Couch to 10km : A training plan

Image from here

The past three weeks have been eventful. Left a job. Started a new one. Went to Knysna. Ate well. Ate too much. Been plagued with almost daily headaches. 

The new job has been a catalyst - I'm happier (loving work), have a shorter daily commute and the change has generally been brilliant. Knysna was delightful - spending my days eating, drinking and feasting with wonderful people always would be - however I've returned feeling pretty gross. There's no other word for it, really. A culmination of days (weeks, months?) of a rather indulgent lifestyle has take its toll. 

I have a feeling I'm after. In my head (and now, out loud) I say I want to be a 'Wellness Warehouse' person. You know the type - the one who buys goji berries and hemp seeds, organic coconut oil and freeze-dried blueberries. The one who comes out of a yoga class glowing with health. Rosy cheeks, great skin and perfectly healthy. Not skinny, not fat - just healthy. 

That's really all I'm after - I want to feel healthy. 

(Goji berries and hemp seeds are optional.)

So, changes abound. The lovely man and I have signed up for the Gun Run 10km, happening on 12 October 2014 - exactly 12 weeks from this coming Sunday. We started jogging earlier this year and worked up to a 5km run - but with winter setting in and jogging in the dark not really an option for me, we've been still. Very, very still.

We started again on Tuesday - a modest 2.01km, jogging-walking-moving, in 21 min 20 sec. I'm using Endomondo on my phone to track my progress - loving it so far.  It's a start. This is the training plan we're going to be following - if you also want to get moving : 

Week 1

Day 1 – Run 1 min, Walk 2 min, x8 (repeat 8 times)

Day 2 – Run 1 min, Walk 2 min, x6

Day 3 – Run 1 min, Walk 2 min, x10

Week 2

Day 1 – Run 2 min, Walk 2 min, x7

Day 2 – Run 2 min, Walk 2 min, x6

Day 3 – Run 2 min, Walk 2 min, x8

Week 3

Day 1 – Run 3 min, Walk 2 min, x6

Day 2 - Run 3 min, Walk 2 min, x5

Day 3 - Run 3 min, Walk 2 min, x7

Week 4

Day 1 - Run 5 min, Walk 3 min, x4

Day 2 - Run 5 min, Walk 2 min, x3

Day 3 - Run 5 min, Walk 3 min, x5

Week 5

Day 1 – Run 3 min, Walk 2 min, x6

Day 2 - Run 3 min, Walk 2 min, x5

Day 3 - Run 5 min, Walk 3 min, x4

Week 6
Day 1 - Run 8 min, Walk 3 min, x3

Day 2 - Run 7 min, Walk 2 min, x3

Day 3 - Run 8 min, Walk 3 min, x3

Week 7

Day 1 - Run 9 min, Walk 3 min, x3

Day 2 - Run 8 min, Walk 2 min, x3

Day 3 - Run 10 min, Walk 3 min, x3

Week 8

Day 1 - Run 15 min, Walk 5 min, x2

Day 2 - Run 15 min, Walk 5 min, Run 10 min

Day 3 - Run 20 min, Walk 5 min, Run 15 min

Week 9
Day 1 - Run 10min, Walk 3min, Run 16min

Day 2 - Run 15 min, Walk 5 min, Run 10 min

Day 3 - Run 15 min, Walk 5 min, x2

Week 10

Day 1 - Run 20min, Walk 2min, Run 20min

Day 2 - Run 25min

Day 3 - Run 40min

Week 11
Day 1 - Run 45min

Day 2 - Run 25min

Day 3 - Run 50min

Week 12

Day 1 - Run 40min

Day 2 - Run 30min

Event Day - Run 10K

Another change catalyst was a rather innocent email from TedxCapeTown  about their Cape Town Vegan Challenge - running from 28 July  -17 August, we won't be eating any animal products over those three weeks. Who knows how I'll feel after that - all I do know is that I need to, somehow, find that feeling I'm after - and it might take a drastic change. Who knows, I might even start yoga.

I'm trying. I'm not perfect. I might fail. But, hopefully I'll end up with a better, healthier me along the way.