First 5 k!

So I had a plan to be able to run 5 k by mid June, we'll I've beat that plan by a few runs and done it tonight. It had been a horrible wet day in Auckland and I had been dreading coming to the hotel and having to run inside on the dreadmill, so I was thrilled when I saw sun on the drive home and was glad for the slight improvement in the weather. I must have had other things on my mind because my intent was to run 4.7 k, but I ran too far in one direction and didn't really see the point in stopping on the way back until I hit the start point.

I'm not looking forward to finding out if my legs feel it tomorrow, but we'll see. Now to keep running 5k, and then improve my time (which I did do it at my 4 k pace!).

Summary:

Music: Audio book Scar Tissue

Run: 5 min walk; 39 min jog; 5 min walk

Terrain: Road, dark, wet, mainly flat

Pace: 7'48''

Distance: 5 k

Monday night run

So I knew tonight would be a struggle, after yesterdays double effort (climb and run). I spent most of this morning with sore calves and sore legs from the fall, but I did make my required distance, just very slowly. At this rate I'll be running 5 km in 2 more weeks (mid June, unlike my other post which stated mid-July).

Summary:

Music: Audio book Scar Tissue

Run: 3 min walk; 37 min jog; 3 min walk

Pace: 8'04'' (run only)

Distance: 4.61 km

Tuesday night run

This is a late post, as I ran late Tuesday and then life got in the way. My plan had been to post this after my Wednesday night run as a combo post but that run never happened due to a work dinner. My current aim is to get to running 5 km. After about 12 weeks of running for 30 minutes I've decided it's time I bit the bullet. My plans are to be able to do this by mid-July so we'll see how I go.

Summary:

Music: Audio book

Run: 4 min walk; 34 min run; 3 min walk

Pace: 7'52''

Distance: 4.33 km

Sunday afternoon run

It was a lovely run this afternoon along the harbour, the sun setting, the water lapping against the shore. But after this morning strenuous climb of Mt Maunganui it was a slight struggle. I am no longer under any illusions that I like to exercise, it's something I have to do if I want to function fully in society and not sit of the sidelines as I use to. I still hope it will get easier.

Summary:

Music: Audio book

Run: 2 min walk; 35 min jog; 4 min walk

Pace: 7'47'' (run only)

Distance: 4.51 km (run only)

Heart Rate: Maximum 180; Average 165

Thursday Night Run

It wasn't a bad run tonight, my aim was to run 4 km and I did it (in just under 32 min). But I did have pain in my right calf and hip, it would be nice if I could get to the stage where this didn't happen, but I guess I need to run a bit more often...

Summary:

Music: Audio book

Run: 4 min walk; 31 min 40 sec jog; 3 min walk

Terrain: Grass, flat

Temp: 14C

Pace: 7'45''

Distance: 4.08 km

Heart rate: Maximum 188; Average 171

Tuesday Night Run

At home this week, so instead of running around in circles at the local park we decided to run down by the waterfront. It was a little bit cool to start, but it didn't take long to warm up! It also included some tiny, tiny hills but it's good to shake it up once in a while!

Summary:

Music: Audio book - The lost continent

Run: 4 min walk; 30 min jog; 4 min walk

Terrain: Outside, concrete, tiny hills

Temp: 15C, cool

Pace: 7'39'' (run only)

Distance: 3.93 km

Heart rate: Maximum 197; Average 174

Tuesday night run in the (near) rain

Ok, so it wasn't raining still when I went out, but it had been all evening (thanks to a tornado on the North Shore side of the city), but I enjoyed my second night run in the great outdoors (well as close as I'm going to get at this time of night). I really do feel energised running along the waterfront, with the lights reflecting and the sound of the water on the rocks...

Tonight was the first night I tracked my km and pace for my running only, so it's not that I got super fast all of the sudden! I want to work towards running 5 k, so I decided I needed to know how much I was walking vs. actually running.

Summary:

Music: Audio book - Does my head look big in this (yes, still!)

Run: 5 min walk; 30 min jog; 5 min walk

Terrain: Outside, path, wet, dark

Distance: 3.9 km (30 min jog only)

Pace: 7'43'' (30 min jog only)

Heart rate: Maximum 187; Average 168

Sunday afternoon run

Normally we have a (gruelling) PT session on Sunday mornings, but seeing we had our 4 day hike last week we were given the day "off". So we went for a run instead. It was still a struggle, and I'm starting to think it will always be, maybe I'm not meant to run, maybe I'm not meant to be fit (seeing every other form of exercise makes me want to scream from boredom or pain) or maybe it's just not meant to be easy.

Summary:

Music: Audio Book - Does my head look big in this

Run: 5 min walk; 30 min jog; 3 min walk (got it right this time!)

Terrain: Outside, field

Pace/Distance: Forgot my watch the tracks my km and pace, so I don't know if the difficulty was due to the fact I was running harder/quicker or just that I suck (I did "sprint" the last min)

Heart Rate: Maximum 190; Average 165