30 June 2022
The day after posting last month’s update, I ran 5K, or rather I miscalculated and ran just short of 6K. I’ve run the distance 3 further times during June and, assuming the threatened thunderstorm doesn’t happen, aim to do it again tonight. The run takes me about 31 1/2 minutes but my aim isn’t to beat a notional time, just to get my legs used to running the distance. Normally, I keep going past the 5K mark to try and build stamina. As I’ve said somewhere before, my longer-term aim is to get used to running 10k again. I used to do that 3 times a week, but I am a long way away from being able to do that again.
Two or three times a week, I also run round our local hill. It is an undulating course on mixed surfaces, and the 3.5K distance generally takes me around 23 minutes. It breaks down into measurable segments that I’m tracking on a spreadsheet. The most difficult segment is the first 3.5 to 4 minutes that are all uphill. For the first time this week I jogged that whole segment without stopping to walk and wheeze: by ‘jogged’ I mean a kind of agitated walk, but the fact that I did it at all is progress.
I mentioned last month that I was trying to focus on a systems approach to weight-loss and I’ve taken that a bit further. Usually, I weigh myself after I get up. Naturally this is a fluctuating figure depending on day to day factors. The fluctuations are why it is generally recommended that you should not weigh yourself daily. However, I note each day’s weight on a spreadsheet and this month I began to track running 7-day mean and median figures and these are much more linear in a downwards direction. As of this morning I was 1.7Kg down on 31 May, and that’s steady – and sustainable – progress.
My aim for July is to do more of the same. I’d like to think that during the coming month the 32″ waist jeans I’m wearing can be changed for a pair of 30″ waist jeans in time for holidays – I’m almost there. One thing I haven’t done yet is to pick up resistance work, including swimming. It’s on my radar but I haven’t got a firm plan. As regards running, again more of the same: build up muscle memory and stamina and slowly extend my weekly long run by a kilometre or so.
More generally, I feel a great deal better than I did last year: aside from being lighter on my feet and fitter, I’m sleeping better, eating better, and generally all-round happier.
ADDED
A successful 5K tonight. I plotted out the route beforehand and the splits were 2K: 12’32.41″ ; 4K: 24’30.35″ and 5K: 30’36.95″ I then walked/jogged the remaining 1.5K back to the house (uphill) in a lazy 11’23”. Happy with that.
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