Jantastic statistics etc etc blah blah blah. I can’t figure out what it all means. But numbers aside, Jantastic has really motivated me to set targets for running. I’ve done well with the three runs a week (once or twice life has simply got in the way, as it does). Not so great with the distances – I failed to make the 10k I planned at the end of February. And as for the precise pace, I’ve been rubbish so far. I’ve managed to achieve the target distance but too slow, and the target pace but not far enough.
I also ran a blinder at Parkrun on Saturday, paced by a little girl of about five who ran the first lap with her dad. I wasn’t going to let her get away, which set me up nicely for an average pace of 10:16/mile, which is over a minute faster than I usually run. Crossing the park to the finish, I heard someone coming up behind me so legged it to the line and got a big amused cheer from the crowd, which set me up for the day. Examining the photos later, I notice that the guy I beat to the line was about ten years older than me and had a bandage on each knee. Yay, go me!
Even though the Jantastic percentages mean nothing to me, I appreciate the motivation, and am trying to think how to carry that through into the rest of the year. Any ideas?
I have no idea what the percentages mean either, and totally agree that (tho I didn’t expect it to) Jantastic has really motivated me to keep going and try to hit my goals (even tho I’ve failed a couple of times due to plague).
It certainly helped me push my distance a bit longer and manage 3.5 miles without walking (before I came down with a nasty plague which has reduced my running stamina down to just over a mile *sadface*).
I’ve also been thinking about what to do when Jantastic finishes this month. It kinda feels like it needs to be a year long thing, or that there should be something else out there in the world that lets a group of people set goals appropriate to their fitness level and lifestyle and then record how they do against those things.
Short of that already existing in the world, or being able to design and build it in two weeks (highly unlikely), I wonder if posting our goals somehow (on the twitters/our blog/whatever) and then updating that each week is a stop gap?
Well, on Sunday I ran 4k without stopping for the first time in my entire life. I’ve been steadily improving over the last month or so. Who knows why. But today, all set for treadmill-then-body-balance, I noticed my knee going ‘clunk’ on the school run. It doesn’t hurt, but it doesn’t feel good (and you can feel it from the outside, what is that all about?). I tried the treadmill but it wasn’t nice so I hopped on a bike but my heart wasn’t in it so I just came home 🙁 Not sure what to do next, any brilliant ideas whether that is something that will just fix itself or do I need to see somebody?
Enter a race. It doesn’t have to be a long race or a big race, but having something to train towards makes a *massive* difference to your training. Well, it does for me, anyway. Pick a 10km near you in the late summer – perhaps a few of you – and get yourself a training programme and set your sights on something. I’ll come and do it with you, if you like?
You’re doing brilliantly, by the way. I see your updates on runkeeper and I get a little kick from every milestone that you hit.
Or join a club. They’re not at all scary and will definitely have people of around about your pace who will become firm running buddies who will inspire you to more than you ever thought you were capable of.
I run with SRC (out of sweatshop): it’s completely free and it’s been brilliant for me.
After this I’ll shut up… but have a look at Virtual Runner.
http://www.virtualrunneruk.com/about
Susan is in my running club and this is a great way of setting yourself a target to train for, running the race on your own terms and without any of the hassle or stress of a big race. Something to think about, maybe.
You don’t need to shut up! You’re like the wise old geezer of our virtual running club. I actually did a virtual 5k last year when I think virtualrunneruk.com was in its early days (maybe).
We can keep on posting our targets here, if people want to.
I was going to go for a long run today, but then I landed a new client and went to earn some money instead. It has completely messed up my running week, but a self-employed person’s gotta do what a self-employed person’s gotta do.
I’ve been dragging the left side of my body all day today and still – probably stupidly – hauled my sorry arse out for a very, very slow 10 miler. It’s the Reading half marathon on Sunday, although these days that counts as a light run of only 13.1 miles when otherwise I’d be doing about 18. Marathon training is very, very time consuming and, although I’m sort of looking forward to the run itself, I’m also very much looking forward to dropping my miles back towards normal and having time for other things in my life.
*Now* you tell me you’re running the Reading Half? I shall see you at the start, then. Which makes it sound as though I’ll be running, but actually I’m marshalling for a local charity (BIBS) and we’ve been allocated the car park section, I think. Massive good luck!
ah. Yes. Sorry. We’ll be there in our blue MS Trust vests. Be sure to grab me if you see me
Tim.
Will you be wearing a funny wig?
Blue tutu, maybe. Wig, probably not.