Training Log Archive: pauline

Something went wrong with starting my watch, and it had only registered 2:39 & 8m when I got to the Spar about 5 minutes later.. I think I must have got key bounce and started it & stopped it again, but I don't understand the discrepancy between the time & distance.
Then up to the library to return my library books.
Saw half a dozen gold finches in the park near the pond on the way back.

C • 8m 2

The extra couple of minutes that didn't get logged...

Saw the heron again in the pond.

Got the time just about right.
3 black headed terns were peforming an aerial dog fight over the pond.

Walk, including a diversion via the surgery.

GET week 8: 25 minute walk on at least 5 days. Mis-estimated the length in increasing the walk.

Saw the heron at the pond; on the other side this time. The wind was ruffling its feathers & then it stalked slowly and carefully to a rock.

In 2 weeks' time, I will have reached the end of the initial progression up to 30 minutes walk 5 times per week and thus am allowed to increase the intensity of my exercise (e.g. speed, or effort (climb or carrying a load)). The guidance for doing so is limited (ensure the increase is added gradually), so I've got to come up with my own plan.
I thought using one of the 'couch to 5K' plans for starting running might be a sensible idea and looked at BUPA's, HRR's, and Runner's World's. I would have looked at the NHS's version, but they only do it as podcasts, which is useless.

While HRR recommends 5 sessions per week (which is what I've been doing & what I want to maintain), the others only recommend 3. Another point in favour of HRR's is that one of the sessions is a long walk, although theirs goes up rather more rapidly that 10% a week (which is what I intend to stick to - as a maximum). I also like the fact that HRR state you need to do a warm up & warm down (10 mins walk in each case), which I think is sensible.

My feeling is that I need to do:
a) one 'long' walk a week (building up in 10% increments from 30 minutes) to build up stamina.
b) one hill session per week; this will be a 30 minute walk up & down some hills - Shotover would seem to be a good place to do this.
c) 3 jogging/running sessions (interspersed with walking and building up over time).
d) consider going for a half-hour swim once a week
e) having 1-2 rest days a week (depending on whether I go for a swim or not).

The question now is how to build up the running. The Runner's World plan seems to build up too rapidly, so I'll ignore that one. Neither HRR nor Bupa seems right, but I like the fact that BUPA starts with a longer recovery than jog/run, and I also like the fact that the HRR plan has an easy day (jog/run 30 sec, walk 30 sec) that stays the same all the way through the plan.

So, I think that for week 1 (which won't be until 15 June), I'll try:
Mon walk 10 mins, Jog/run 30 sec, walk 1 min * 7, walk 9.5 mins
Tues walk 10 mins, Jog/run 30 sec, walk 1 min * 7, walk 9.5 mins
Wed walk 10 mins, Jog/run 30 sec, walk 1 min * 7, walk 9.5 mins
Thurs 30 minute hill session
Fri rest or swim
Sat 33 minute walk
Sun rest
I may need to adjust this to allow for going orienteering at a TVOC summer series or Saturday series event, but it's a start.

Does anyone have any advice/comments?