endurance and getting that distance closer to the 10K mark. I have one month until my Race for Life. Eeek.

The good news is that yesterday I won a competition on Twitter via AXA PPP Healthcare. Just the boost I needed. I won an online running course from this great website Up and Running who you can also follow on Twitter @runningonline

They have all sorts of courses to help runners and I’m looking forward to getting some more inspiration and keeping my motivation levels high.

I’ll keep you posted.

Stace x

Follow me @StaceInspire

My first official 5K Park Run

This morning, one week after graduating Couch to 5K I ran my first Park Run in Brueton Park. Park runs are officially timed runs which go on all over the country for people at all levels (thankfully!). You can find your nearest one here.

It was a bit early for me on a Saturday morning. We usually just sit in bed and watch cookery programmes! I got up early enough to have a cup of tea and a Digestive biscuit. My Uncle who runs marathons said he would come with me and so I picked him up and we made our way to Brueton Park. I’m not used to running with anyone at all so when I saw so many other people it was a bit scary! My brother popped up out of nowhere to support me which was a nice surprise. Once we’d started it was fine although it took me until about three quarters of the way through to fully believe I was going to finish, despite it being my 4th 5K! Must keep the faith. I was very pleased when I had done it.

Just finished! (Photo courtesy of race photographer Kevin Baldry)

My shady ankle behaved until afterwards when it was very stiff but I’m going to just keep it elevated after each run and hope it strengthens. At lunch time the results were put on the website and I was pleased I had actually beat my personal best by 3 mins 26 seconds.

Click to see the route on Endomondo

I’m glad I did it. Next step is to start the Bridge to 10K on Monday and start training for my 10K Race for Life!

Stace x

Follow me @StaceInspire

Week 8 – One week to go!

For the three runs of week 8 I ran the same route just so I could compare my times and distances. At the end of week 7 I was doing 2 miles in 25 mins. Here at the end of week 8 I can now do 2.5 miles in 31 minutes. I think this week has been the best so far. I’ve actually felt more like a grown up runner. Run 2 in the rain was great and I actually felt disappointed today when it didn’t rain on me. I’m feeling more confident now that I have exceeded the 30 minute target and so fingers crossed I can make up that half a mile or so this week to get to the 5K mark. As soon as I do I have my next goal in mind which I’m planning to share as soon as I have graduated and run my first park run on the 5th May.

Stace
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Week 7 – The end is in sight

Wooo! Week 7 done. Three 25 min runs. Went quite well. I’m not starting my Endomondo until I run now rather than counting the warm up/warm down walks. Each time I ran 2 miles in 25 mins pretty consistently. My best mile was 12.03. I believe grown up runners call it a personal best. ; ) Not sure whether that is OK or not? Seems a tall order to get to over 3 miles in the next two weeks but I shall do my best!

Thinking about the next stage. I have downloaded Bridge to 10K tentatively but I’m going to stay focussed on that 5K goal first. My Uncle has said he will do the 5k Park run with me so I’m aiming to do that on 5th May. He is running the marathon so a 5k will be a walk in the park for him!

Here’s to week 8 and 28 minute runs. Hope to up that distance and get another PB mile in.

Stace

Follow me on Twitter @StaceInspire

Weeks 5 & 6 – 25 minutes, it’s a miracle!

I’ve been a bit lax with my posts I’m afraid but I’ve been keeping up with the programme. Week 5 was great, lovely weather and I chose a great route on a track at the top of Elmdon park so the runs went well. I wasn’t sure about running for 20 mins on run 3 but as always I somehow managed it. Week 6 coincided with a few days break in Cornwall. I ran run 2 week 6 on the Lizard past RNAS Culdrose with great views and the sea. Run 3 was 25 mins! I did that too! Still finding it’s me getting hot that scuppers me more than anything but my body seems to be coping OK. I’ve lost 4lbs altogether so far but 2 inches on my hips and for the first time ever managed to get some skinny jeans to fit me! Wooo!

Today I did run 1 of week 7 and ran for 25 mins none stop. The wind was conspiring against me but the rain was very welcome. Slightly disappointed with my distance though but I know the point is to get to the end of each run so I must not get despondent. Can’t wait until I can actually run 5k. It getting closer. Deffo going to do one of the official park runs at Brueton park when I’m done.

Stace x

Follow me on Twitter @StaceInspire

Week Four done! – Oh yeah!!!

Just back from run 3 so that’s week 4 done. Can’t believe I’ve done four weeks and kept it up. My fastest mile so far has been 12.14. I don’t know whether that’s good or bad. I was pleased today that the first half of my run and second half time were more consistent, only a second in it. This week was easier than I thought it was going to be. Amazing how your body can just perform better with a gradual progression and a bit of motivation. I’m excited for week 5 which I’ll start on Sunday. Bring it ooooooon!

Stacey
Follow me on Twitter @StaceInspire

Week Three done – First fly in the eye ; )

Week three done! That’s a third of the way through. Cool!

