Alright ! I'm back - ten days on and I've kept my attempts at running alive. Although, I must admit, I almost went dead on my second day of the Couch to 5K eight week challenge that I've set myself on.
Yes, you read that right - the C25K as its famously / infamously known in the running world.
So here are a few of the things I've been up to :
1: I've earned a batch for exercising all 7 days a week - 😉
2: Attempted not one, but two five kilometre runs and completed them in 43-45 odd minutes
3: Felt nice about reconnecting with my old running motivators on Strava
4: Got back to the Nike Training and the Nike Run Apps - which means I have a more structured warm up and cool down routine
5: I have cleaned up all of my distracting subscriptions on YouTube - which encourages me to focus my screen time only on watching Running Videos - which, I am totally loving, at this point in time !
As important it is to know what is a 'must-do', it should be equally critical to know what is a 'must-not-do':
1: Not Staying Hydrated :
Never step out without the right intake of water - I almost dehydrated myself on my last run by skipping that glass of water before I headed out.
2: Skipping your Warm Ups & Cool Downs :
Lack of time should not be used as an excuse to skip your warm ups - go back to your childhood and reckon the days you've played a sport. Your coach never allowed you to touch that ball / racquet / hockey stick without ensuring your muscles were all warmed up.
Even if you've never played a sport, remember to warm up using the below sequence, starting from your head down to your toes :
1: rotations
2: jumping (well head to toe sequence doesn't obviously apply in the case of jumping)
3: stretching
and for a cool down, slow down for the last five minutes and end with the same stretching routine.
3: An Under-Fuelled Body :
Yoga is probably the only form of exercise that can be done on an empty stomach. All other sport / exercise requires you to eat a healthy snack before you begin to burn those calories.
4: Using only your Nose to Breath In :
Yes, in my last post I remember recommending breathing in through the nose for 3 strides and breathing out through the mouth for 4 strides. That worked, since I was probably just getting started and wasn't in it for the distance. But two 5Ks in the kitty and now I cannot emphasise enough on the importance of using your nose and your mouth to both breathe in and out. It keeps you going longer since you take in more oxygen to your blood cells this way !
5: Bad Form :
Sitting for long hours with a hunched back or being a stomach sleeper resembling the pose of a Spider-Man climb or dragging your feet while running - bad posture has disastrous consequences on our skeletal system.
I haven't really started to take my running so seriously, so as to give importance to form or technique - but my timings and the level of exertion I've felt on running two 5Ks are indicators enough that I should !
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