Week 7, Day 1

  35 minutes of exercise: 5 minutes to warm-up, 5 to cool-down and 25 minutes running.

(25 minute run with no walking)

(Tuesday 7:30am)

Happy New Year!

Emotions (before):

What a great position to be in to start the new year: being able to jog for 25 minutes straight! I skipped Monday's scheduled run as I was still a little tired from the festivities of new year's eve. I was nearly going to skip today's run, but my boyfriend was asking "What time are you going for your jog?" and I felt a little embarrassed to say I was thinking of skipping another day. What a very lazy frame of mind I was in to start the year!

I was a little nervous about the length of jogging time, even though I did it a couple of days ago. Knowing there is no interval training this week, just a straight jog, is daunting. 

The run:

My first half was really good. I was jogging a little quicker than last week and I was enjoying the exercise. At exactly the half way mark, as I heard her announce it was time to turn back home, my body decided it wanted to go to the bathroom. I believe it was both physical and psychological. My body was trying anything to get out of the last 12 and a bit minutes and was putting on a fight via my tummy. 

So my pace for the next half slowed right down and it was a battle to tell my body "You don't really need to go," or "The faster you go, the quicker we will get home," or even, "For goodness sake, just go if you really have to!" (note, I didn't!).

Although, I did slow to a walk for 30 seconds (just before the last 5 minute mark) to try and alleviate the aching. Out of this run though, I can see my body is quickly responding to the new time frame and I know it will get easier.

I covered 3.74kms (in the 25 minute jog) at an average pace of 6:55mins/km. My first 10 minutes was at an average pace of 6:27mins/km. I was a little disappointed I didn't finish at my starting point. Oh well, I always have the next session to try again :).

Tips for next run:

• Ensure your posture is correct during your run. To help, pretend someone is pulling your head up towards the sky. This may assist in straightening up your neck and back.
• Go to the bathroom before you exercise. Your body will look for any excuse to get out of finishing the jogs.