What a difference a half minute makes

Mini Goal #2 – Complete the 3 week 2 runs on the scheduled days (Friday, Sunday, Tuesday)

Week two pattern: 

• Walk 5 mins
• Run 90 seconds (x6 times) with 2 minute walks in between
• Walk 5 mins

My knees were aching quite a bit by the time for week 2 run 1 came around, even after 2 days of scheduled break.  I was worried about overdoing it, but made the decision to go ahead with the run but employing the strategies my reading had revealed.  Slightly slower walks, slightly slower runs focussing on not letting my stride lengthen too much.
 

I also reluctantly made the decision to let myself take some Diclofenac Sodium tablets.  These are NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs).  Voltaren is an example.  In any case I have a repeat prescription I use for chronic issues I have with my neck and back.  The problem is you can’t take them ad infinitum as they have some nasty side effects (like kidney failure, stomach ulcers and strokes).  But a week or so then off them again is ok.  They definitely have helped reduce the pain in my knees.  I start to get pain again towards the end of the day as the morning one wears and when I wake in the morning as the evening one wears off. 

This decision was made easier by the fact that my neck/shoulder is playing up again and is stiff and painful.  I’d probably have taken them anyway to try to fix that up so it’s a ‘happy’ coincidence. Interestingly, the pain in my neck/shoulder seemed to reduce during the run as my body warmed up.  But sitting here at a desk and keyboard I can really feel it!

I was in for a bit of a surprise though.  Having completed with first week’s 60 second intervals with relative ease (fitness wise) I was a little surprised how much difference the extra 30 seconds made.  I was getting quite puffed towards the end of the 90 second intervals on W2R1 (that’s Week 2 Run 1 – I’ll use this abbreviation system from now on).

As surprising as that was, I was just as surprised during W2R2 to find that I could more comfortably complete the 90 second intervals just 2 days later.  I’ve seen this training effect before in cycling.  At the beginning the improvements are marked and obvious.  After a month or so it starts to plateau out a bit.  The C25K programme increases the ante every week though to keep your fitness under mild strain and ‘outrun’ the training plateau effect.  Hope I can keep up!

I’m trying not to focus on weight loss as a goal, although obviously that is a primary concern, but it’s worth noting that the W1 and W2 sessions seem to burn about 300 calories each time.  So a good contribution to the energy balance equation. Weight Loss as a goal can be demotivating as it can be a bit variable.  Setting my goals around completing the runs scheduled in the programme means I either go to the gym and do the run…or I don’t.  If I crack and eat a cupcake, or have an extra potato it doesn’t compromise anything.  I don’t stand on the wheel of fortune and hope the numbers come up half a kilo lighter this week in order to measure the success of my goal.  If I go to the gym for half an hour 3 times this week on Friday, Sunday, and Tuesday…then I have done what I said I would do and achieved my goal.  Win.

Finished W2R3 at lunchtime today.  Quite a lot of discomfort in the knees and now 8 hours later they are quite stiff again.  Two days rest now should help and then the first of the W3 runs on friday.  W3 definitely ups the ante with two 3 minute run intervals during each session.  That will test me!

Today I focussed on breathing.  I forced myself to breathe deeper as I ran.  Rather than shorter gasping breathes I made myself breathe in deeply for three strides then out for three strides.  I think this helps maintain a rythmic pace and gives the mind something to focus on as you run.  A bit like in meditation.  Rather than let the mind wander and worry about the pain in me knees or whether I am fit enough to keep running, I focus on the act of breathing.  In for 3 strides out for 3.  I toyed with the idea of actually engaging in 'qualified round of breathing' meditation (a Shamatha meditation technique that I suspect is specially designed for us flappy minded westerners).  But that was a bridge too far.  In for 3 out for 3 it was. 

7 weeks to go of the progamme.

I've caught up now (blogwise).  Normal reporting from here on.

Mini Goal #2 achieved.  Win.