Emi inspired running/workout

[Minyalos]

Ugh... I was way too optimistic and thought I'm in better shape than I really am, so today was hell. I couldn't even finish day 1! Well, I'll try again on sunday and work my way up from there.

[Althamus]

Ugh... I was way too optimistic and thought I'm in better shape than I really am, so today was hell. I couldn't even finish day 1! Well, I'll try again on sunday and work my way up from there.

Don't worry about it ^_^ If you check my sig, you'll see I tried week 1 and failed, next week I did week 1 but really really struggled, week 3, I did week 1 again and am doing it no problem

If at first...

[hyugafan]

Week 1, day 3.

I almost quit this morning. I woke up at 8 for my run, and couldn't get out of bed. My legs were set in stone and were made of some burning material, and moving them an inch was hell. Anyone here knows how soreness is a motivation killer. so I did the human thing and rolled over, set my alarm for another hour, and told myself ''you know what, I'll just skip today's run.'' Then I had a pretty vivid dream.

I was running on a track. I had a number card plastered to my chest that said ''Hyugafan, men's 5k. runner 120021''. I stopped running when I realized where I was. some runners without faces past me by. then I heard the familiar noise of prosthetics hitting the concrete (emirunning.mp3). ''Hey! Hyugafan! did you cramp? I'll walk with you a little! After all, I can catch up to these losers any day!''. It was emi. telling me to take it easy. So I just started walking. to the side of the track. ''Yeah. I'm a loser. I can't run. sorry emi.''. Then she grabbed my arm and told me not to stop. I don't really remember what I said or did, but I remember walking towards the side of the track anyway. as soon as my foot hit the grass, I felt myself fall backwards. Fade to black. next thing I know, I'm on all fours, naked, feet and hands bound, and I'm looking at emi, in full track gear, sitting on a chair. she's changing one of her prosthetics. her normally curved prosthetic leg is changed by a long, conical steel thing. She looks up. ''oh, you're awake. I'll show you what quitters get on my track.''. she then pulls out a small yellow bottle and starts pouring its contents on her conical prosthetic. Then, she looks at me like a yandere looks at her cheating love interest. ''I hope you enjoy citrus.''

I jerk awake.

My clock says 11:32. I get up wordlessly and ignore the pain in my legs. Dress up, pick up Ipod and chronometer, running playlist, open door, close door, walk, run, walk, run, etc.

I just got back. my body is killing me. but i'm proud of myself. thank you, emi. thank you guys. I'm going to start week 1 again, next week. I don't think I'm ready for week two yet. Good luck to all beginners. remember: don't let Emi down!

[NoOne3]

Can someone tell me how they managed on the third day of week 5?

I can tell:
I didn't.

Dropped out after 12min today, and walk the rest slowly, huffing and puffing.
Still, I can see a slight progress. Will redo week 5 starting monday.
Let me maybe two more weeks, and I'll manage.

[Mirrormn]

I'm going to start week 1 again, next week. I don't think I'm ready for week two yet. Good luck to all beginners. remember: don't let Emi down!

No, keep going! Unless you actually fail to accomplish a day's schedule, or you have some kind of objective extenuating circumstances (e.g. you get sick, sprain an ankle, etc.), I think you should always keep pushing yourself to do more. It's the only way to make progress.

As a side note, I really don't like running in the mornings. I'm very much not a morning person, and I usually don't feel like I'm at the peak of my daily energy until the late afternoon/evening. So that's when I run. If you're the same way (which it sounds like you might be based on your morning behavior), you might try changing the time of your run to help out your motivation.

[Tomate]

Can someone tell me how they managed on the third day of week 5?

I can tell:
I didn't.

Dropped out after 12min today, and walk the rest slowly, huffing and puffing.
Still, I can see a slight progress. Will redo week 5 starting monday.
Let me maybe two more weeks, and I'll manage.

Try running with music, when I'm running without music my mind tend to focus on the pain in my legs, the distance or the time left. But when I'm listening to music I tend to focus and the music, its way easier. I did the 21 minutes easily with Led Zeppelin.

[MoogleDee]

re: running in the mornings~
I try to run in the mornings when I can because I generally like the morning people I meet and often wave to them since most of them are other runners or dog-walkers. That, and it's cooler in the mornings. It's nice being able to run and have the air around you help to cool you down.

To the new runners: you're doing great! Stick to the plan as close as you can. As was said earlier, if you need to repeat a week it's no big deal but ideally you should go for it. If I can offer any piece of advice to everyone, have fun with it. This program is honestly a lot easier if you're enjoying yourself. To that end, you can join some of us in the Katawa Shoujo Fitocracy group. It literally turns your exercise into a game. Jooooiiinnnn ussssss...

Just remember! If it's getting really hard or if you think you're not doing well you did get out there and make the attempt. That in itself makes you awesome.

[Kilo]

Can someone tell me how they managed on the third day of week 5?

I can tell:
I didn't.

