Week 9, Day 1

  40 minutes of exercise: 5 minutes to warm-up, 5 to cool-down and 30 minutes running.

(30 minute run with no walking)

(Monday 8:00am)

Emotions (before):

I slept in again (I am on holidays!) and came to the conclusion that it was too late and therefore too hot to go out to run. Luckily, nature knew I was going to sleep in today, so it cooled the temperature down for me and put on a nice strong breeze so I could do my scheduled session. I slowly got up and out for my very first 30 minute jog that I have ever done in my life. I am very very happy that I did not delay this jog, even by a day.

The run:

I was very determined to jog the full 30 minutes today with no walks (not like last run). So I went at a reasonable jogging pace, slower than my last sessions. I was a little bit worried when the app said "I am going to be quieter today..." as I was thinking, 'Oh no it is just me and the music!' Although this actually made the jog easier as I wasn't hanging out for the 5 minute time prompts.

As I was trying to avoid the sun, I ran up and down a path that was shaded by trees and cooled by the sea breeze. I actually jogged slower than I thought I was going.  I only covered 4.03kms in the 30 minutes at an average pace of 7:30mins/km. Just as I was about to feel a little down about this, the coach reminded me that I had achieved my time goal of jogging for 30 minute. Wow. Who would of thought it - me, jogging for 30 minutes for the first time in my life.

I am now not worried at all that I covered 4kms. I came home completely energised, not exhausted like the last sessions and I was having a conversation from the moment I walked in. This has set up a good foundation for me to begin my journey of building up my pace to be able to reach 5kms in 30 minutes. I know that I can easily and confidently jog for 30 minutes now and this was my goal for this session, not distance and pace.


I was reading over my blogs and giggled at times where I said things like "...I am not sure if I am ready for the 1½ minute runs..." and reflected on how far I have come over the last weeks. I am so proud of myself that I have stuck to my goals, worked towards them and am now planning to advance them even further.

Tips for next time:

• As you are learning to jog, it is about completing time goals. Pace and distance aspirations (that is, the 5kms in half an hour) give you something to strive for and to motivate you after you have achieved the 30 minute time goal.