Saturday, September 21, 2013

Couch to 10k: Week 10, session 3

57 min. Run 20 minutes/walk 1 minute. Run 15 minutes/walk 1 minute. Run 10 minutes.


I did this on the treadmill at the gym.  It's the first time I've used a treadmill to run since I got fitted for my trainers, and that only involved running for 30 seconds.


I was concerned my elephantine step (I am not light on my feet) would cause the treadmill to judder and shudder and collapse, but it didn't, it survived.  My friend had warned me that running on a treadmill is really dull but I was fine with it.  I just concentrated on the minutes and kind of zoned out.  It's the sort of trance like zoning out that only happens when I meditate, or get a massage.  I just go on automatic and my mind might wander but my world just exists in my breathing, my muscles getting hammered or the movement of the running. am


Having said that, there were people using the treadmills either side of me and I found that quite distracting.  My rhythm didn't match their rhythm.  My eyes were digesting their movements and trying to convince my body to do the same, but I was going at a different pace and have a different gait so we weren't matching up.  I found that difficult.  I guess I'll get used to it.

I was running at a pace of between 8km an hour and 9km an hour.  The good thing about treadmills is you can set the pace so I can push myself.  When I'm running outside I don't push myself, I don't go fast, I drop back to a slow, easy pace.  I will be able to used the treadmill to run at 10km an hour, even if it's only for short periods.  Which will help me do the 10k race in as close to an hour as possible.

Money raised:
£188.  That's £35 that I have personally donated and £153 from friends, family and anonymous sponsors.  Reclamation of gift aid has raised another £38.25, bringing the total to £225.25.
My target is £200 (without gift aid)  Please help me get there by donating on this website!

All money goes to the Abortion Support Network (ASN), who provide funds to Irish women needing to travel to England for an abortion.

A reminder that I am using this training programme.  It's not always easy, I have found these last two sessions really tough and I am losing motivation, but it's good in that it gets you running without harm.

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