Running Project 5k Training Programme Wk 3 Results

Running into the Change Curve, turning 63 and getting nominated as one of the running authors of the week.

Sunday Morning Run

Camellia, pre-cursor of Spring, back in bloom after the snow.

The Botanic Garden was as innocent as you like after the snow and freezing weather of just nine days ago. The brown blossoms, killed by frost, had been sloughed off and new blooms had opened. It was a mild calm day, bright but not sunny, around about eight degrees.

This week I had hit the Change Curve. My change curve tends to be a little different to the one illustrated: the first week is characterised by disorientation and trying to process information, the second week by elation and adrenalin highs as I think I've got it and then week three crashes into reality.

In this case, I very quickly injured myself, not terribly but enough to be a setback. The thing with an injury is that you are not going to be able to follow the plan set out for you, you're not going to be able to run - that thing that gave you such a high last week. You don't feel so great and it can feel easier to slip away quietly and forget you were ever going to do this.

I had some days of pain, a visit to the osteopath, leaving with a long list of instructions and feeling very emotional for several days. We also had International Women's Day which always leaves me with mixed feelings and this year's happy-clappy Happy Women's Day phenomenon didn't help.

But I also turned 63 this week. I've been hesitating about disclosing my age (although I thought it might help Coach Craig (@cstrimel) structure the beginner's running programme), because of the pre-conceptions people have about age and what you can and can't do. (Obviously, you can do pretty much anything, it's just slower and takes you longer).

But this morning as I was catching up with Steemit, I noticed that I'd been nominated as one of the running authors of the week - it says for my good posts and running reports. I was out the door, laughing.

This morning's run took me left at the entrance, up the hill to the path north of the rectangular carp pond, east to the woodland borders and then the limestone garden, south and then east again past Hastings House and down into the Cedar Grove, before heading west and following route to the exit.

The osteopath had advised running for only half the time I had done previously and, assuming no injuries or symptoms, building from there. The training plan for this week seemed to have two themes:

• starting to walk and run in timed intervals.
• focusing on balance and stride.

Bearing the osteopath's advice and the week's training themes in mind, I planned the following run:

• ten minute warm up walk.
• setting my alarm for five run cycles.
• running for one minute and walking for two minutes in each cycle.
• fifteen minute cool down walk.

My little £18 Nokia from the Phone Co-op - still my favourite mobile device.

I started with some plyometrics before I left, concentrating on squats, clams and modified dead bugs. I don't know the science for this, but my idea was to try and get those muscles activated and ready for working later when I was running. The warm up walk was faster than I planned, as I left the house later than expected and I wanted to get started before my five alarms started ringing!

In the warm up, while running and during the cool down, I tried to concentrate on saving energy, landing on my full foot (rather than heel) and maintaining a good posture (ie tail tucked under). I noticed a slight change in my stride, almost like I was holding the pose as I landed, just a momentary pause or balance. It felt good - less energy use, more stable - but I'm not sure if it is good?

I passed this beautifully-scented mahonia at the end of my run today.

Weekly Summary

Day	Run	Pre-hab
Monday	60 minutes slow walk	None - experiencing discomfort in lower back, hips and right knee
Tuesday	Working in London 60 minutes slow walk in 10 and 20 minutes segments	None - some pain in lower back and hips. Eased by walking more slowly with shorter steps.
Wednesday	Rest	Visit to osteopath. Ice packs x 2.
Thursday	Working in London 60 minutes slow walk in 10 and 20 minutes segments	20 minutes x 2 pre-hab: squats, clams and modified dead bugs. Ice packs x 2.
Friday	Rest	As above.
Saturday	20 minutes brisk walk.	As above.
Sunday	40 minute walk run; 10 minutes warm-up; 5 x 1 minute run, 2 minute walk; 15 minute cool down.	As above.