Dropped out after 12min today, and walk the rest slowly, huffing and puffing.
Still, I can see a slight progress. Will redo week 5 starting monday.
Let me maybe two more weeks, and I'll manage.

Oh god.
It's going to be now, and it's going to be right now.
Luckily there are some people playing soccer at the place where I run. I won't back down now, I won't back down now
Waiting restlessly for them to leave.
Or am I?

Early edit: Some of the players are my friends. They usually play this "National Game" thingy (which the British invented anyway, and our country team has been performing pretty badly at it for a team that brags all the time that we're the best. I think it's the result of the 50's industrialization process. Development kills. ) for 3 hours straight, so I think I'll run around the building's yard. Wish me luck!

Good luck! I'd be interested to hear how that goes. I have been looking at that square on the chart with some apprehension, but I'll trust that the previous squares will build me up to it.

Thanks man =D

Waaah, I'll be going now. The more I wait the more I suffer. I just need to find a proper clock, been counting my time on my mind since the beggining. (It works, it actually works! I counted my pace once, and I was 4 seconds away from a random clock on the wall.) I usually count it like this:
90+90= 3 minutes
90+90+90+30= 5 minutes

And so on... But I think that's impossible to do 21 times.

[Althamus]

No, keep going! Unless you actually fail to accomplish a day's schedule, or you have some kind of objective extenuating circumstances (e.g. you get sick, sprain an ankle, etc.), I think you should always keep pushing yourself to do more. It's the only way to make progress.

As a side note, I really don't like running in the mornings. I'm very much not a morning person, and I usually don't feel like I'm at the peak of my daily energy until the late afternoon/evening. So that's when I run. If you're the same way (which it sounds like you might be based on your morning behavior), you might try changing the time of your run to help out your motivation.

+1
If you repeat a week until you become able to do it without a problem, you'll have to repeat it maybe 5-8 times or something dumb. If you are able to push on and go for the next weeks, in maybe 2-3 weeks, if you were to go back, it would be easy.
Unless you are REALLY unable to move on, do try and push onwards ^_^

That having been said, I've not done my exercises today Came down with teh illness yesterday, and am feeling really groggy today. I'm a mile better than yesterday though, so I -am- going to do today's exercises tomorrow, come hell or highwater. It's still the same week, it still counts!

Also, hyugafan, you have weird dreams O_o Although they helped you to keep running, so it sounds cool to me

[Kilo]

I made it! I freaking made it! =D

Nothing new to report, though. I thought I would come home carrying all sorts of stories (e.g. "My knee was sore") but it kind of went smoothly.

[Althamus]

WOohoo

Firstly, thanks very much to MoogleDee for recommending Fitocracy. It is an awesome website which really makes me feel more motivated about exercise. I'd recommend anyone who's having motivation issues have a look at it (and anyone else as well for that matter).

Also, feeling a bit less ill today, so decided to push on (haha) and do my pushups today.
22/30/20/20/28+ --> 22/30/20/20/24

Pretty pleased with myself, I figure that's close enough. I reckon I'm ready to move onto the next week now

Also, figured that I'm doing arm exercises, but could be doing other exercises as well, so figured I'd try the 200 situp test as well. Just cos.
Initial test was 30, but I was sure I could do more than that previously. I might just stick with that as my initial test though, and blaze through the first couple of weeks without a problem, rather than push myself to the limit, and end up having problems adjusting to the first week like I did with my pushups.

Hoping in a few weeks time or something that I can also start EC25K as well

[Walrusfella]

I made it! I freaking made it! =D

Nothing new to report, though. I thought I would come home carrying all sorts of stories (e.g. "My knee was sore") but it kind of went smoothly.

Wooo!!! That's awesome, good on you.

Thanks for pointing out the KS Fitocracy group, MoogleDee - that looks like a handy thing if I can get the hang of using it.

I run in the evenings, just before sunset (8:00 pm where I am at this time of year). I would have a much harder time doing it in the mornings before work. Also, there are fewer people around the track late in the evening, which is nice.

[completesky]

By the end of this week I shall be half way through the Bridge to 10K program.

Is there anything to do after it is finished?

[NoOne3]

Try running with music, when I'm running without music my mind tend to focus on the pain in my legs, the distance or the time left. But when I'm listening to music I tend to focus and the music, its way easier. I did the 21 minutes easily with Led Zeppelin.

Had my music with me, sure enough (some Led too). Still even heavy metal version of Eye of the Tiger sung by Freddy Mercury (God rest his soul) while high on speed wouldn't help me much. Too low lungs efficiency I guess, I started seing dark, and I'm not motivated enough to pass out on the track voluntary. Emi wouldn't approve.
Still 12 min is my new life record, and looking back I see the potential is there. I struggled with 8min runs as well, and now I can do those - with some sweat, but staying on my feet.
I will get there, and I'm not in a hurry.

Oh, and congratulations, Kilo.

[Eclipse]

Anyway, I'll be following this thread at the time while I set-up for this workout.