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[Arx]

Yesterday it occurred to me that two years ago, I was on a boot camp thing in the mountains, at which time I was fit enough to run everywhere, carrying up to about fifteen kilos of equipment. If I tried that stunt today, I'd melt. I don't think I could handle either the load or the mountains at my current fitness level.

So I intend to fix this. Today, I did a benchmark run of roughly a kilometre. In future (viz. starting tomorrow) I'll run further - my usual route is 2.5 or so. Part of the plan here is for that to get longer.

Spoiler: Initial Condition, f(0) (click to show/hide)

Time per kilometre: 4:50
Average speed: 12.4 km/h
Distance: 1.21 km
Net time: 5:51
Weight: 71kg¹.
Overall fitness level: kill me now.

Back when I was unfit but not this unfit, I could make a one kilo benchmark run in 4:20 (#BlazingFast) without actually feeling like I was going to have a heart attack. So we'll set that as goal one. Start easy. Goals moving forward from there will include being able to maintain that time over more than a kilometre.

Why am I posting here? Mainly for accountability. If I have this, I'll be more motivated to actually go out and do it. But also, if anybody has any particular tips I'd appreciate it. I know most of the basic-intermediate running stuff, having run cross country for a few years some time ago, but I might not know something you know, so fire away!

Spoiler: TL;DR (click to show/hide)

¹ But Arx, that's a healthy weight! Yep, and it needs to not go down.

[JimboM12]

Its good you got a workout schedule already set out and keeping up with it is half the battle. The other half is diet and thats where i fail hard.
What i learned, put down any drinks other than water and milk and gradually shrink your portion sizes. Replace fried with grilled and cook your own food instead of eating out.

Edit, i know youre at a healthy weight but this threads going to attract everyone who wants to lose weight and get fit and thats for them.

[Arx]

Spoiler: f(1) (click to show/hide)

Time per kilometre: 5:31
Average speed: 10.8 km/h
Distance: 2.35 km
Net time: 13:01
Overall fitness level: Not actually the worst.

Nothing much to see here. Pace down and times up, but that's because this was nearly twice the distance. I don't expect to see much in the way of change for the first little while, really.

I will run again on Monday morning. I have too much stuff happening on Satuday and Sunday to fit a run in, unfortunately, with the associated cooling off and whatnot. However, I will hopefully run on Tuesday as well. Probably call Wednesday a break day, pick it back up Thursday and Friday. Roughly.

[Arx]

Didn't log today's run, because it was pretty short and I was running with my dog, which makes things a bit more complicated and erratic. However, I did get off my butt and get my heart and lungs moving properly, so it's something.

Tomorrow, I'll do a normal morning run.

[Arx]

I don't have a log of today's run, because I took my dog again. I think he was good enough that I can log my run the next time I take him, without the data being horribly skewed by me having to stop and deal with him.

It was, however, a ~2.1km run which I was probably pacing at maybe 6:10 if you include slowing down and stopping for traffic or to handle the dog.

I'm still horribly unfit, but I think I'm making a tiny bit of progress. All that I really expected. Next run Thursday morning, followed by Friday. I may run on Saturday, too, since I've finished up a contract that had me working on Saturday mornings.

[NRDL]

Gotta love Life Advice fitness threads.  Go Arx!

[Arx]

Gotta love Life Advice fitness threads.  Go Arx!

It does seem to happen a lot, hehe. This is mainly as a motivation for me to get off my posterior, though - which is why in every post, I'm explicitly stating when I'm next going running. It wouldn't actually bother me if no-one ever read the thread, it's just got to exist.

[TheBiggerFish]

Go Arx!

[Arx]

Running today didn't happen, due to an unexpected scheduling change that put me at university a little after 7 AM and back home again a little before 6 PM. I have to study this evening, and I'll be back at varsity early tomorrow, but I maaay be able to run tomorrow evening. Will try to make it work, but I dunno if I'll have time.

Barring that, I'll run on Saturday, though. I don't have anything on that morning.

[NRDL]

*Insert Forrest Gump gif with Arx's face edited on to it*

As a side note, do you listen to music while you run?  I'm always curious as to what other people listen to in order to get their hearts pumping and feet moving.

[Sorg]

What I've noted for myself is I always try to run "in sync" with the music rhythm (bpm). So you could make a playlist with specific songs that are fast enough (or better - a little bit faster) for you. Helps with the progress.

[Arx]

I don't really focus on music if I have it in the background, so I generally just play whatever. I try to avoid Vivaldi, though, since it makes my life feel like something out of a light art film. I do prefer running with music, though.

Spoiler: f(3) (click to show/hide)

Time per kilometre: 5:55
Average speed: 10.1 km/h
Distance: 2.37 km
Net time: 14:04
Overall fitness level: Kill me now.
Headwind level: Sure, I'll get right on that.

Running with a Cape Town headwind is not fun. As much as 37km/h, although I'd peg it as closer to 15-20 most of the time I was running. That's probably the main contributor to my pace drop here.

[NRDL]

Are you using a fitbit to calculate all these times and distances?

[Arx]

Nah, I have a thing on my phone* that tracks my route and figures the numbers from a start/stop. It's basically a high-tech stopwatch and map.

I keep my keys and phone in a small pouch. Used to be an arm pouch, but onward march of technology means my phone is now too big for that and it now has to be a wasit pouch.

*App called Runtastic. It's pretty badly hamstrung on the free version, but I don't really care for the pro features anyway.

[Arx]

Today, I could not bring myself to go running because the wind is howling. Instead, I skipped (or jumped rope, if you want to make it sound manly) for fifty steps, which is enough to make my legs feel like rubber. It's not as good as running, but it's something.