As you know – I started on the C25K process a little over a week ago and predictably I’ve had some issues.
Not least being how and when to fit the training sessions in around my shift work and regular Tang Soo Do sessions. But despite these problems and despite coming down ill the day after I started I am still at it.
Yesterday I managed to complete Week 1 Day 3 of the program. Tomorrow I plan on starting week 2 but may have to fall back to repeating week 1 again. We shall see how it goes.
But a funny thing, at least I think so, happened to me on the last run. I’d got to about run 6 or 7 out of the 9 when a cyclist tried to run me over so naturally I reacted. No, not like that … I simply said louder than usual that he should be on the road. I guess it took said cyclist a few seconds to realise what I’d said before braking and yelling back at me … as I had headphones on I didn’t catch what he said.
So took headphones off and cupped my ear as if to ask for it to be repeated … and there was me expecting a mouth full of invective when all I got was “and you should be running”.
I just laughed and said “Nope, I’m following a program and this is my walk section …” at which point I turned and continued my way. A full 20 seconds later the cyclist was still there dumbfounded that his ‘witty retort’ had turned out not to be so!
Well I thought it was funny.
I realise now that I’ve only very obliquely referred to our latest grading.
It took place on April 3rd and myself along with Jenna & Coel all successfully progressed from 9th to 8th Gup or rank which means we all now sport our orange belts.
It is because of that grading that I am on my extra kick to add some more fitness resilience to my routine – if not daily then at least every other day and to do more than the recommended minimum 20m. Unfortunately almost as soon as I started I fell to a bug and only now feel up to re-starting. The what was outlined by my last post on C25K. I’ve also got a fitness DVD which is entitled 2 week turnaround and there’s a simple (but not easy) cardio & strength workouts on it – I’ve done the cardio once and looking forward to doing more of those as well.
Will it bring a revitalised me? Who knows. At this stage I’ll be happy not to be left a physical wreck after my next grading.
C25K is a new (as far as I’m aware) initiative for taking lardy couch potatoes such as myself and getting them running 5km (or 30mins) in 9 weeks. Details over here.
I’ve never been a runner or a gym rat (swimmer and cyclist yes – run no) so am a little daunted by this but thought – having read round some forums a bit – that I’m not alone. I’m 46, just the wrong side of 100kg, haven’t exercised properly or systematically since I was probably 20 but have been a 5 a side footy player, squash twice per week, etc keep fit kind of guy until perhaps a few years back when a job change and a health issue (serious lower back problems but now gone) put paid to all that.
Anyway, in an effort to get back on track before I’m 50 I started Tang Soo Do six months back with my 9 and 7 yr olds. We are now all proud owners of orange belts (or 8th Gup) and my current goal for that is to attain my black belt before I’m 50. That should be doable if I keep to the schedule and can learn all the forms, etc.
However, after the last grading (Saturday) I realised that I’m going to need to supplement just the TSD training with other stuff and spotted the C25K iPhone app and thought ‘why not’. Purchased a cheap arm band and headed out yesterday.
I can report that I very nearly did it as expected – only two of the 60sec runs got curtailed by a max of 5 seconds each and I hated the fact that I’d mis-read the instructions and that it was 31m of exercise and not 30 :(
Anyway, at the end I decided I would give it a continued go but ….
Lessons I learned:
- get a decent set of headphones that don’t keep coming out :)
- whilst it was ok, my cheap armband holder for my iphone kept travelling towards my elbow!
- FULLY read the instructions, that way you won’t be surprised when you think you’re going into the cool down with one more 60 second jog!!!!
- go buy a pair of proper running / training shoes for the job first and don’t think that a pair of lightweight walking shoes will work instead.
- and last, don’t underestimate how pathetic your level of fitness is. That last is really a note to me.
I confess that at this point I don’t see me doing it in the prescribed minimum time and knowing how I’ve been about exercise in the past can see me struggling about this in weeks to come so may need some ‘boot up the backside’ from any who happen to read this note.
Anyway, I’m up for it, what about you?
Tags: