Good morning and happy(?) Monday. As always, I hope whoever takes the time to read this weekly life and training update containing a fair amount of waffle and food photos had an amazing weekend. I’ve said it before, but if, for whatever reason, you didn’t have a very good weekend, I hope the next seven days are more positive. My weekend had two highlights; setting an unexpected season’s best at Sutton Park parkrun and successfully completing an interval session.

The NHS Live Well website provided the following information about the interval sessions in Week 4 of the Couch to 5k training plan.

The sole interval session I managed to complete started with a reasonably fast 5-minute warm-up walk and ended with a slower 5-minute cool-down walk. I supplemented the one interval session with cross training sessions on Monday and Saturday and rest days on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

As I’d love to complete the Couch to 5k before the end of the year, I allocated time after work every day to stretching. In addition, I used my Bob and Brad Q2 Mini Massage Gun to massage my quads and calf muscles before each interval session and whenever I felt my legs would benefit from an extra massage.

Monday – 30 mins cross training

Thanks to the most amazing night’s sleep, I started the new working week feeling well-rested and positive about the next seven days. So positive, I plucked up the courage to submit a last minute annual leave request. My review of Week 3 of the Couch to 5k training was published and I ended up having a productive morning.

One of my goals for the week was to spend at least 30 minutes away from my laptop screen every lunchtime. As I figured a faster-paced lunchtime walk would count as a form of cross training, I decided to see how quickly I could complete my two-mile route.

After finishing work, as I wanted to spend more time outside while it was still light, I spent 30 minutes clearing up leaves. Hopefully, this counted as a second form of cross training. Following an evening spent listing more unwanted bits and pieces on eBay while watching Rivals on Disney+ I laid out some running gear, checked my Garmin was charged, and checked my alarm was set for 5:30am.

Tuesday – 21.5 mins intervals (run 3 mins/walk 90 secs/run 5 mins/walk 2.5 mins/run 3 mins/walk 90 secs/run 5 mins) Rest

I’m starting to think that as soon as I set any sort of early morning alarm I’m guaranteeing I’ll get a terrible night’s sleep. After lying in bed overthinking about a wide range of topics for three hours early on Tuesday morning, I switched off my alarm and abandoned the idea of running before work. Getting up at 7am was a struggle, I felt like I was jetlagged.

Sensible people would have made sure that given the sun made a rare appearance they spent some time outside during their lunch break. I’m not sensible, so although I made sure I spent 30 minutes away from my laptop screen, I used my lunch break to take photos for eBay. I’ll never learn.

After realising I was feeling far too tired to focus on hydrological assessments, I finished work at 3pm and headed back to bed for a few hours much-needed sleep. By the time I’d eaten I was left with the prospect of tackling my interval session at gone 10pm. I decided it was far too late to be tackling an interval session and reminded myself that running is meant to be a hobby I enjoy and not a chore.

Wednesday – Rest

A second consecutive far-from-ideal night’s sleep meant I spent Wednesday feeling shattered. When a WhatsApp message arrived reminding me I was due to be meeting up with some friends for an evening meal at the Quill and Taper, I must admit that I seriously considered making an excuse for not attending. I’m pleased I didn’t, as although the starters were what I’d describe as overcooked and the portion of chips with my fish and chips, stingy, I ended up having an amazing evening.

I wasn’t initially convinced three pints of Wainwright beer on a ‘school night’ was sensible, but I remembered to switch off my 5:30am alarm before I went to bed, and I slept until my alarm woke me at 7am.

Thursday – 21.5 mins intervals (run 3 mins/walk 90 secs/run 5 mins/walk 2.5 mins/run 3 mins/walk 90 secs/run 5 mins) More Rest

The three pints of Wainwright beer meant I started Thursday feeling ill prepared for a morning of meetings. I ended up having so many back-to-back meetings and phone calls, I didn’t have time for a lunchtime walk. I wasn’t overly concerned about the lack of exercise at lunchtime as I figured I’d be completing an interval session in the evening.

As I’d booked Friday and Monday off as annual leave, as soon as it got to 4pm I checked my out of office was working, tidied away my laptop, and then spent an hour clearing ivy from the front of the house.

I’m slightly ashamed to admit that I failed to even attempt the second interval session of the week. The lack of sleep caught up with me and I just didn’t feel like running. I ended up having a quiet evening watching old episodes of Coronation Street.

