5x50 and a Jogging Plan

Last year I decided to learn to run, this was for numerous reasons
1) I could not run properly and looked like an injured penguin when I tried
2) I want to be a good role model for my little girl and not a sports day embarrassment, and
3) I needed a way to get fit that was cheap and would fit in my lunch break.

So I signed up for the 5x50 challenge, 5Km a day for 50 days; the site includes walking, cycling, swimming or even 30 minutes of exercise. This is a great event with the £5 entry going to sport relief and a fantastic and supportive network. I had to record my details each day which spurred me on to do it and keep it up. I set my own challenge which was only jogging or going for a walk, with the intention of doing more jogging than walking over the course of the challenge. I also made sure that my walks were an actual walk and not just part of my daily routine. I did log my walking from my pedometer as well separate to the 5km.

To get myself to the stage where I could jog 5Km I used the NHS couch to 5Km podcasts. I found this a great way to get up to the distance and it is a fantastic free resource. It was not easy and there were days that I cursed the woman talking on the podcast (Laura). Saying that it was oddly reassuring having her talking me through it.

Having managed to complete my 50 days with 30 jogs and 20 walks last year I am eager to do better this year. I also want to get my 5km time down to less than 30 minutes. The challenge starts in March so I need to get jogging again. I have let things slide in the winter so it is back to the podcasts to get me ready. I am getting over a cold so I am starting at the beginning again, my first jog was far better than last year so I am hoping to do less runs in the early part of the couch to 5km and get onto the longer runs for preparation. Excitingly this year I have friends in other places doing it as well so I have them to keep me going and share the pain.