Keep on running....

*wonder how many run related blog titles I can come up with before having to reuse some*..... anyway - Hello! its me again. The runner. The person who runs. For fun. Today I did W1.3 (see - I'm learning the correct terminology for the sessions now as well) and that's me completed week 1 with a smile on my face. I'm still both amazed and delighted at how much I enjoyed it this week . A little recap - this first weeks program was 60 seconds of running and 90 seconds of brisk walking for 20 mins, which in total was 8 mini runs and 8 mins of running. Next week its 90 second runs with 2m walking intervals again for a total of 20 mins (and add the usual 5 min warm up and cool down walks), so that's going to be 6 mini runs for a total of 9 mins, only 1 min more than this week BUT the mini runs are 50% longer - and there are 2 less. I'm glad the recovery interval is a bit longer too!

I didn't wake up immobile and aching on Wednesday morning, I could feel it but not as much as I thought I would. And today I feel great after the run. My legs actually feel thinner, leaner, more toned!! No kidding!! Seriously - they do feel like there is 'less' of them. And the same for my bottom. I will have a bum like Pippa Middleton in no time..... (I wish).

I spent a bit of time investigating some kit to track my runs - its not so much the route but the distance and speed and how many calories I burn that I want to know. There are a lot of apps for android, some of them free - but all of them obviously requiring me to run with my phone, which I'm not actually keen on doing, because its a bit rubbish anyway now and taking it running would probably finish it off, and I doubt it would fit in my bra along side the ipod.... Other options were wrist GPS devices - Pete has one of those, he is a serious runner and likes to know distance, route mapped, calories, times, the price of cheese etc. I don't think I really need to get one. He did offer me a lend of his but seriously it would be easier to strap a half brick to your arm and run, it's kinda chunky!! My iPod has a built in pedometer, which is always switched on, and records all the steps I take when Im wearing it. I synced it with Nike + active accidentally while downloading some new C25K podcasts from iTunes (NHS ones  - very good!) and found out about a device called Nike+ which works with a little transmitter you wear in your shoe. Apparently on iPod touches this is already built in (I guess they have wireless capabilities and some are GPS enabled?) - but on my little nano you need to buy a small plug in unit with the shoe transmitter and hey presto you have a handy little tool to do exactly what I wanted it to do. £18 from Amazon - not free but not oodles more pounds either. And I don't need to carry anything extra with me as its my iPod - already part of my essential running kit - that does the job. I also invested in a little strap thing that attaches the tracker bit to your shoe - my Nikes are not Nike+ shoes - but they don't have to be with this strap - a couple of pounds for that. And then I noticed an arm band holder for the nano....  so yes I got that as well. In my defence, it did get kinda hot last time I was running and - well ladies don't sweat obviously *cough* - but I was a tad concerned about the iPod getting a bit damp shoved inside my bra.... And its got a handy key pocket - so no need for the lariat any more. Sold to the lady in the black and pink trainers...

I know what you are thinking - 'if she gives it all up next week that's a fair bit of money wasted on something that was supposed to be cost free....' and I agree - but I have kept expenditure to a minimum for just that reason. I'm not intending to give up any time soon - my challenge is to complete the c25k program. It might take me longer than 9 weeks, that's ok - I can repeat a week here and there if I feel its necessary (for instance after my week cruising the Med with all inclusive food and drinkies..... oh dear....). However I am sticking with it for the duration of this program at least. And once that's done - I WILL be able to RUN. And I can choose how long, and how often to do so. The Nike+ wont come in wrong as you can use it for walking too. My runners I adore, and want to wear all the time. I haven't bought any special clothing (yet eeek!) The arm band may be the only thing that becomes pointless if I decide I'm not going to run any more after I finish the program. And for £10 I'm not going to moan, it will have been worth it!

So - no excuses, no drop outs, no 'putting it off' - just do it. As my new friends at Nike.com say....