Apologies for the all too predictable start to this latest training and life update, but I hope that whoever reads this post had an amazing weekend. My weekend wasn’t great and only really had one highlight; completing the fifth week of my Couch to 5k training. I need to find myself a bubble to join ASAP!
The fifth week of my Couch to 5k training plan looked like this.
In an attempt to avoid a niggle developing into an injury, each interval session started with a warm-up and cool down. Cross training sessions comprised of 30 minute training sessions on my exercise bike. And like last week, I allocated some time each day to work through my personalised strength and conditioning exercises.
Monday – 30 mins cross training
As training after work last Monday didn’t appear to impact my Tuesday morning interval session, I decided to delay my cross training session on my exercise bike until after I’d finished work. This gave me something to look forward to and the chance to peddle away the stresses of the day. It also meant I didn’t experience a post-morning exercise energy slump.
I finished work at 4pm and treated myself to a quick nap. Working from home does have some perks. Nap complete, I got changed into some exercise gear and as I wanted a change from Lake Garda, I spent a few minutes finding a suitable replacement.
What a difference a week makes. Last week, I was uncomfortably warm during my 30 minute exercise bike session. On Monday, I didn’t start to feel warm until I’d been peddling for 20 minutes. Despite this, I must have worked reasonably hard as I ended the 30 minutes doing a good impression of a beetroot. Week five of my Couch to 5k training had got off to a positive but sweaty start.
Tuesday – 33 mins intervals (run 8 mins/walk 3 mins x 3)
When I attempted to complete the same interval session earlier this year, I struggled with running for eight rather than five minutes at a time. I looked at the interval session on Strava and identified that I’d set out at a pace I found impossible to maintain. I didn’t want to make the same mistake so I made sure that I set out at a sensible pace that I hoped would be easy to maintain.
I must love Tuesdays as once again, I got to experience the most amazing interval session. Running felt effortless and I didn’t start to struggle until the final minute of the final eight minute interval, probably because by this stage my pace had started to increase. I suspect that running along roads when it’s safe may be the way forward for me. Not having to constantly worry about tripping over uneven pavements means that I can focus on my running.
I reached the end of the final interval and spent a couple of minutes getting my breath back and reflecting on what had been a successful 33 minutes. I tried (and failed) to capture a decent post-run selfie. I felt so positive about my running, a couple of hours later I decided to re-join my running club.
Wednesday – Rest
As this weekly update is already turning into another essay, I won’t describe what happened during what was an uneventful but much-needed rest day in detail. I treated myself to a Marathon Talk hoodie because let’s face it, I’ve turned into a bit of a shopaholic. While on the subject of shopping, the Shortie dungarees I’d ordered from FatFace last week arrived. They look great but I have a feeling that at 41 I’m a little too old to wear them.
Thursday – 27 mins intervals (run 7 mins/walk 2 mins x 3)
Getting up at 5am after what could only be described as a terrible night’s sleep was not easy. I very nearly postponed my interval session until the evening but I knew that if I did, I’d end up not running at all. Like last week, I found the interval session mentally challenging from the start. I’ve never enjoyed running in blustery conditions as I seem to find it harder to maintain a constant pace. Predictably, I failed to maintain a sensible pace and found the final seven minutes of running a struggle. The interval sessions on a Thursday morning are in danger of becoming my nemesis.
As it was still too early for me to start work, I headed back to bed for a couple of hours. I’m not sure that sleeping until gone 8am was sensible, but I felt a million times better for the extra sleep. Thursday wasn’t all bad; I had a productive day at work and managed to complete a couple of technical assessments that had been hurting my brain for several days. I also watched the Impossible Games held in Oslo in Norway, and was reminded of how much I enjoy watching (mainly!) live athletics.
Friday – Rest
The highlight of the day was the arrival of a book – Just Finish: Don’t Think you Can; Know you Can – I’m looking forward to reading and reviewing for another runner. I’ve currently got eight books in my ‘to read’ pile, I need to stop buying books.
Saturday – 30 mins cross training
My Saturday started with a positive weekly weigh-in. While I’m aware I still have a long way to go, I’m determined to lose more of the weight I’ve put on over the last 12 months. Weekly weigh-in completed, I completed a 30 minute virtual bike ride around the Cotswolds.
I’d stop reading now if you don’t like negativity and self-pitying. Like last week, the rest of my Saturday could only really truthfully be described as incredibly mundane. Living alone really does suck at times. As it’s looking increasingly likely my fixed-term contract won’t be extended, I spent several hours checking out the state of the hydrology jobs market and updating my profile on LinkedIn.
By mid-afternoon, I realised I was experiencing what I call pre-migraine warning signs. I clearly needed a break from my computer so I spent some time relaxing in the garden and thinking about what I could do to make my future feel slightly less unpredictable and a little more positive. I, unfortunately, wasn’t able to come up with a solution.
