When I got home from work, the humidity-switched extractor fan in the bathroom was still running from this morning. It normally switches off after five minutes.
It’s that kind of day: hot and humid. But I was ready for a run anyway.
Today was the first day of week three, where the walk/run pattern kicks up another notch on the Couch to 5K program. Today would be two short runs and two long runs, with the longer runs being three minutes.
It doesn’t sound like a lot, three minutes, but it was certainly stretching my limits. Even on the first three-minute run, I was willing myself on at the end and panting a fair bit.
I took things easier for the third run, an intermediate, shorter one. I was helped by a slower runner overtaking me during the walking recovery — when the time came to start running again, I kept her in sight and tried not to catch up. (Luckily I was far enough behind that it probably didn’t feel to her like she had a strange, panting stalker 🙂 )
And that seemed to leave me with enough puff for the final three minutes, even though thirty seconds of it were on the uphill pedestrian ramp up to the flyover I have to run over to get back to civilisation!
So, successful, and I feel stretched to my limit again. So I guess my limit is gradually increasing, which is the whole point… Cool.
Or not that cool, in fact, as I definitely needed a shower when I got in. What happened to all that nice cooling rain, eh? 🙂
Anyway. I must figure out what’s causing my lower back/upper backside (top of the glute? Not sure) to ache towards the end of the three minutes, only on the left-hand side. I may be a bit out of balance. Definitely something to keep an eye on, and I’ll maybe go through it with my Alexander Technique teacher on Friday.
In other news, the iPod Genius-generated playlists are getting repetitive, so I’m trying out Potion Factory’s Tangerine, which can analyse your iTunes library, determine the BPM count/beat strength of the tracks, and generate playlists with various options, like one that starts off slow and builds up to tunes with a faster beat. I’ll report back once I’ve had a play!
Hooray, Hooray, Hooray! Well done Matt! It definitely picks up the pace, doesn’t it!
I’m going for week four today, which is where I was, so it ought to be okay, I think! I’ll head down to the “Parkland Walk”:
http://tinyurl.com/nur3o2
I’ve done it! Although I went and pounded the pavement in the end. Stonkingly humid out there today! Yikes.
🙂 I think probably it’s because it is the first run of the week, but it feels like it’s all about finding out just how slow I can go while still maintaining the belief that I am actually exercising! Still — I still feel wiped out but great after, so I think it must be doing something 😉
Yay! Well done to both of you!
I’ve seen high-bpm podcasts online, but I suppose it’s nicer to use your own music. Great to feel the progress!