Matt Gets Running

Well now that, that was a doddle. Really. Week 7, Run 1, done.

Today I decided to try a different route for the first time — not wildly different in direction, though, just along the other side of the river. Here’s the route on Gmaps Pedometer.

But it’s amazing what kind of difference the width of a river makes. On the north side of the Avon is the A4, a main route leading from the west of Bristol, where I live, out north and west towards Avonmouth — and then perhaps to Wales, if you join the M49, or down south towards Devon and Cornwall if you join the M5.

As you’d expect, then, it’s far from the pleasant little towpath on the south side. But with the drawbacks — traffic and tarmac — come some pluses, with street lighting, a wide pavement, and a lack of big puddles. I figure this will make a good fallback route as autumn kicks in.

Whether it was the change of route, me getting better at running, or just a particularly good day, I did well. I don’t think I was any faster or slower than last time — my venerable old Garmin eTrex that I carried along says I averaged about 4.8mph, which is about the same. But I paced myself better, and had enough bounce left in me to actually speed up a bit for the way back after the halfway point.

And it was all pretty enjoyable, the whole way through. I felt I had easily enough left in me to shove another five minutes on to the end, if I’d felt like it.

But I shall stick to the plan. There’s plenty of time to push up to half an hour, and there’s always the possibility that I’ll have an off day at some point, just like this was an “on” day…

One interesting point about my new route — I passed a seven mile marker. Not a personal one, mind, but one that’s been put in place for the Bristol Half Marathon, which is happening tomorrow. Good job I ran today; wouldn’t want to get sucked into that by accident. While I felt like I could carry on, I certainly wouldn’t last another 11 miles!

Well, that was wet. The heaviest rain I’ve ever run in, for sure, and I must definitely find a non-towpath route so I can avoid big puddles in weather like this! I was soaked, and my shoes and socks definitely weighed a fair bit more at the end of the run than they did at the beginning…

On the plus side, the twenty-five minute Week 6, Run 3 of the C25K is done and dusted. And it actually seemed easier than the twenty minute run of Week 5. It was certainly easier at the beginning, although I think I was equally knackered and just-plodding-on by the end.

I think I went a little too fast for the first half, too; must definitely try to pace myself a bit better. But Thea Gilmore’s Mainstream just bounced me into it, really. Luckily the slightly slower ska beat of The Clash came along for the last half to keep me going.

Today is definitely the furthest I’ve run. Working it out on Gmaps Pedometer (clicking there should actually take you to my specific route), I reckon today’s run was a bit over two miles, or three and a half kilometres, in twenty five minutes. I’m happy with that, and I’m even happier that the first half was actually not just slogging through the rain, but quite cheerful jogging in the rain.

Anyway. Back now, and much more cheerful now I’ve dived through a nice warm shower and into my carefully-prepared bathrobe and green monster slippers. There’s nothing like a bit of home comfort to welcome you back after a run.

Just a quick update, today, as it’s late. It’s a Bank Holiday here in the UK, and I used it for the traditional British Bank Holiday pastime — DIY.

So, I didn’t get out for my run until late: after I’d finished wallpapering. Now I’ve tidied up, it’s almost bedtime.

I should sleep well, because I’m a bit knackered. All day DIY followed by Week 6, Run 2 of the Couch to 5K will do that to a person! Today’s two ten-minute runs took me further down the towpath than I’ve ever managed before, I think. I may have been going a touch faster than usual.

But like I said the other day, I’m not concentrating on speed at the moment. I’m just going to keep plugging away at the C25K, and maybe start looking at my speed once I’m at the end of the plan.

Anyway. Bedtime. Must make sure I’m nice and awake for Wednesday: that’s a single 25-minute run!

Well, I won’t pretend that was anything other than a long, damp slog. It’s raining out there, my left hip is sore, and my energy levels weren’t fantastic.

But I feel quite a sense of accomplishment now, I’ve got to say. Today was the final run of Week 5 in the C25K. It’s the first day with a single, uninterrupted run, of twenty minutes.

And I did it. I was really flagging towards the end, but luckily I was close enough to the end when my energy ran out that sheer bloody-mindedness saw me through.

That, and a fine playlist, this time generated by the iTunes Genius, rather than Tangerine, based on PJ Harvey’s fantastic modern lovesong, This is Love, and passing through such classics as Sorted for E’s & Wizz, Ever Fallen in Love and Placebo’s Nancy Boy. This was fab running fodder, and I’m going to dig it out again the next time I feel like I really need something to keep me putting one foot in front of the other.

Anyway. I’d best go have a shower. With a big smile on my face. Today, it seems, the satisfaction has more been about the destination than about the getting there, but that seems to change from run to run, so who knows what next time will bring?

Today’s run was the second run of week five, the halfway point of the C25K. So, this is a slightly extended edition of the blog 🙂

First off, I’d like to say a quick “thank you!” to all who’ve supported me so far, especially people who’ve commented on the blog here. I don’t always reply to every comment, but I do always read them, and it’s fab encouragement, so ta!

Oh, and a special mention to Benjohn, who got me running in the first place by producing the best iPhone application for lazy geeky runners that the world has ever known.

Anyway. I started out this evening with trepidation and a dodgy leg. And a slightly unsettled stomach (mostly due, I’m sure, to the mountain of junk I used to keep me going through yesterday’s exhaustion.)

Not only that, but these would be the longest runs so far — two eight minute runs, with a break in between.

I had a bit of gyp from the leg during the warm-up, especially over the footbridge I cross at the beginning. But it seemed to warm up okay once I actually got running. The first few minutes of running were easier than last time, too, it seemed.

I mentioned last time how nice it was to have the Clifton Suspension Bridge as my halfway marker. Today that smooth turned a little rough, as I could see the bridge from the beginning, and knew that I’d have to run all the way there before I could take a break!

But I just got on with it. Just putting one foot in front of the other, keeping to my usual pace, and plodding along to David Bowie and The Damned and a few others.

And I made it to the bridge fine, no problems. Cool!

The way back is often easier, for me. This time it wasn’t bad at all. I was helped immensely by Jam and Spoon’s Right in the Night, which is odd, as I have no idea how the heck it got into my iTunes library. It’s not normally my kind of thing. But I’m glad it was there, as it’s a good running tune.

As it faded out, I jogged up the little ramp onto the A4 flyover that’s been the usual last challenging bit of my runs, and I was just about central over the river when Get Running told me it was time to stop. Huzzah!

In celebration, I figured I’d shoot the above few seconds of video, as a bit of a visual progress record. Also, the route was looking quite pretty tonight, although I was still a bit too out of breath to be very steady with the camera 🙂

So, that’s it — the halfway mark. Next run is twenty minutes uninterrupted, and then it’s a gradual build-up to the full half hour. I think I can do this. And I’m definitely enjoying it.