First Run (for the blog)

I survived.

I actually did a bit more than that. In the heyday of my running, known colloquially as late spring to early summer 2012, I was actually running/jogging/going slowly/runjogging three or four miles without walking breaks regularly. Though I'd given running a shot around the same time every year for a while previously, this was the best I had ever done. I got there mostly by shuffling at a VERY slow pace. When I started again last week, I found myself running faster but taking walking breaks more often, and actually coming in at a faster pace. Today, that broke a little.

I did manage to go the first two miles without a walk break, which was great. But I didn't have much left in the tank after that. I had actually deliberately had a substantial lunch in preparation for the run because I had low energy all morning. I'm happy enough though.

First time recorded on this blog....

2.58 miles in 27 minutes and 33 seconds.

My first mile took 9 minutes, which I was a little surprised by because I got an 8 minute 20 seconds (or so) mile in last week even with a bit of a walk. It's possibly my running app on the phone went a bit wonky but I don't think so. I started nice and strong today but wilted very quickly and my second mile was much slower than my first. The first half of my first mile was far and away the fastest I ran. I have never had a run where my first mile wasn't my fastest. Consider changing that one of my medium term goals.

Speaking of goals, I have a nice set of goals ahead of me. I'm good at the goal setting part, just not so good at the doing the work part.

Short-term: Get stronger with the running and eliminate walking breaks. Faster times would be nice but I just want to develop a base here.

Medium-term: Finish a 5k in less than thirty minutes. I have never done this.

Long-term: Regularly run for longer than 5k, work up pace until 5 miles in 45 minutes is a solid run.

Now, I know I could have longer term goals than that but I think this is a nice set to go with. And I ran today, so that's good. I finished my first two miles today in less than twenty minutes, so we're getting there.

And I haven't had chocolate today either. Rock on.