Sooooo... I started running on Sunday. 1 minute running, 4 minutes walking - 4 sets of this. Two sets down the trail, two sets back toward my starting place.
That felt good, so I reevaluated my original plan and wrote a post in the forums asking for advice.
I didn't get the kind of advice I was looking for. Even though TKD is the reason I'm running, it's probably better to ask that kind of question in forum on a running website
I ran again the next day, today. I downloaded an app on my phone called RunKeeper and used it on my run. I did the same thing as before. It was just a little bit harder, probably because my muscles were already sort from tkd Saturday, and I have less mucus from the cold I had, so I pushed it a little harder. I forgot to turn back toward home for the 3rd set, so I had to cover extra distance back to my start. The app says I completed the course in 23:01, I ran a total of 1.34 miles, and the first mile of it took 17:11. I like the gps image of where I ran with a red line marking my course. I didn't plan to track distance for a while, but the app makes it easy and it's more accurate than the trail markers, anyway.
My running place is at the park next to my house, so the walk there is my warm up and the walk back is my cool down. The trail is around a man-made lake. There are some elevation changes, it's not all flat. The terrain varies, usually a mix of dirt and gravel - some places small gravel, other places large, sometimes embedded in dirt, sometimes on top. In parts the backyard of houses is right next to the trail and at least one house has a dog. He surprised me today, charging up to the fences and barking, following me along the fence until I passed. The trail is about 4 miles around in a sort of jagged horseshoe shape, so if I want variety I can start from the other side - or take a side path which leads to some school's running track.
I'm trying not to look too far ahead because I'm great at making plans...just not always good at following them. Right now I'm just going to repeat what I did 2 more times. After the next two runs I'll see how I feel with 3 minute walks instead of 4 minute ones. 4 minute breaks feel plenty long, so 3 will push it just a bit. I'll do that for 4 runs. That takes care of the next 6 runs. I guess next step is to research if it's better for me to increase the running or keep decreasing the walking.
Technically I could be pushing harder, however it's important that I begin in a way that is as pleasant as possible so I can be sure I'm changing my opinion about running. If you're going to add an activity regularly, it's best to try to like it. If I hate every moment of it, trust me, I won't being doing it for long.
That felt good, so I reevaluated my original plan and wrote a post in the forums asking for advice.
I didn't get the kind of advice I was looking for. Even though TKD is the reason I'm running, it's probably better to ask that kind of question in forum on a running website
I ran again the next day, today. I downloaded an app on my phone called RunKeeper and used it on my run. I did the same thing as before. It was just a little bit harder, probably because my muscles were already sort from tkd Saturday, and I have less mucus from the cold I had, so I pushed it a little harder. I forgot to turn back toward home for the 3rd set, so I had to cover extra distance back to my start. The app says I completed the course in 23:01, I ran a total of 1.34 miles, and the first mile of it took 17:11. I like the gps image of where I ran with a red line marking my course.
I didn't plan to track distance for a while, but the app makes it easy and it's more accurate than the trail markers, anyway.My running place is at the park next to my house, so the walk there is my warm up and the walk back is my cool down. The trail is around a man-made lake. There are some elevation changes, it's not all flat. The terrain varies, usually a mix of dirt and gravel - some places small gravel, other places large, sometimes embedded in dirt, sometimes on top. In parts the backyard of houses is right next to the trail and at least one house has a dog. He surprised me today, charging up to the fences and barking, following me along the fence until I passed. The trail is about 4 miles around in a sort of jagged horseshoe shape, so if I want variety I can start from the other side - or take a side path which leads to some school's running track.
I'm trying not to look too far ahead because I'm great at making plans...just not always good at following them. Right now I'm just going to repeat what I did 2 more times. After the next two runs I'll see how I feel with 3 minute walks instead of 4 minute ones. 4 minute breaks feel plenty long, so 3 will push it just a bit. I'll do that for 4 runs. That takes care of the next 6 runs. I guess next step is to research if it's better for me to increase the running or keep decreasing the walking.
Technically I could be pushing harder, however it's important that I begin in a way that is as pleasant as possible so I can be sure I'm changing my opinion about running. If you're going to add an activity regularly, it's best to try to like it. If I hate every moment of it, trust me, I won't being doing it for long.