Podrunner Week 1 - Run # 1

Ok, so besides all the financial goals I've also been working on some fitness goals. And much like the financial goal, the fitness goal has had its share of stops, starts, breaks, hurdles, mountains, illness, injury, and etc. I have been discouraged, given up, restarted, given up, remotivated, restarted, given up, and once again been remotivated.

I hate that I can't make a permanent commitment to a regimen of exercise and eating right....but even semi permanent is better than nothing at all...right? Well, I say it is, so I'll embrace all my false starts, chalk it all up to learning what works for me and continue on my merry way!

So, my latest foray into fitness has been taking advantage of the warm weather and walking the dogs more regularly, but I'm kicking that up to actual jogging. I've tried it before and never could work past the pain and strain of running. This time, I'm determined to find a better, more gradual way. PODRUNNER INTERVALS!

So what is PODRUNNER INTERVALS?

Well, it is a music mix, with pre determined beat changes to correspond to increasing and decreasing activity levels. Basically, the interval I am using is called First Day to 5K otherwise known as Couch to 5K (ha ha). It gradually moves you from intervals of jogging and walking into a full 30 minute run (5k).

You use each week's mix 3 times that week, then move on. You can move on at your own pace, but ideally within 9 weeks you'll be ready for a 5k run.

I originally read about the Couch to 5K on Lifehacker. Then again I saw that Pasta Queen was using it to get back into her running routine...so I decided to give it a try.

I started with Week 1 on July 2nd...ugh I ended up missing the last running interval. I'm so WEAK! I think it is because I first walked the dogs two miles, then headed out on my interval....bad idea.

I ran Week 1 again on Sunday and made it all the way through! THEN walked the dogs!

I plan to run Week 1 again tonight, then walk the dogs again to cool down and stretch. This seemed to work in my shin splints favor last time...yeah! I hate shin splints...I stretch and ice and stretch and I still get them mostly in my left shin which is weird. I think I have one leg shorter than the other or something.

Anyhow, Podrunner Week 1 is this:

20 minutes from 128 to 142 BPM

BPM CHART:
5-minute warmup @ 128 BPM
60 seconds @ 142 BPM
90 seconds @ 128 BPM
60 seconds @ 142 BPM
90 seconds @ 128 BPM
60 seconds @ 142 BPM
95 seconds @ 128 BPM
65 seconds @ 142 BPM
95 seconds @ 128 BPM
65 seconds @ 142 BPM
90 seconds @ 128 BPM
65 seconds @ 142 BPM
90 seconds @ 128 BPM
60 seconds @ 142 BPM
95 seconds @ 128 BPM
65 seconds @ 142 BPM
3-minute cooldown @ 128 BPM


Off I go!