Sunday – 33 mins intervals (run 8 mins/walk 3 mins x 3)
I’m quite superstitious so when I spotted a couple of magpies during my five minute warm-up, I knew I’d enjoy the final interval session of the week. I decided to ignore the black cat I spotted. Warm-up complete, I started to run and after Thursday’s pacing errors, I made sure that I kept an eye on my Garmin and kept my pace slower than 10 min/mile. Pace problems resolved, I encountered a new issue to distract me; humidity. Even at 5am it felt incredibly humid and I quickly realised that running in a gilet was a mistake. I need to invest in some sort of running belt to hold my phone and house key.
Except for the final couple of minutes, I can’t recall much detail about the interval session but it felt easy. I did see a couple of things that irritated me; on one road someone had dumped a huge amount of McDonald’s litter. On another road, someone had dumped several of those silver laughing gas canisters. It clearly hasn’t taken some people long to revert back to their pre-lockdown standards. People need to stop giving me rants for my rants and raves posts!
Once I dragged myself out of bed for the second time, the remainder of my Sunday was a fairly relaxed affair. I spent what was left of the morning weeding the front garden and generally trying to make the front of the house look slightly more respectable. After an afternoon nap, I spent a couple of hours reading a book I’ve had on my ‘to read’ life for ages; The Pants of Perspective written by the lovely Anna McNuff. I’m a creature of habit so I’m sure you can all guess how my Sunday ended, with a takeaway from my local Chinese restaurant.
I can’t believe I’m writing this, but that’s Week five of my Couch to 5k training completed successfully. I don’t want to make myself sound like a boat, but I’m now entering unchartered territory.
Week six of the Couch to 5k training plan looks what I’d describe as challenging but achievable if I’m sensible and remember to run at a realistic pace. Each interval session is slightly different. I’ll hopefully be running for nine minutes on Tuesday, eight minutes on Thursday, and 10 minutes on Sunday. I’m aware that I’m repeating myself, again, but I just hope that my right knee and foot at least allow me to attempt the next three interval sessions. After getting this far, I’d hate to not complete the Couch to 5k.
Training totals
Niggleometer
Did you have a good weekend? Did you meet up with anyone for a socially distanced run? Did you form a Boris bubble with anyone?
This is a random one for Fitbit (or similar) owners. Does your resting heart rate change on a daily basis? Last week, my resting heart rate increased every day. I’m not sure if I should be concerned.
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Another good read Emma. Without sounding patronising, it looks like you’re doing really well with your training. I can identify with some of your issues – focusing on not tripping over, fear of niggles becoming more serious, and the challenge of running slowly (especially at the start of a session – strangely, it is not a problem at the end!).
You’re never too old to wear the shortie dungarees! But then, who am I to give fashion advice?
Keep going!
Thanks Derek, knowing that people are reading my weekly training and life updates makes the time I spend writing them worthwhile. Training is going well, I just need to maintain a sensible and realistic pace from the start. I had a bit of a ‘near miss’ yesterday, I must have been sleep-walking. I stopped concentrating for a couple of seconds and stepped on a drain cover and my foot slipped back. It definitely focused my mind. Road markings are also slippery when wet!
The dungarees are still in their packaging at the moment. If the weather improves, I’m planning on wearing them at the weekend.
I totally agree about the litter- it was so nice in the proper lockdown that there wasn’t much about- down our road this week there was a whole pile of McDonalds drink cups and packets, it’s just so horrible, and depressing that people revert back to that so quickly.
My brother loves alone and he is thinking of joining my sister (she has a husband, a child and a dog so that’s the appeal for him) for a bubble, but then if any of them have symptoms he would have to isolate for 14 days so would be even more alone, as at least at the moment he can sit in other people’s gardens. So he isn’t sure what to do. It must be very tough though.
The litter issue seems to be getting out of hand at the moment. A group of local volunteers have been clearing litter from the Town Gate area of Sutton Park every morning. By the evening, the area they cleared is covered again. They say they are collecting between 20-25 large bin bags of litter each morning and hundreds of those laughing gas canisters. I don’t know what is wrong with people at the moment, it’s so frustrating.
I’m sorry your brother has been in a similar position to me, it has been tough at times. Having said that I still think I’ve been having an easier time than my friends and colleagues with young children. I’ve heard some impressive toddler tantrums during Zoom meetings. I’ve now got myself a Boris bubble, I just need to work out how to get to my bubble.
Hi Emma, I’ve just stumbled on your blog and it resonated with me as I have just started C25K myself, but have had to pause in my efforts due to knee pain that is not going anywhere. I fear I need more patience than I currently have!
In answer to your fitbit question, your resting heart rate can link to your menstrual cycle (who knew?!) – mine steadily increases following ovulation, stays up for around 14 days, then drops back down once my next cycle starts.
Good luck with the training, I look forward to reading more (and having a read of your previous posts!)
Hi Emily, thanks for taking the time to leave a comment on my blog. I’m sorry you’ve been having problems with knee pain, I quite literally feel your pain. I’m currently sitting working on my computer with an ice pack balanced on my right knee. Check out the stretches and exercises I was recommended following my Run3D gait analysis, they have been helping.
My Fitbit is being very random at the moment but I have a sneaky feeling my raised resting heart rate was caused by me not drinking enough. At least my Fitbit has now stopped counting steps when I’m on my exercise bike. That was a little irritating.
Good luck with your training. Hopefully this time next week I’ll be a C25K graduate.