I had my first experience of a fly in my eye on run one which was a bit annoying but I refused to stop while I tried to get rid of it. I’m finding that I’m not hurting very much although I can feel my muscles more. The main thing that I find difficult is how hot I get, I’m not necessarilly too out of breath, just very hot and then I feel very cold when I get home. I did OK adjusting to the three minutes at a time although the last three mins of run 3 were a little harder against the wind. Hope to start week four tomorrow or Sunday but feel a bit nervous about getting through 5 min runs at a time! The walks in between will be very welcome.

Stacey
@StaceInspire

Couch to 5K – Week Two

Saturday 3rd March 2012 pm

Just did my first run of week 2. Man bought me some new gear to run in today so I got out there before it got dark. I am going on a different route each time so I don’t get bored and I managed to exceed my two mile goal and did 2.23 miles. Despite being tired after a late night last night and feeling a bit shoddy it weirdly felt easier than run 3 of week one. Wooo! Oh and my Uncle Steven who runs has suggested this great website to me www.parkrun.org.uk which you may find interesting. I am hoping to do the one in Brueton Park Solihull WHEN I reach that 5K goal.

Friday 9th March 2012 pm

I did my week two runs on Saturday, Monday and Wednesday. On Saturday I did a good distance and was chuffed with my new gear. Monday and Wednesday were a bit more difficult because the wind seemed to be conspiring against me although I managed my longest distance of 2.5 miles. I was very tired on Wednesday but I made myself go for a run before I settled down for the night and despite it being my shortest distance (and Endomondo posting it to my bloody Facebook) I was pleased I made myself do it. Too easy to use excuses not to. So, it’s now Friday, I am going to start week three this weekend and just hope it’s not impossible.

Stace
@StaceInspire

Couch to 5K – Week One

Couch to 5K – Week One

Monday 27th February am

I bought some lovely running shoes about 18 months ago (ish). Proper ones from a running shop and I had my tread measured and everything!  I was motivated to start running and went out about three times walk/jogging to my family home about a mile from my house. You can see my posts from that time here.

Then I went to the doctors and she told me I had to get confirmation from the hospital before I could run as I have Long QT syndrome. Boo. Unfortunately getting a letter to confirm it was OK took months. Then last year I was all set again. We were going on a weekend camping trip so I packed my trainers with good intentions of running around the lake and by the river where we would be camping. Just as we were about to go I walked out of the back door to get something from the garage and promptly fell off the back step and sprained my ankle! Doh! Cue three days spent camping wth my foot in the air.

Well that was then. After stumbling on Couch to 5K a couple of weeks ago I’ve been building myself up to start. I downloaded the first four podcasts last week and my Mom treated me to some shiny new headphones for my iPod. I didn’t feel too confident to go straight out on the street so after a lie in on Saturday I decided to do it in the garden! I must have looked really strange to the neighbours but hey ho! I completed all runs despite interruptions first from my partner coming outside for a fag (hmph) who didn’t know what I was doing and then my brother and his girlfriend popping round and peering at me from the back door. Half way through I thought I wouldn’t be able to do the full workout but I pushed on and managed all the runs and felt quite pleased with myself. As I sit here on my laptop it’s Monday morning and I’m trying to decide what time will be best to do run two. Hope I can keep my motivation!

Monday pm

Run two done! I feel great. I used the Endomondo app on my Blackberry and I did 1.81 miles. It said average 14 mins to do a mile. Not quite a 4 minute mile but it’s a start : ).

Thurday 1st March 2012

Very pleased with myself. Today I did the third run of my first week. It was a lovely sunny day and I ran on the street and through the park. Grass seems to be a little harder going. Again I did just under two miles which I guess is OK. Hoping to hit two miles or more in week two. I was tired this afternoon but I feel like I will sleep well and my muscles don’t feel too shot.

Bring on Week Two!

Stace

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Shoe shopping & my new FitFlops

To begin, for those of you that may not know me so well, I hate shopping, in particular, clothes shopping, and if we’re getting pedantic, shoe shopping. Despite my gender I cannot see why people would enjoy it. I like having new things like shoes but I can’t get excited about the process. Shopping in general annoys me and my gender annoys me by conforming to the idea that we should all be shopping obsessed. Don’t get me started on sales, (untidy, disordered nervous breakdown inducing horror scenes).

Anyway, after my positive experience choosing my new running shoes at the specialist running shop I was surely on a roll. Hence on Thursday I found myself toddling off to the Cloggs shop in the Bull Ring to choose some FitFlops. I’d already looked at some on their website. They promise great things and they fit well into my current ‘try and get fit and toned and eat healthy’ regime.

I had two whole staff members to help me choose. Two! Usually in shops I have to lurk around people to try to ascertain whether they actually work there or not and then embarrass myself when it turns out they are just browsing on their lunchbreak. I chose quite quickly the Rebel FitFlops. They have metal studs on them and so of course they are very me.

I was concerned that they may rub me and blister because my feet can be a bit rubbish with new shoes. However, so far so good. They are really quite comfy and yesterday my feet still did not hurt, despite giving them a pounding around Solihull and the supermarket.  Now I’m just hoping that my buttocks and thighs of steel will suddenly emerge and I’ll look like Nell McAndrew, or Cheryl Cole with bigger boobs. Or just me but toned will do.

I’ve just blogged about shoes!

Stace x