2 posts from June 2008

So the bug had struck, I was enjoying my runs much to my own disbelief, my weight was dropping and my stress levels were down. I really was beginning to see all the oft mentioned benefits of exercise and a healthy diet, what's more I wanted to take it further. I discovered the Phedipidations podcast, a podcast that deals with different aspects of
running each episode and is in equal parts serious and light hearted but has a general tone of good humor that I really enjoyed. Though Phedip I discovered the Worlwide Half Marathon Challenge (a virtual race) and at the time I thought that 21Km would be pretty much beyond me. About a week after hearing about the WWHM I saw an article in the Runners World magazine that was examining setting goals and looking at the best training to meet that goal. Well next to the goal for Weight Loss the article recommended that you train for the Half Marathon distance. Things were falling into place. On a whim I checked up on the dates for the Melbourne Marathon and sure enough the MM date was the same date as the WWHM and from that point I was pretty much sold on the idea.

The training plan was set up giving me plenty of time to train, 5 months and I had already got myself up to 30 minute / 5km stretches so I really could see that this goal might actually be achievable. I started to extend out my long runs, keeping my week day runs at around 30 mins. 6 Km on Sunday became 7Km, I had a go at the Galloway Run/Walk method and stretched out to 8km and was really enjoying myself. I guess now, looking back at it, I should have worked out what was going to happen, I had steadily been increasing training since the start of Feb, coming off
a pretty low fitness base and I had not had a break or rest in a bit over 3 months.

I got hurt.

Next: Disaster strikes, Rehabilitation

Back in February I started the Cool Running Couch to 5K (C25K) training program. In short the aim of the C25K program (quite obviously) is to take a newbie runner and to gradually build them up to a level where they are able to run continuously for 30 minute (or about 5Km) over 9 weeks. Without putting a to fine point on it I came into this program a little bit under-done in the fitness stakes and carrying a little extra weight ... OK, I hadn't moved faster than a slow amble for about 15 years and my BMI had me firmly in the obese category. On top of the poor fitness and excess lard I recently slipped over into the naughty forties so a quick call to my doc was in order. Doc confirmed that I should go for it and as such there were no more excuses for me to fall back on.

The C25K program was a roller coaster ride for me, some weeks were easy where I blew through the program goals with no problems at all. Other weeks were painfull, physically debilitating and emotionally draining, I would hit a brick wall on what would be a minor goal and get really dissapointed and demoralised over my inability to achieve even simple goals. As an example, in week 4 the program has 3 running intervals, a 3 minute, 5 minute and 3 minute run with walk breaks in between. When the time came for my 5 minute run I crashed out miserably on every attempt. My confidence plummetted and I was ready to throw the program. I distinctly remember the negative self talk, "I CANNOT do this", "I am NOT a runner", "I'm to old and to fat" and every variation on these themes in between.

At some point after a third failed attempt at the week 4 run I had a mental revelation and I realised that it didnt matter if I couldnt manage the required run right then and there, I could simply try again next week. In short I worked out that  not being able to complete the run was not a failure, not completing the run did not hurt or effect anyone. In fact, the only way I could fail is if I chucked the program and went back to the couch! With this new mindset I simply reset myself and restarted Week 4 again the following week and sure enough I managed it quite comfortably. In the end I had to repeat 3 weeks (W4, W7 & W9) so in the end (and with a weeks holiday in between) the whole program took about 13 weeks.

Over the time I was on the C25K program I dropped about 6kg (12-13 lb) and really felt terrific. I had found something that I could do that I enjoyed that allowed me to lose weight while making me feel good and calmed my stressed out brain. 

NEXT: The middle: A goal is set, Disaster strikes, Rehabilitation