C25K week 6 round up

Mud mud mud mud mud mud

Let's talk about mud. Love it or hate it we've certainly had our share of it!

It makes even the short intervals of running feel harder than they have any right to be. Then there's the washing! It gets everywhere, "how did I get mud on my chin?!"

And those lovely new, shiny running shoes will never really be clean again.

Next time you're struggling through deep mud cursing under your breath about how hard it is, try to look at the positives. The extra muscles you are using to keep you upright are making you stronger and improving your balance. It's not just your calves and quadriceps that are getting a workout but also those smaller muscles in your feet and legs. Off road running brings challenges that will make you a better, stronger runner.

The best thing is though, that when it eventually does dry up, you are going to fly along!

So learn to love the mud, and remember that some people pay a lot of money to do this, you're getting it for free!

Get stretched

Now that you are increasing the distance you are running it is even more important to do your stretching. You should to try to make it part of your routine.

We are separating more each session where some of you speedy people are able to cover more distance during the run intervals. So if you get to the finish everyone has finished, gather in our usual stop and start your stretching. You can do it in a group to help each other remember all the different stretches.

Here is a reminder of at least some of the stretches we do:
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/how-to-stretch-after-a-run.aspx

Or if you want a few new ones:
http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/staying-healthy/the-rw-complete-guide-to-stretching-for-runners/484.html

Session 6

What we did:

5 minute brisk walking with swinging arms
(run 7 minutes + walk 3 minutes) x 2 + run 5 minutes (25 minutes)

Session 7

Next session we will be doing:

5 minute brisk walking with swinging arms
(run 9 minutes + walk 2 minutes) x 2 + run 5 minutes (25 minutes)

Homework

Don't forget to get a few sessions in during the week. You might even notice how much easier it feels without the mud!

Register

We'll meet again at 8:40 on Saturday. Don't forget to check in with one of us so we can keep a record of who is there for each session.