First training run

Sunday:

I did my first training run today. (Well, "run" in the broadest sense of the term.) I was a bit confused as to whether I was supposed to do it today or tomorrow as the information differed on different pages of the site but decided to start today and the program accepted that when I selected it on my iPhone. We were busy this morning and then it turned into a warm day so I waited until 4 pm.

I did a 15 min brisk walk first, then started the session. It consisted of a 5 min warm up followed by an easy 2.41 km at my own pace. I assume 2.41 km makes sense in the original miles of the creator. I was told by a friend to take it very easy at first, but after all I know that I can walk 2.41 km, or 5 km, or even 10 km. I needed to do more than that. I figure my best previous attempt was 5 km around the lake when I jogged about every 5th 100 metres.

I walked to a nearby oval that has a 400 metre circuit measured on the grass and did laps. I'm not sure exactly how much jogging/running I did but I slow-ran every straight and walked around the curves. I started off thinking I was running half, every second 100 metres or so, but it was probably more like a third. I'm happy with that. My calves were burning by the end of each run.

I realised quickly that my jogging/running style (as I've mentioned before, I don't think anyone calls it jogging any more, it's a slow run nowadays) leaves a lot to be desired. I slump forward and watch my feet. So I made a conscious effort to straighten up and look forward. When I got home I looked up running techniques and an upright form is definitely recommended.

The amusing bit was near the end. I was listening to music but RunKeeper would interrupt every so often saying how far I'd gone and my pace etc, so I knew I didn't have much further to go. Another run, another walk, but it still hadn't told me to stop. Another run, another walk. What the? Surely I'd finished by now. I'd actually decided that it wasn't going to give me a "done" cue and I was walking off the oval fiddling with my iPod when it finally told me the workout was over. And I realised that I hadn't taken into account the distance I had walked during my warm up. I had to do warmup plus 2.41 km.

I was tired and hungry when I got home but managed to not eat everything in sight, I just started making dinner. My calories have been great today.

I'm really feeling it in my back and legs, so I guess it was a successful first training run!