Week 1 - Second 4k Run - 30th Jul

I took Monday off in terms of excecise as despite my poor performance on my activities, I was feeling quite pleased with myself that I got up off my backside and set some benchmarks to start from.

 

Tuesday was to be another trip to the park.  Last outing was nothing to be impressed about and I was not expecting anything too special this time either so the target was simple - finish the 4k in less than 30.

 

After my Map My Run distaster last time, I was more prepared and set up my account to track my progress before I left. Also changed Kenny Rogers for a bit of Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison with its train a coming would hopefully get me there a bit quicker.

 

Driving home from work, getting ready in my head for my run and the weather is teaming it down. Been kind of strange weather in Glasgow of late - scorchio one day, raining the next but that's Glasgow - not going to let it spoil my run.  Maybe the rain would help cool me down a bit?

 

I get home and announce that I am going for my run to an immediate glare out of the window, then a glare back at me, then a glare out the window - yes I'm doing it folks so if you want to join me you can, otherwise, I'll see you when I get back!

 

As luck would have it, the rain stopped just as we [the good lady conceded to the run!] were ready, so we had a wet track but dry conditions to run in.  I wore a breathable windbreaker, just in case it rained but I was soon going to regret it.

 

Got to the park, and another quick warm up, start the tunes, set the app to record and off we go.

 

Not going to go into too much detail on the actual run this time but I did learn a couple of lessons on the way that I would like to share...

 

1. Don't wear a windbreaker unless you want to sweat like a pig (or the weather is really cold).  I ended up running with it unzipped most of the way and felt really uncomfortable.
2. Wear your headphones in such a way that the cable runs down your back. Because I has the windbreaker on this time, I did it down the front of my T-Shirt and up again into the pocket of my jacket.  It just kept tugging and popping the earphones out of my ears which becomes something of an itritation when it happens 6 times in the first Km.
3. Choose the earphones carefully.  I used the handsfree kit from my phone but because I wired myself up incorrectly, I kept putting my music into mute (the buttons being knocked about left right and centre!). Another technical disaster that I did not want to stop the run to fix so I actually ended up disconnecting them after my first Km so I was on my own for the rest of it!

 

So, in summary, not the best experience but I did complete the run, and I did complete it in under 30. I also managed to log the data and Mr. Starfish was not going to be a feature today!

 

 

At the end of the run, once I got breath back, I actually really started to feel good about myself and for the first time, was begining to enjoy the experience!

 

 

 

Stats below from Map My Run - this really is a great app once its set up!

 

 

 

Looking at the analyis, a few things become immediately obvious...

• Nice healthy start - maybe a little to fast to start with but settling to a good pace on the flat
• Struggling on the hills - can easily spot the decline in performance as the hills set in and see where I was clearly walking.
• Need to set some short range targets (1 - get to 1 km before taking a walking bread, 2 - Get to a place where I am not walking down hills at all 3 - make it up the hill on the first lap without stopping).
• Check out the sprint at the end - final burst of energy to burn the calories, make up some time on the last lap.

 

First Weekend Preparations - 400m Swim

Sunday PM:  400m Swim at the Gorbals Swimming Pool Glasgow. 2 x 200m sessions

Was starting to feel a bit stiff in the legs and back after my 4K on Saturday so decided to go for a swim to see if I could loosen up a bit!

Gorbals Swimming Pool is the choice for me as it has a nice 25m pool that usually has lanes set aside for swimmers while the other half is left for the leisure swimmers. It also has a nice Jacuzzi so is perfect for the routine that I did.

All I can do is front crawl. Managed the first 50m without needing to stop. took a 2 min break then swam a length (25m) then took a break, then a length as so on. At 8 lengths, I was struggling to complete a length so took a big break. Distance so far 8 x 25 = 200m

20 mins in the Jacuzzi - bliss!

Time for my second swim. Same format as before. Do length... break... do a length... break and so on. I was really struggling particularly at the 3rd and 4th lengths, so was taking more like 5 min breaks after each length, but I was determined to do the 400. I was hoping to do 500 but this was not to be.  As I reached the ladders at the end of the pool, I knew that there was no way that I was going to manage another 4.

Time for another jacuzzi.  Unsurprising even better than the first.  It was getting to the end of my session so when the jacuzzi was switched off (they do that every 30 mins), decided to call it day.

According to Swimming.Org's Calorie Cruncher, 30 mins of front crawl will burn 257 Calories.  I would recon on my having done approximately 30 mins of actual swimming so will claim this for the win!

Comparing to another chart I found at a website called Nutri Strategy, this was comparable to a leasurly swim for 30 mins for a person at my weight.

It certainly didn't feel leisurely but I definitely left the pool feeling a bit more relaxed and loosened up and managed to add to my training and burn off some calories!

Mission Accomplished!

First Weekend Preparations - 4K Run in the park

Saturday AM:  4K run around Alexandra Park in Glasgow. 2 x 2K Circuits.

I prepared for this on the Friday evening by downloading MapMyRun to my Android Smartphone and setting up a 30 minute playlist of songs to play around the park.

Playlist (if you are interested)...

1. Survivor - Eye of the Tiger (sorry but I couldn't start on anything else!)
2. Eric Clapton - After Midnight
3. Outkast - Hey Ya!
4. Oasis - All Around the World
5. Kenny Rogers - Ruby
6. Oasis - Don't Look Back in Anger
7. U2 - One
8. Bill Conti - Gonna Fly Now (Cheesy but as I started, so I should finish!).

Waking up on the Saturday morning, it was a half pint of water and straight to the park.

Did a quick warm up of a few stretches, set the playlist running and switched the Map My Run app on to Record.

