The garden is slowly but surely coming to life in among the weather mood swings. One minute there are moments of brightness, warmth and the feeling of renewal. The next teeth chattering cold that cuts through to the bone. Then we’ve had rain and howling wind as the warmth battles it out against the cold.
Last week I dropped that I’d signed up for the #mens10k in Glasgow. A little bit of craziness in my 50th year and an attempt at trying to keep some level of fitness on what now feels like a road to retirement. I’m keen not to throw in the towel despite lower back pain, hip and knee niggles.
The muscles pain from the 5k run that I took part in had finally worn off and so as is usual when I start something new and signed up, I’m really motivated. I was keen to get going with the training plan, albeit I’m a little bit early for the plan that got shared with me at my level.
I don’t know what possessed me, perhaps the cold air, the feeling of being cooped up in house for a few days and keen to swing back into action. The frustration around the lack of movement for a week as I recovered. So I decided for my first session I’d tackle the local hill!! On the plan, hill sprints get mentioned around week 6! What was I thinking? The worst that could happen is that I walk up, and the best, that I discover that it’s easy!! I knew one thing though, I wasn’t going to do hill sprints! Just a case of wanting to see where I’m at now, and where I’ll be in 6 weeks when I do start.….what sounds like pain! So training for the training 🙂
The other thing that I didn’t say, was that I volunteered to be an ambassador for the run. Which essentially makes me duty bound to train and write about it. The run really has an ethos around men’s health both physical and mental. As someone who sits at a desk all day, dealing with a multitude of ups and downs as a guy in technology I felt I had something to bring to the story. This run is really for everyone and I’m excited to be taking part and the journey it’s going to take me on.
Like appearing on camera and putting up a YouTube video. Let’s call it a raw short that is in no danger of being recognised at the Oscars any time soon 🙂
Training plan this week which I did stick to.
| Day | Activity | Reality |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Rest | Rested – rained |
| Tuesday | Run Easy – 20 mins | Ran Easy for 20 mins, and cycled to work – a cold day |
| Wednesday | Rest | Another cold day, and raining, walked |
| Thursday | Run Easy – 25 mins | It rained, but I got on with it, even inspired the boss |
| Friday | Rest | Rested |
and the plan for next 7 days
| Day | Activity | Reality |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday | Rest | |
| Sunday | Run Easy – 30 mins | |
| Monday | Rest | |
| Tuesday | Run Easy – 20 mins | |
| Wednesday | Rest | |
| Thursday | Run Easy – 25 mins | |
| Friday | Rest |
Hopefully I can stick to the plan, and thanks for reading.
The #WeekendCoffeeShare is an informal weekly link-up hosted by Natalie the Explorer that serves as weekly heart beat and sort of of a mind-dump. Helps me reflect on my week, with a list of achievements, thoughts and rambles normally whilst drinking a beverage probably listening to music.
So when do you start throwing in those occasional “moderate” or “hard” runs? lol, yeah, I am terrible at organized training. I just go out and run. And I do have a lot of hill climbing because I live in a valley… Good luck with the training and the chronicling of it!
The irony of an easy run isn’t lost on me. 20 mins is hard going! I think out of this though I will find that go out and run attitude that I admire.
I miss running, but my hip just won’t tolerate it. Love that you are taking on the 10K and organized to make the best of it. Lots of luck.
I’m sorry to hear that, especially if it’s something you miss. I have had hip pain on and off for some time so understand.
Do hope your plan works and you don’t get any injuries before the 10km. Lots of stretching (maybe Pilates?).
I now do a mini yoga routine post run. Definitely helps.
Thank you for your weekend coffee share. It’s a great idea to keep a running diary and be an ambassador for the run as both make you feel accountable and more likely to stick with your training plan. Nice to see your photo on your blog. Happy training!
Thanks Natalie, and the picture. All part of trying to come out my shell! Really appreciate you hosting.
Hey, um, Alex or Akeerie – you’ve confused me.
You know I like to use names in my blogging but I do worry that I won’t get them right and some folks don’t want their real names in play when blogging for all kinds of reasons. Worse, perhaps I mangled my transition of greeting as EC from your older moniker of Edinburgh Chef. Now I can’t recall where I got “Alex” from.
How about I just ask how you would like to be addressed and I’ll stick with that – up to and included dropping my preference of using some kind of name when greeting you – but wait, I have an idea. Oh – I see what you’ve done. With your leave, I’ll stick with ‘Alex’ until directed otherwise.
I do envy you; in such good shape at your age and making such a great investment in keeping it. I inherited fragile knees from my father and began sensing that my days of running at all were fast disappearing in high school so I had to stick with bike riding or hiking or almost anything that didn’t pound on those knees. But running is so efficient in maintaining health – that it’s hard to replace. Everything else seems to take more time, more gear, more management.
Good luck on your plans above. They sound like fun, hard work perhaps, but highly efficient healthy and fun.
Hi Gary, I honestly don’t mean to be so cryptic. When I started blogging, I was trying to keep some kind of anonymity, at the same time as open my thoughts up to the whole world. A case of hiding in plain sight! There’s a lot to unpack from child hood, being an introvert and realising as the years tick over, the fears get peeled back and dissolved that it didn’t really matter that much. Alex is all good! Thank you.
In terms of being in fit. Ugghh I wish I was, live with a 16 year old gym buddy who now lifts his mum and dad up in one go for fun shows me how far I’ve fallen, and only if I kept some modicum of regime would I feel much better :). I’m not a big fan of running, but I do like the runners high I get from it, and the more I’ve been doing it the better I feel. Both my dad and my uncle on my mums side had knee issues, cartilage removed. I can’t help thinking it will come for me….but I’m going to keep going whilst I can.
Thanks for popping by and tackling all my personas/disguises head on!
It’s awesome that you have a schedule and are able to stick with it! Good for you! Best of luck with your plan.
Thanks Maria, I find how you manage your days, and work intentionally very inspiring and look forward to seeing the summer from your new place.
Great job, and I enjoyed the video and “seeing” you. I think if I were going to “run” in any kind of race, I’d need some sort of training schedule for sure.
Cheering you on as you persevere with your training plan!