Working to a plan

A spot of running on the cards for me today.

The other day I finally got around to writing a bit of a training program for myself. Funny it has taken me so long really, given that I spend so much of my time writing programs for other people. I guess I have been quite relaxed with my exercise and so haven't really seen a need for a program. Actually, I am still being quite relaxed with my exercise, but I have felt like I wasn't managing to fit in what I wanted to do and so I have written the program more as an organisation tool than anything else. It isn't that I am trying to cram in loads of training, but more that the program gives me an idea of what to do when, which is exactly what it is for. That sense of direction is the main reason we recommend people having a coach after all.

As per my program I went for a run this afternoon. I have had a couple of runs this week and I am hoping to get in at least one more. I am sort of using it as a supplementary exercise, filling gaps around paddling and other activities. There are many things wrong with running, but I will say one thing, it is very time efficient and brilliant at driving fitness and that is exactly why I am including it. I started doing some runs a few weeks ago, but I only sustained it for a week. I am hoping that this time around I will be able to stick with it a bit longer aided by my program and a bit of planning.

The runs are nothing to particularly write home about. This week I have been jogging for 30 minutes at a time and and I think that I wont' be looking to increase tat for a while, I don't want to over do things after all. The run went okay, not feeling particularly horrible or anything, just slow. The nice thing about the run today is that I have a new Garmin and so all my records are now being reset. I guess things like PBs etc are stored internally to the device and so when you get a new watch the old PBs don't carry across. Accordingly tonight I set a 'new' PB for 5km (24:45), a 'new' PB for 1km (4:45) and a 'new' longest run (6km). These records are of course completely incorrect, but it is nice that Garmin cares. Hopefully over the coming months I can start getting some more reasonable times recorded. I don't think I will be recording any proper PBs any time, but it will be nice to see the times improve a little.

Regardless of time, it was certainly very nice being out there again.