The dog ate my homework

This week I did the unthinkable. Well, for me anyway. I slept through my alarm and missed a run!

I'm now wondering if it was psychological as I've been feeling a few twinges and was starting to worry about my calf getting injured again. It just so happened to be the big one, 46 minutes that is just about 5 miles. What a one to miss!

Here is what I've done so far since I downloaded the app and set up an account.

And this is what I did today.

From C25K to miCoach

So I've finished getting to 5k but I'm still overweight and keen to build up my mileage, so what next?

I checked out the 10k plans but they didn't appeal. I wanted to get to 4 days running instead of 3 so I was looking around a lot.

Given that I've injured muself a bit, I was very curious about the 10% rule and overtraining. So I read this, and it made some sense to me.

Then I found the miCoach app for android. I checked it out and it looked good so I downloaded it.

You have to log in to the website and create a plan for it to work properly, so that's what I did. I chose the Weight Loss plan at level 5 (comfortable with 30 minute workouts). Then I did the Assessment Workout where your pace is logged at various levels, ending with a 1 minute sprint!

This sets up the zones you run in and try to stick to. Then you can schedule the runs on any day and the widget shows you what workout you have to do.

Evolution of the plan

So the blogging stopped but the running didn't.

Well, it did, but only because of injury.

I injured my calf again and was out of action for a couple of weeks. After some stretching and gentle exercise, I was ok to go but couldn't pick up where I left off, so I went back a couple of weeks.

I finally finished it in the first week of May.

Job done . . .

Week 4 - Day 1

If it seems like I've been doing it easy so far, today's run dispelled that myth!

16 minutes of jogging seemed like a big jump and there were times when it was a struggle, especially up hills.

The stats? 2.7 miles, 484 calories, which is loads higher than previously. I changed the setting in cardio trainer from walking to running so that's why it jumped so high.

The reality of my 10k entry is starting to sink in!

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Week 3 - Days 2 and 3

Both runs  passed uneventfully, feeling good and enjoying the excercise.

Actually, I'm enjoying the indulgence that is half an hour to myself. Headphones on, head out the door and it's nice to not have to think about anything.

Stats: only 3 calories separates them. 292 and 295. 2.2 miles and 25 or 27 minutes.

Still not managing to get anything else done. I'm starting to tell myself that I'll get to three miles then start with the rest.

Will have to sort it out soon, though, as I've just gone and entered the Newham 10k Classic!

I truly hope this doesn't come back to haunt me, but I'm quite excited about it. I mentioned that I have tried C25K before. I did extend it an ran up tp about 7/8 miles, but that was 3 years ago (leading up to my wedding). Anyway, it's done now!

Week 3 - Day 1

This was a 90 second run, 90 second walk, 3 minute run, 3 minute walk repeated. So 9 minutes running (jogging!) altogether.

The 3 minute stretches definitely felt more difficult in the legs and lungs than previously, but it's good to get a longer stretch in.

Cardio Trainer says 2.24 miles and 294 calories in 25 minutes.

So far I'm enjoying the running but I'm finding it impossible to fit anything else (strength and flexibility) into my day, apart from the twice weekly 7 mile round trip cycling to work. This doesn't bode well for my future plans. I'll just have to get ruthless!

Week 2 - Days 1 and 2

From 60 to 90 seconds running at a time.

No problems with the running, but not so smooth with the apps.

Both days I started the music player (meridian) first, then Cardio Trainer before starting C25k, to avoid the stopping in the background issue.

This worked well except for Cardio Trainer. It seems it won't track the route while running in the background.

Stats: Day 1 said 250 calories but day 2 said 325 calories. So I'm going with that!

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Week 1 - Day 3

Started this morning using the C25k app for the first time. I hadn't realised how it worked,.dipping the volume when it's time to change from run to walk (or vice versa). It works really well, until I wanted to change the track.

As far as I can see, C25k doesn't run in the background. So when I went to navigated to meridian, I had to start again. Luckily I had cardio trainer running so I could keep count.

No stats again as the gps didn't log the whole route. It's going to be the same as the first one, though.

In keeping with the android theme, this post comes from my phone!

More next week.

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C25K - Week 1 Session 2

Cycling home from work, on the way to doing session 2 of Couch to 5k, and disaster struck!

In the middle of an intersection there was an almight ping from the frontmech and it came apart from the frame of my bike. The bolt had sheared off and I had to walk to my local bike shop to get it repaired.

This all took time so I decided to combine the walk home with the 2nd workout. With my pack containing my day's necessities. And my bike shoes on!

I took it easy as I don't think the cleated soles on my shoes are ideal for running, but I got it done in the end.

There are no stats available as Cardio Trainer didn't record it properly.

Sill, workout 2 done.

And my bike will get a service, new chain and a new cassette. Nice!

Couch to 5K - Day 1

So, my first training session Sunday morning and it's cold, but crisp. A nice start, really.

I walked to my local park and did the 1 min jog/2.5 min walk thing for 20 minutes. It felt good. Bought the paper on the way home, had a stretching session and that was it really.

According to Cardio trainer, the stats are: 2.4 miles, 4.8 average miles per hour and 30 minutes.

Feeling good!

Couch to 5K to ?

This blog is intended, first and foremost, to motivate me to keep committed to starting running and losing weight.

I have to say that I used to surf. I love surfing but live too far away to be able to surf regularly. I should swim for training but at the moment it's too expensive without a looming opportunity for waves. So running and home workouts it is.

Originally I wanted to try out a number of Android apps to see if I could do everything on my phone (trustry HTC Hero).

So far I have:
Cardio Trainer
Calorific
C25K lite (C25k is a running program to go from zero to 5ks. See it here )
and some others that I've not tried yet.

I'll see how these go first.


So, I've not excercised since my daughter was born, 9 months ago. I was running up to 5 miles, 3 times a week then and was vaguely attempting to build that up into something more. This time I have to start from scratch - hence C25K. I've done it before so I know it works.

If I get any kind of response (!) I'll update more of my meagre and unexciting excercise history.