Friday – Rest

This weekly update has already turned into another one of my essays, so as Friday was what I’d describe as a mundane rest day, I’ll fast forward to the weekend.

Saturday – 30 mins cross training

I didn’t want to drag myself out of bed at 6:45am on Saturday morning as I was feeling so tired. Had I not arranged to meet up with Ellen, I would have probably gone back to sleep for a couple of hours. I’m pleased I made the effort to walk across a somewhat slippery underfoot in places Sutton Park to parkrun as the weather was perfect.

I tracked down Ellen, we had a quick chat and then listened to the pre-event briefings. We ran the first 500m of the course, walked up the infamous Three Stage Hill, and then powerwalked and ran the remainder of the course. Our efforts were rewarded with season’s best times and orange squash and homemade cakes courtesy of the Sutton Coldfield Sea Cadets.

I was dropped back home, had a shower, and then went into what I’ve previously referred to as ‘getting sh*t done’ mode. I won’t bore you to tears with details of laundry, cleaning, eBaying, gardening, and napping. I woke from my longer-than-anticipated nap to the unexpected news that Wolves had drawn away Brighton and had moved off the bottom of the Premier League table.

I made sure my alarm was set, laid out some running gear, and headed back to bed. Sometimes I ask myself when my life became so incredibly mundane.

Sunday – 21.5 mins intervals (run 3 mins/walk 90 secs/run 5 mins/walk 2.5 mins/run 3 mins/walk 90 secs/run 5 mins)

My alarm rudely woke me at 6am, and I spent a couple of minutes lying in bed weighing up the pros and cons of getting up and braving the cold. I decided running in the morning when I figured it would be quieter would be the best option, so I dragged myself out of bed, got changed into some running gear and a pair of older Mizuno Wave Inspire trainers, worked through some strength and conditioning exercises, drank some water, and then headed out into the cold.

Although my knees twinged a few times during my warm-up walk and my legs felt quite tired, everything felt better than I probably deserved after yesterday’s parkrun exploits. I did a couple of calf stretches, waited for a dog walker who was walking on the opposite pavement in the opposite direction to walk past me, waited for my Garmin GPS to wake up, and then started my interval session.

The interval session went well as I not only managed to maintain a sensible pace during the running intervals, I also managed to avoid having to run down any hills. My legs sprung into life after the first running repetition, and thanks to the change of trainers felt great throughout the entire interval session. I ended the final running repetition feeling like I could have carried on running, a positive sign as the duration of the longest running repetitions increases next week. I completed my 5-minute cool-down walk, captured this selfie, and headed home feeling pleased with myself.

I got home, drank a glass of chocolate milkshake, and then headed to the local Co-op to pick up some groceries before heading back to bed for an hour. I really do need to work on my post-run recovery routine. The remainder of my Sunday was not exactly what I’d describe as blogworthy, so I won’t bore people with the details.

So, that’s the fourth week of the Couch to 5k not exactly completed. Although my knees were niggle free throughout the one interval session I was able to complete, my left foot twinged occasionally while I was running and during my cool-down walk. I just hope that the increased duration of the running repetitions and the 20 minute run I’m aiming to complete next week don’t put too much strain on the various parts of my body that feel like they are falling apart.

Week 5 of the Couch to 5k looks challenging. Just looking at the details of the interval sessions makes me feel slightly concerned. It feels like I’ve now completed (or not!) the easiest weeks of the Couch to 5k. The duration of the longest run repetition increases from five minutes to 20 minutes. I’m sure there’s a reason for this increase, but after missing four interval sessions, the prospect of running continuously for 20 minutes does feel quite daunting. At least I’m seeing Lina at Ebrook Osteopathy and Sports Clinic in Sutton Coldfield after work on Thursday.

Training totals

• Runs: 9 (out of 12)
• Time: 3 hrs ½ min
• Distance: 15.08 miles

Niggleometer

• Right knee: 4/10
• Left knee: 4/10
• Calf muscles: 3/10
• Left foot: 3/10

Did you have a good weekend? Did you take part in a local parkrun? Did you have a quiet weekend?

A random one, but what’s the most disappointing running-related purchase you’ve made? I’m going to have to say the blue pair of Mizuno Wave Inspire trainers that for some reason don’t seem to suit my running style.

---