C25k Week 9 Day 3 – I graduated :-)

Well I finally completed the journey. It's taken me well over 20 weeks to complete this program due in part to injuries and illness.

Writing my journey through this blog has been a great decision. I can look back at those first few entries and remember vividly some of those early runs where I barely went a Kilometer without puffing and hurting and then limping back home dejected and beaten.

I've learned much on this journey about pace, mental strength, nutrition, running technique amongst other things. Most of all I've learned a lot about myself. It is easy for me to get passionate about things, but rarely do I stay passionate about them. Running has got a hold on me for sure. If my body allows, I know it will become a lifetime love.

The thrill for me is that there is an ever moving target. "Just get through these 60 seconds" to "Just make is to 5k". I want to keep going... get that 5k under 30 minutes and then under 25 minutes. Run a race, train for a 10k and then maybe beyond.

Running has given me that. The sense of belief in myself and my abilities. Why shouldn't I dream of achieving. If I can come this far in something that was at first so alien to me, I can achieve anything I set my mind to.

I feel a brighter future ahead and I will continue to blog my progress. Already I'm planning next steps.

 

My last run was difficult but I felt free from the structure of C25k. I experimented a bit with Chi-running which saw me log a 5:13 first kilometer (big mistake). I was forced into making this an interval workout which itself was eye opening.

You'll see that in my latest run (second table) that I walked for nearly a quarter of the time, yet my overall pace was better! There is something to be said for interval running!

Nonstop Jogging
Zone	Pace	Distance	Time	Percent
Walking	-	0.00 km	00:00	0.00%
Jogging	06:39	3.85 km	25:37:00	85.50%
Running	06:01	0.72 km	04:21	14.50%
Total	06:33	4.58 km	29:58:00	100.00%
Walk/Run
Zone	Pace	Distance	Time	Percent
Walking	10:18	0.74 km	07:35	24.00%
Jogging	07:46	0.66 km	05:06	16.10%
Running	05:15	3.61 km	18:58	59.90%
Total	06:19	5.01 km	31:39:00	100.00%

 

My Run:

http://www.dailymile.com/people/MarkJ11/entries/8049474