Running Project: 5k Training Programme Week 8 - Results

Week 8! Can hardly believe I've completed eight weeks of the training programme and still going. I'm so often in the moment of it, especially after the last few draining weeks, I've hardly noticed the achievement over time.

Exploring new routes has led me into the land of the gated community - fencing everywhere.

The big lesson in week 8 is "consistency". I've felt much more in control this week, still tired, but without the wild fluctuations from elation to feeling like the walking dead, with not much in between. In week 8, I stuck to the distances, had a grip on the technology (I'm using walkmeter and had a few false starts) and rest days were rest days.

Typical mansion - big contrast to the Victorian terraces that cover so much of Leicester.

I say rest days - Saturday was a warm sunny day, the first after a fortnight of relentless rain. The world and her husband were out in their gardens with shears, lawn mowers, hedge trimmers and jet washers. I was no different, clearing branches and other debris and hacking down overgrown shrubs and creepers. Sunday, I cleared out the garage.

Having a busy, physical weekend is a measure of how much things have changed in Week 8. Last weekend, I spent Saturday lying down in a darkened room and Sunday looking pale and interesting as I languished on the couch, wondering what had happened to my life.

Even had to break out of the fence at the end of the footpath today.

I enjoyed learning to keep to distance - I'm not a dab hand yet, but I'm much better at turning the meter off and on and at judging distance. I love going in the Botanic Garden, so I learned how to adjust the first part of the route, so I didn't go over distance by taking a turn in the Garden. Although my hip is getting progressively better, I resisted the temptation to run down the long central drop in the Garden, and ended up dreaming about it.

Week 8 Day 1 - Monday Target 3.6 km Actual 4.7 km - couldn't resist the Botanic Garden!

On Wednesday, (probably the best day), to my surprise, I slightly improved my pace by about a minute per km. On all three days, I was concentrating on technique, short strides, even pace, athletic posture, core muscles engaged. I kept my arms in running pose, moving gently backwards and forwards and that seemed to prevent the stiffness I'd been feeling.

When I wasn't focusing on technique, I was making up stories about the people I passed. Several times, the Little Pink Runner has turned into the road ahead of me. She's tiny and she soon pulls away, she always seems to be running at the same pace and never seems to get tired. I passed an older Indian woman on two days, out without a jacket, her hair wrapped, chatting on her phone. I imagined she was popping round the corner to her son's house. We smiled at each other.

Week 8 Day 3 - Wednesday Target 3.6 km Actual 3.33 km (plus about .4 km when walkmeter was stopped).

On Friday, I could feel (and see in the data) the effects of tiredness. I was slightly slower, more out of breath and it felt like more of an effort. I was sore by Friday, but no hip or lower back pain, no ice packs this week and my knees were better. And, in spite of my busy weekend, I had recovered by Monday.

My thoughts have started to turn to what's going to happen when the training programme finishes. I won't have reached my goal by then ("to run"), and on Friday I was thinking what might be a useful next milestone. There's been something about the 5k Training Programme which has created the right balance between spurring me on and letting me find my own way.

Week 8 Day 5 - Friday Target 3.6 km Actual 3.71 km. Finally got control of the Walkmeter and the distance.

So today, having learned the benefits of consistency, I set out with my new target of 4 km. I had decided last week that I was going to move higher intensity sessions to the end of the working week, so I'd planned an easy pace, continuing to explore the new route and estimating that I could get to the next open space at this distance.

Well, it was beautiful out there and having reached the Arboretum, I had to have a look round it and then take the footpath across the golf course to get back (only slightly out of my way and so pretty by Evington Brook) and then, having already covered 5.71 km, I thought I might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb, and went round the Botanic Garden, ended at 7.19 km, very hungry but no aches and pains. Went for a good stretch and something to eat.