Week 3, run 3
So I did my third run of week 3 in the couch to 5K this morning. I did my hill run up Mount Eden, and I thought, after the first 90 second run, that I wasn't going to make it. But the 3 minute run went well, and when I got to the second three minute run in the program, I didn't want to stop running, so I didn't -- I extended it out to six minutes.
Why so bad on the 90 second and then okay? I think I was expecting bad, and gave myself what I expected. On the three minute run, it felt bad at first -- pain in my lower calf, foot sore, tired, drained. But I told myself to relax, and let my foot strike be just ... a loose rolling motion, rather than a focused one. I guess I went into my head, rather than into my body, while running, so that I could ignore anything that wasn't actual damage, and focus on getting into the zone.
By the zone, I mean that meditative state that you can get into, where your thoughts drift, and you just kind of feel the rhythm of whatever you are doing, focusing on it without focusing exclusively on it. I get it while swimming, cycling and walking, so I expect it with running (and it seems that my expectations are correct).
I'd talked to another runner on the weekend about how I was looking forward to finishing the C25K, so that I could get into the zone, which the constant switching up doesn't really allow. I trust in the program to build my stamina (and honestly, I feel as though without it, I probably would have gone out too hard, and given up) and give me confidence, but it seems like I also need to trust in my ability to find the zone and sit in it for pleasurable runs.
Six minutes really let me hit the zone. And having hit it, now, I know I can, and can probably hit it even for short runs. Which is nice. I'm pretty confident I could do a full 20-30 minute run now, but I'm going to stick with the C25K for the rest of the nine week program anyway.
In case you're wondering how this confidence I seem to have fits in with the previous whiny post-run Zara ... it's my brain, getting in the way. I knew it was, and I knew I needed to somehow get it out of it's whiny mode, and counting breaths, steps etc wasn't doing it. Telling it to relax and enjoy it apparently was what it needed. Cheer up brain, this isn't hard!
ETA: My entire run was in the rain this morning, which was the first time I've had a rainy run. Note to self: carrying my glasses isn't really helpful, and wearing them was worse than useless. Leave them behind next time.
Why so bad on the 90 second and then okay? I think I was expecting bad, and gave myself what I expected. On the three minute run, it felt bad at first -- pain in my lower calf, foot sore, tired, drained. But I told myself to relax, and let my foot strike be just ... a loose rolling motion, rather than a focused one. I guess I went into my head, rather than into my body, while running, so that I could ignore anything that wasn't actual damage, and focus on getting into the zone.
By the zone, I mean that meditative state that you can get into, where your thoughts drift, and you just kind of feel the rhythm of whatever you are doing, focusing on it without focusing exclusively on it. I get it while swimming, cycling and walking, so I expect it with running (and it seems that my expectations are correct).
I'd talked to another runner on the weekend about how I was looking forward to finishing the C25K, so that I could get into the zone, which the constant switching up doesn't really allow. I trust in the program to build my stamina (and honestly, I feel as though without it, I probably would have gone out too hard, and given up) and give me confidence, but it seems like I also need to trust in my ability to find the zone and sit in it for pleasurable runs.
Six minutes really let me hit the zone. And having hit it, now, I know I can, and can probably hit it even for short runs. Which is nice. I'm pretty confident I could do a full 20-30 minute run now, but I'm going to stick with the C25K for the rest of the nine week program anyway.
In case you're wondering how this confidence I seem to have fits in with the previous whiny post-run Zara ... it's my brain, getting in the way. I knew it was, and I knew I needed to somehow get it out of it's whiny mode, and counting breaths, steps etc wasn't doing it. Telling it to relax and enjoy it apparently was what it needed. Cheer up brain, this isn't hard!
ETA: My entire run was in the rain this morning, which was the first time I've had a rainy run. Note to self: carrying my glasses isn't really helpful, and wearing them was worse than useless. Leave them behind next time.