I feel before I start I should tell you I am not a good runner and I spend most of my time moaning about my weight but not doing anything about it. At 11am most days I would decide I am going to running tonight and then I would get home and watch Come Dine With Me get completely distracted and eat a slice of cheesecake. I then invested in fitness DVDS, including the ones from Made in Chelsea and Geordie Shore, and after two days they are now gathering dust under the sofa hidden from view in case anyone questions me on my progress.
So what happened? Well last year (yes a whole year ago) I went to my best friends birthday and met the lovely Jamie who was preparing to run the London Marathon. She filled me with hope that she hated running and couldn't run for more than a minute but with determination and small steps she is now set for the marathon. I spent an hour excitably talking about how I was going to start running as soon as I got home, and then I shovelled in a helping of Sticky Toffee pudding and ice cream (in celebration of my friends birthday obviously).
I returned home and did nothing. I cant even pretend I did anything because I didn't. Oh wait I did comment on her photo congratulating her on completing the marathon which made me feel slightly better.
Then last Sunday at 8am I had the realisation that I wanted to get fit and I needed to personally achieve my hope of running for more than a minute. I went down to our local gym and paid a considerably decent £19.99 to join and agreed to a personal training session to get me started on the Monday.
Further to this I went home and downloaded the NHS 'Couch to 5K' app on my iPhone and embarked on my journey to run 5k.
I didn't hold out much hope for my enthusiasm and dedication and felt I would probably lose interest after 1 day but I haven't! Yesterday, even with a stinking cold I completed week 1.
How does the app work?
Download the app from the app store to your phone by searching for NHS Couch to 5K, or download the podcast from www.nhs.uk
Laura is the narrator and she talks you through each day what you need to do. You can also select the Music Note in the bottom which allows you to listen to your music and she will talk over the top with instructions when needed. Make sure you choose your music playlist carefully, my pace definitely altered between Ed Sheeran and Kasabian
Week 1 begins with a 5 minute walk which you maintain a faster but manageable pace to get your heart rate up. Laura instructs you of what you need to do and then half way through informs you how long you have left walking
After approximately 4 1/2 minutes you are prepared for your first 1 minute run which you should take slow to build yourself up, and then after 1 minute she says hello again to instruct you to slow down for your 1 1/2 minute fast walk
For 20 minutes you alternate between 1 1/2 minute walk and 1 minute run/jog with instruction and praise throughout. It is fabulous having her narrating what you need to be doing and it keeps you on track
The app recommends you repeat this for 3 days with a days rest inbetween before moving on to week 2. The best bit is without completing each day you cant unlock the next day which spurs you on. It reminds me of my 15 year old days playing Echo The Dolphin on Sega Mega Drive unlocking levels (if you remember this game let me know because no one knows what I am talking about)
I cannot stress enough how difficult I find running and how much this app has helped me this week.
Week Two starts tonight and will let you know once that is completed. It will again begin with a 5 minute warm up followed by 1 1/2 minutes of running and 2 minutes of walking.
Have you tried this app? How did you get on?
LJ xxx
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