Motivation and Frustration

This is starting to get tougher the initial motivation is starting to wear off and life is getting very busy, what with flu at work, snow plus Christmas, it is harder to get out there and run. Oh dear what was it I said last week need to be positive keep the motivation going. Well  week 4 on the c25k plan has been easier than I would have first thought, it has just taken longer. My plan was to run on Wednesday  but it happened on Thursday instead putting the rest of the week behind schedule too but its is OK. After-all my aim it improve my fitness and although I  do have a race booked in March there is still have plenty of time to more than achieve the goal of 5k.

I am starting to notice a difference. I feel so much better with just this small amount of fitness, just 6 weeks ago I struggled though 1 Min intervals and now running for 5 Mins is easier. The lesson from this week has been one of flexibly and not giving up. Cant wait until next week which ends in a 20 Min run wow!

Snow

Well this week we have been hit by a cold snap, it has snowed, added to that I have had a Cold. Both of which are excuses I could have used but being in that determined stage, at the beginning of a program, I layered myself up and went out, grateful for the early Xmas present of trail shoes. I admittedly did not run on the worst days of my cold, did not go dancing either, deciding to go out when I was recovering.

With those challenges I managed to pass the mental block of 2min intervals WHOOP. Up until now I have done what a could to avoid running more than 90 sec intervals as I thought I could not possibly do it. I then realised what it was I was doing and changed my thinking to 'it is easy to run for 3min', as a consequence week three on the c25k has been a lot easier than I first thought it would be, in the snow and tail end of a cold. How amazing is that, so now it is on to week 4 and  the longest run is 5min, It will be easy.

So lessons learn't this week are if it is cold I can still run. If I have a cold I can still run. If I change my mindset I can run further. Great week.

Getting started

I have always wanted to run a marathon, let me tell you however  this is a mega goal given that my starting point now is a Size 22, 41 year old. That said  I thought I would open with my plan to get there

1) I will run a marathon with in five years
2) I will run a half marathon by the end of 2012
3) I will run10k by end of 2011
4) I will run 5k by April 2011
6) I will run for 5minutes  by Dec

Just so you know these were written back in October when I started running so I have been going for 5 weeks now, imagine that.

Initially the plan was to run for a Min walk for a Min and increase the time I ran by 10% I struggled . With some research I came across the c25k plan and a podcast to go with it, heaven no more looking at a watch to time myself. I just listen and run. I am now on week three.  That has brought you to where I am right now. The plan is to write each week to keep you up to-date.