Off we go, Eye of the Tiger actually isn't a bad number to get you moving but by the end of the track, I wasn't ready for fighting anybody. Half way through the first km and I am already starting to breath heavy. Round the second pond in the park and on to the first incline. Eric Clapton Blazing in my ears but I am struggling with the small gradient. Time for my first walk. Up the hill to the flat and stating my run again just as we get to the top. 

A nice word in my ear telling me that I have completed 1.01 km in 7 1/2 minutes. I think to the commentary I hear on marathons - 7 minute miles seem to feature a lot but then reality strikes when I realise 1.6km in a mile and I am way off the pace!

Hey Ya! and I'm still running along the flat to the start of the big hill at the golf course. Start running again but shaking it like a Polaroid picture ain't getting me up to the top. Time for my second walk (it is a steep hill but I know that if I get near the top it plains off and then its downwards all the way to the start again!).

Perfect timing, as Oasis start their intro just at the point I was wanting to start at so its a wee bit o' hill and running the plain to one of my favourite all time tracks - great motivation and got me in a good rhythm.  All the way down the hill and turn the corner to start it all again just as my wee pal in my ear tells me 2.01km at a time of just over 8 mins (slowing down but I did walk up the hill!).

Oasis end as I go by the first pond again and Kenny Rogers starts. What a depressingly pish entry into my list. Thought the country and western beat would get me shifting but no, made me want to curl up and die - legs are feeling heavy and listening to song about a guy that got his shot off in the war wasn't making me feel any better. Note to self - Kenny has to go - sorry!

So, with Ruby taking her love to town, I was back on the first Incline and well in need of my next walk. I want to press on so run a bit more of the incline to another walk. Reach the flat, I am feeling spent but Oasis picks me up again with another favourite and with another word in my ear (3.01km) I am running to the start of the next hill. Temptation sets in - I could just cut the hill out, down the path and back to the start but I am no mood to quit so its a short run up the start of the hill as U2's One starts - what a brilliant choice at the time - great inspiration to get me moving again. 

Walking up most of the hill, I started running again just near the top and then its all down hill to the end. Perfect timing again, Bill Conti getting me going and taking me back to my childhood, when I really did want to be Rocky, and here I am 30 odd years later picking up a sprint to the end, got to keep it going till the message comes but I did manage the sprint and at the second the "4.0..." words hit my ears, I stopped running, stopped the map my run and assumed the starfish position on the cool wet grass.

The camera doesn't lie...

A good drink of water and a wait while my spinning head brings be back down to earth. I am completely bushed but equally very pleased with the achievement.

Time to check the Map My Run app for some info and to my absolute horror found that although I had pushed the "Record" button, I did not have the "Tracking" option turned on. What a twassock!!!

But from what I can gather 4k in approx 30 mins.

According to Runners World, their calculator worked this out at:

Nice work! You burned 435 calories.. Check out the table below for your calorie burn rates at this pace too.

Distance: 4 kilometers

Duration: 30:00

Pace: 0:08 / kilometer

Calories Burned: 435

Calorie Burn Rates: 108.78 / kilometer 870.2 / hour 14.50/ minute

Map My Run has this functionality too, for those who have the good sense to set it up properly before their run. Hopefully next time I will be able to show you the route properly!

PS - A big thank-you to my good lady, Olga, for sticking with me and encouraging me round!!!

The Starter for 10

So I have been set a challenge to complete the Great Scottish Run 10K route on October 6th 2013.
 
Today is July 27th, 10K in 10 Weeks for a couch potato seems to be a bridge too far but I am wanting to rise to the challenge and try to raise money and awareness for the Payback Foundation, which is a Charity at my work [Ceridian] that sources specialist equipment for disadvantaged children within a 10 mile radius of our Company offices. 
 
Over the next 10 weeks, I will post my progress and comment on my diet, training and general progress and hopefully share in my successes (I am determined that even if I have to crawl round, I will complete the 10K.
 
So firstly, lets set the scene...
 
I am a 39 year old male who is just over 6 feet and weighing in at just under 105kg (16st 7oz) which according to the Wii fit, this places me just over the obesity line with a BMI of 30.65. I have set a target weight loss of 10kg over the next 10 weeks.    I am an active person, in terms of, I am usually up to something but I am by no means fit.  Last year I started doing the ParkRun at Pollock Country Park - a 5K that I never managed to run completely around and I never managed a time below 30 mins. I have, in the past, done some hill walking but not enough to be considered regularly active.
 
I work at a desk job, and do not eat particularly healthily.  I am not eating takeaways all the time, but I do like a wee treat now and again and I am a sucker for a roll 'n' sausage in the mornings! I do like to eat out though and will usually have no consideration for the food groups I am eating and things. I am a grubber and tend to over indulge.
 
I am not a big drinker, but this lovely summer has found me on the odd occasion tanking a few Magners and ice.  Normally though, I am just a social drinker so drink only when there is a work night out or something (don't go to bars as a regular occurrence).

So "the plan" for me is simple really...

1. Cut out sweet and sugary foods
2. No takeaways for the next 10 weeks
3. If I am going out, will only drink 1 or 2 at the most
4. If I am eating out, will consider the food groups and portions.
5. Will monitor my food intake and count calories / burn rates.
6. Fitness wise, I will aspire to train 3 times per week, doing various activities and will chart them on this blog.
7. As we get nearer the deadline, I will increase the training.  My target it so do the 10K running all the way, but if I have to stop and walk for some of it, will not consider this a failure.

No real surprises in there so let's see if I can do it and hopefully inspire others to do the same...