I am not foolish enough this time to personally commit to walking EVERY day for 6 months... and dismally fall short by Day 56. As I did last time. Mind you... In hindsight ...writing a daily blog DID inspire me to walk every day for 56 days so it wan't too much of a failure. Unless you count the 310 other days of the year in which I chose NOT to walk.
I'm sure I carted mulch... danced about for children... walked up stairs instead of elevators ... carried shopping or other incidentary 'exercise' those days. But when the local girls gear up and dash off for boxing classes, running and 'circuit' training ... gardening sounds a tad weak. I agree.
So. A new year and a new incentive.
A heart monitor watch which tells you ALL sorts of info
and
"Robert"..
HIring Robert required me to buy a Ipod Nano and then sit in front of a computer for 3 hours mastering the tricks of downloading Podcasts, setting up playlists, and working out how to transfer 'him' to the gadget.
Robert is one voice among many on the website C25K. Which means Couch to 5 K running!!
http://www.ullreys.com/robert/Podcasts/page4/files/category-7.html
The plan is to have the listener 'running' by week nine. That's if the listener runs.
I geared up as soon as the Nano was in order... packed the water ... ventolin (just in case) ... Phone (in case)... cloth (for the perspiration) and excitedly parked in a less hilly area.
Watch strapped on ... mini backpack on ... Nano clipped on... GO!
"This is Robert... walk at a brisk pace for five minutes ... swing your arms and warm up your body... I will let you know when your 60second run begins... "
The shock of being blasted by some techno music abated and I fell into a fast rhythm down hill and round the corner... but there was mild anxiety when I saw a hill up yonder and had no idea whether my five minutes would get me UP the hill or whether I was meant to break into a Robert-inspired run half way up.
I turned the corner ... "You are nearing your 60second run ... GO ... you can do it!" I actually panicked and began running - and I CAN'T run!!! Too many things jiggle ... but his voice in my ear urged me on. "Only 20seconds to go"! "Yes... you did it".. "Only 6 more run sessions to go!"
SHIT.
I had to calm down. Breathe deeply. I had spent $180.00 on this Nano. I had to forge onwards. In the midst of one of my "runs" - which now I had transformed into a "speed walk" - Robert went silent! I had somehow unplugged him and my heart rate increased as I didn't want to "run' one second longer than instructed!! So diddling around with the bloody plug in 'cost' me some of my slow time!!!
So the jist of this training is 'interval speed' .... run for 60seconds... walk briskly (his word) for 90seconds... all for a period of 25 minutes.
So, when 'Robert' congratulated me for a job well done, I found myself some distance from the car. I used the return journey to 'cool down' , with Robert unplugged.
I really don't like "Robert" that much ... but he DID push me ...
And when he says "RUN" ... I can go "yeah, yeah... running" ... while I sit and drink my water.
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