C25K - Week 4 Day 1

To take the place of the 10 week Fresh Start fitness/health programme, I have started the 9 week (estimated) NHS Choices Couch to 5K running programme. The C25K programme is a downloadable podcast that encourages you to build up to running a full 5 kilometres.

Week 4 consists of a 5 minute warm up walk, followed by a 3 minute run, a 90 second walk, a 5 minute run and a 2 and a half minute walk. The runs/walks are then repeated once and you end with a 5 minute cool down walk. The total running time is 16 minutes.

There were quite a few "I don't think I can do this" moments in this run, but I persevered and didn't quit. Granted, my "running" was more like a very brisk march by the end, but the important part was I didn't give up and pushed myself all the way through it.

And that's what's important - not that you ran for 5 minutes at a time (twice!) but that you don't give up, that you push yourself to meet your goal. Because that's what the C25K programme is all about - proving to yourself that you can do this, that you can set a goal and get to (and beyond) it.

This was the first run that I've been able to use the Nike+ app on my iPod. It works rather well, I think. I stopped the workout on the app as soon as I got back home (the podcast got me to 2 and a half laps around my estate, so I finished the third lap). According to the readout, I walked/ran a total of 4.54 kilometres (2.82 miles) at an average speed of approximately 9 kilometres per hour and burned 311 calories.