As referenced in my video from this morning, I started a Couch to 10K plan this morning.
The reason for this is that, running through my head the last week or so was the knowledge that my 10K is 13 weeks away, yet the Couch to 5K plan only runs for 9 weeks. Was I to be left to my own devices for 4 weeks? What then?
So, I looked for a 10K plan and found an iPhone app for one by the same folks who make the 5K plan app I was using. This is a 13-week program (how fortuitous!), and will take me up to 3 days before my 10K; I plan to miss the last workout to allow me some additional days rest before the big day.
The Training Itself
This morning was my first day doing it, and it was easy going (again, see the video for a brief overview). I’m looking forward to the coming weeks.
The only problem was I had to cut it slightly short as I was running out of time; I was supposed to be out the door starting at 5.30, but didn’t manage to until 5.50. Come workout 2 (this Thursday), I’ll just set my alarm to go off earlier.
The early mornings and runs don’t bother me, and as it gets lighter earlier I’ll enjoy them even more, since right now I am sticking to running up and down the high street, since venturing into the park at that time isn’t ideal when it’s pitch black.
Well, at 5.30am this morning I went out to re-re-start the ‘Couch to 5K’ plan after all; I figured I couldn’t really trust myself to wing it.
I’m now officially knackered and need to get ready for work; I managed 1.57 miles, and realised that it’s a good thing I’m actually training now, because if I attempted to race without actually doing any training there would be no way I’d manage a 10K in 13 weeks without needing to walk before the 100 meter point. (Not that 10K races have 100 meter markers, you understand)
Form was good, it was very tiring, and a niggling right calf muscle didn’t bother me too much; the good stretch at the end will hopefully have smoothed it a bit.
I was reading someone’s tweets the other day on Twitter (I won’t say who, since it’s rather inconsequential), when I saw them say that they were trying to lose enough weight to be able to start running again. Now, initial thoughts were along the lines of, “How big is this person?”, when I saw that the weight they wanted to get to was around 170lbs.
This is a guy, who I think is around 5′10″, so while 170lbs might be a little heavy for a non-muscular person of that height, it’s certainly not a weight I imagined would be the cut-off for someone to take up running again, especially since he said he needed to lose another 10lbs to get there. That makes him 180lbs now. I weight 100lbs more than that, and yet I don’t give a second thought to running (or attempting to) at my size.
But am I too big to be a runner?
So the question is: should I even be trying to run at my weight and size?
I’m happy to say that I am carrying a lot of muscle, so I imagine “only” about 70lbs of my overweight-ness is fat, for an average person of my “ideal” (according to BMI) weight, but it’s still weight that would be hitting my joints as I run. Should I be attempting to? Or should I work on losing the weight first, which will take forever?
My response? I walk around every day with this weight. I walk a mile, twice a day, up and down hills with this weight. Shifting to a shuffling run won’t do me any more harm, providing I don’t heel strike excessively, than doing this much walking.
I’m not a fitness professional (in case you were wondering! Ha!), nor do I know any beyond the internet inside my computer, nor have I consulted with any regarding this. I just like to think that I know my body.
It’s All About Heart
In my esteemed opinion, you can do anything providing you’re not going to keel over dead from it. For me, that means ensuring that what I’m doing won’t cause my heart to stop, which is generally an indicator of deadness. So, when I go running, I’m not trying to do 6-minute miles. I’m generally happy with 10-12 minute miles, since it’s not like I’m in a hurry to get anywhere.
But how about you? If you’re a porky plodder, are you comfortable with running even as a “plus-sized” (don’t you hate that expression?) athlete?
So, last week – I think it was Thursday – I did the first day of Couch to 5K. I did well; I focussed on my form, I took it easy, and I made sure my breathing was under control; I actually did much better on Day 1 than I did the last time I started C25K. Plus, I did it at 5.30am.
That was the only good part of the day; for the rest of the day, regardless of what I ate or drank, I was lethargic and headachey, and ended up in bed by 9pm.
It could have been the early start, or it could have been because I’ve done barely any exercising all year (I was even driving to work instead of walking the mile between train station and office; I’ve given up the car now, though, and have been walking again from two weeks ago).
I was planning on doing day 2 on the weekend, but ‘best laid plans’ and all that…
Focus, I needs it
I need to refocus on my plans and stop worrying about minutia I think. I kept telling myself at the start of the year to “keep things simple”, yet this isn’t what I’ve done; even worrying about what music to listen to while doing the Day 1 workout is silly; I never listen to music unless I’m doing this workout, since I use an iPhone app to blare out the running/walking breaks.
Perhaps I should just run for as long as I can, walk enough to recover, and then repeat until I’ve been doing it for 30 minutes?
I am coming back, I promise; I’ve been tackled by the great Sloth these last few months, but I only have about 15 weeks until the BUPA 10K – which I am running for charity again – so I need to get my house in order.
Restarted Week 3 this morning, and it was much easier than last week.
I only had to break a running break during the last 3 min bit, and I think that’s mainly because I was running along a main road at the point and the fumes got to me.
So, next time I’ll just stick to the park until I finish the running bits.
I’ve also been concentrating on my form, which I think is helping with my endurance – and I can see my main issue is with my lung capacity (running along main roads doesn’t help, especially when buses and vans go past).
The Virtual Runner mentioned in a comment on a previous post that one should set goals. Now, I’ve always set goals as far as my weightloss goes (even if I’ve not set them lately), so decided I would sketch out the goals I have in mind for the rest of this year and next.
The first goal is, as my recent posts suggest, simply being able to run properly. Despite having four 10Ks behind me, I have never been able to run for more than 2km without needing to stop to walk. Also, since the BUPA 10k in May, I hadn’t run hardly at all until 3 weeks ago.
So, right now I’m doing the Couch to 5k plan, and my first goal is, by the end of October(ish), to be able to run for 5km non-stop. At the moment I’m simply aiming for time, but once I get to week 6 or so of the C25K plan I will take my Garmin out with me to measure the distance I’m plodding.
After that, the next goal is to manage 10K without stopping. This will be a HUGE feat, and I am wary – but excited – of attempting it. If I can manage a full 10K without stopping by February 2010 I will be a happy bloke.
Once that is in place, I’ll be aiming for a sub-60 10K. That’s goal 3.
Once I manage that, what then? Will I go on to 10 Mile, half-marathons, or even full marathons? No idea. I’ve often said in the last year that once I hit a sub-60 10k I’ll retire, but we’ll have to see 1. how effective running is on my weightloss, and 2. how much I’m enjoying it.
Finally, weightloss-wise: I am over 19st right now. By May 2010 (for the BUPA 10k) I want to be 16st or under. That’s 8 months to lose 3+ stone. That must certainly be doable!!!
Ok, I’ve been re-reading my ChiRunning book, and so decided to try that form today, and I’m pleased to say that I found the first 90s and 3min running bits easy(ish) going, and did them both without stopping. Then I was so so pleased with myself that my ego took over, I picked up the pace, lost all form whatsoever, and so the last two running breaks were broken by many walking breaks.
Also my right calf is now nice and tight.
I think I will redo Week 3 next week, and concentrate on the form, and ‘graduate’ from it with non-stop running breaks. Hopefully :)
I'm Mark. I am a new runner, and an overweight, big bloke. Not necessarily a good combination, you may say, and often I (or at least, my ankles) would agree with you. But what the hell, eh? Might as well give it a go!
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