Tag: training

Training Programme Week 5

Jess Guth2 Comments

We have just finished week 5 of our training programme. Week 5 finished with a 3 mile run. I hated every step of it. But let’s go back a bit. There were  a few weeks of trying out some other programmes and getting to where we were running 8 minutes and walking 2 and doing 3 times or something. I was miserable. Then we moved to the new training programme. For the first 3 weeks we stuck to 30 seconds/30 seconds run/walk and I was quite enjoying myself. For the last two weeks we’ve been running 1 minute and walking 30 seconds. I’ve found this harder but still much better than before.

I’ll post updates as we go  – basically you can expect 2 30 mimute runs during the week and then either a timed or distance run at the weekend. As I mentioned, today’s run was 3 miles. We ran it on the flat along the canal from our house towards Bingley and we turned round at half way. I don’t know why I hated this one.

Every step seemed like an effort, every step seemed pointless because let’s be honest here, chances of me making it round a marathon are slim at best. But looking back over the run now I have noticed a couple of things: I recovered quickly and well. By the time we got home I was ok, physically and mentally. I am not sore or achey or even particualrly tired from that run. It also occurs to me that while I hated every step, I took every step including running the last 2.5 minutes ignoring the walk break.

So, 3 miles and just under 42 hideous minutes but a pace of under 14 minutes per mile which is well within the pacing requirement of the runDisney events.

Choosing our training programme

Jess GuthLeave a comment

When I first started running I tried a Couch to 5km programme and we followed other training programmes in the run-up to the half marathon in 2015. When I decided I wanted to start again, we went back to those programmes but somehow it just wasn’t clicking. I did each run as it came along but I found it completely demoralising because I was just plodding, slowly and painfully for however minutes.

We had seen the RunDisney training programmes put together by Jeff Galloway and they appealed because they were said to be suitable for anyone and to significantly reduce the risk of injury. So we’ve been giving that a go. I don’t want to go through the exact detail but you can read how it works on the RunDisney site or on Jeff Galloway’s site. Basically though you run and walk at intervals right from the start rather than waiting to walk when you’ve run out of steam.

We started the 10km programme and we started with running for 30 seconds and walking for 30 seconds for the duration. We are now running 1 minute, walking 30 seconds and have just finished week 5. I am now at times almost enjoying it. I’m not saying this is the best programme out there or even that it is better than any of the many others I’ve looked at but for now it is working for me.

Psychologically the idea of running short bursts of what was initially just 30 seconds, even when you have to do it repeatedly was much easier and it meant that I can actually run rather than just plod. Not that I am thinking of going anywhere fast but it is quite nice not to be overtaken by people walking their dogs!

Advice for anyone else out there? Try a few different programmes and see how you get on with them. If like me you don’t have a clue what you’re doing, definitly follow some sort of programme though. Unless you don’t want to – do what feels right