The C25K program consists of three workouts per week for nine weeks. I’m off schedule, but this is the results of the workout for week one, day six. No, there is not supposed to be a day six. But, I repeated the level for this week until it was completed successfully. Program: Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. Brisk five-minute cool-down walk. Results: I completed the workout. Finally, I completed it as intended. I managed to run all eight of the sixty second run segments. Compared with the prior run attempts, I concentrated on keeping a slow steady speed and not letting myself run too quickly. My distance was just slightly less than the last workout at 1.60 miles. Overall average was 3.20 mph. My runs were just a little faster than my walks. My heart rate stayed in a good range, moving between zones three and four out of five. I wore my VFFs and Injinji socks on the asphalt path again. Though it was 88F, the humidity was only 58%. It was warm, but manageable. My achilles and calves burned again, but not as much as before. During the walks between the later run segments, I did some quick mini-lunges to stretch the calves a little. I think that helped with the subsequent runs. I had to push it some, but I finally made it through the week one level.

The C25K program consists of three workouts per week for nine weeks. I’m off schedule, but this is the results of the workout for week one, day five. No, there is not supposed to be a day five. But, I will be repeating the level for this week until it is completed successfully. Program: Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. Brisk five-minute cool-down walk. Results: I completed the workout, again not as intended. I completed the first sixty second run, did not complete the next three, and walked the last four. Mileage is still increasing, up to 1.6 for this workout. Some severe thunderstorms went through the area all day and are supposed last well into the night. So, to keep my workout on schedule, I decided to run inside again. I started my warmup on the old, inexpensive treadmill in my basement. Half way through the warmup, I stopped. I was wearing my VFFs and Injinji socks. Perhaps the rubber soles had more traction than my bare feet. I was experiencing a slipping feeling, and a not too subtle one. Perhaps that explains the speed variations I’ve noticed in the past. But, with the belt suddenly slipping and then acting normal again in rapid fashion, it was not safe to continue. So, I aborted the treadmill workout. To keep to my Monday, Wednesday, Friday workout schedule, I still needed to workout today and not postpone it. I called the community RecPlex in the next suburb over. They have an indoor track and had a daily rate. So, I decided to drive through the rain and do my workout on their 1/10 mile Mondo Sportplex Track. The track is on the upper level surrounding the basketball courts. Has anyone said hot air rises? Though in an air conditioned building, it was hot and muggy on the track. The cool air coming in the door dropped right to the courts below. But, that isn’t what made it difficult. With a slight cushion built into the track surface, I was expecting softer landings than I had previously. Maybe that is why I was instead landing harder. Worse still, if you’re not going fast enough, crossing slopes on the cambered corners makes it harder. The shadow lines paralleling the tracklines, cast by the court lights, made tracking difficult also. I finished the first sixty second run and mostly completed the next several. But, I had to walk the remainder. Actually, I should say I limped the remainder. My right calf tightened up and I favored it for a while. Then, the left tightened up more and I limped favoring it instead. I was also unable to maintain a straight course and meandered around the track. I still completed the workout time and had slightly more distance than before. That was a good thing. Still, I hope the next workout is better and that I can get back out on the asphalt path again.

The C25K program consists of three workouts per week for nine weeks. I’m off schedule, but this is the results of the workout for week one, day four. No, there is not supposed to be a day four. But, I will be repeating the level for this week until it is completed successfully. Program: Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. Brisk five-minute cool-down walk. Results: I completed the workout. It was still not quite as prescribed, though it is improving. RunKeeper Free showed the statistics as 1.55 miles with an overall average speed of 3.28 mph. This is slightly faster than the prior workouts average of 3.11, though only 0.01 miles further. The difference is a slightly shorter cool down time. The overall time for this workout was 28:23 compared with the prior 29:34. So, I had a little faster speed, but it lasted a minute less. Overall, the workout is improving. I completed a couple of the sixty second run segments and almost completed three others, ten seconds short twice and five seconds short once. But, if you’re counting, this is three short of the total. I ended up having to skip these. After the third interval, my heart rate had climbed above my max. The Garmin Connect web site calculated my max heart rate (100%) at 185. Near the end of the third run segment, my heart rate had climbed to 191, time to slow down. It took the walk segments and skipped run segments before it calmed down to where I felt comfortable running again. After that, I completed two run segements at a slower pace than the first three. I still did the workout in my Vibram Five Fingers on an asphalt path, this time using the KSOs and some Injinji Performance Crew socks. This helped protect the blisters from the prior workout and prevent new ones. The achilles burn was less this time also. After some posts on the Minimalist Footwear Google Group, I re-reviewed the HOW TO section of the Running Barefoot web site. Between the group feedback and the review, I adjusted my technique. For the run segments, I took much shorter strides, but at a faster cadence and tried to keep my knees bent. I also visualized landing with with more of a flat foot directly under me. This resulted in less achilles burn and more muscle burn. The bent knees got my quads into the act also. Landing with bent knee used the muscles as the spring and made the landings easier and more comfortable. I think I’m on the right track now. Hopefully, after repeating the week one level, I will be ready to move on to week two.

The C25K program consists of three workouts per week for nine weeks. I’m off schedule, but this is the results of the workout for week one, day three. Program: Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. Brisk five-minute cool-down walk. Results: I completed the workout. As with the prior workouts, my pace was slower than prescribed. Other things changed this time also. I was outside instead of on the treadmill. According to RunKeeper Free, the mileage was quite a bit longer at 1.54 miles. But, this wasn’t from running more. I ran less and walked faster. My average speed was at 3.11 mph. My walking speed was about twice as fast as before. But, the runs did not go well this time. As before, I cut the first couple of runs short and resumed walking early. The third run was the last for this workout. With the varying terrain of the path I was following, a run happened to coincide with an uphill slope. Even though it was a gradual slope, trying to run up the slope wiped me out. My breathing and heart rate were fine. But, the achilles burn did not go away this time, though it, too, changed somewhat. Instead of just burning along the achilles tendons, the burns were more in the calf muscles and a little along the shins. I think muscle burns are better than tendon burns. Maybe that part is going in the right direction. It just wasn’t a fun workout today, though it was good getting exercise. Being outside was a nice change and let me compare my response to different surfaces. I started barefoot on the grass beside an asphalt walking path. This lasted through the warmup and first interval. Then, I entered some trees and transitioned to my Vibram Five Fingers on the asphalt path. Later, I alternated between the path and the grass beside it. Another contributing factor to my impression of the workout is that I haven’t felt well today. Yesterday, a spasm started in my back that remained to plague me. Then, today, I had various pains along the bones in my right side. These included my ankle, various parts of my knee, my hip and even a tooth. I’m not sure what caused it, but they ebbed and flowed throughout the day. Maybe it is just the onset of arthritis aggravated by some approaching storms. Still, I tried to do my workout and completed the time. That was good. My average speed was quite a bit faster. I liked that, but it had consequences also. My left foot now has a couple of blisters, one on the bottom of the big toe and another in the middle of the foot pad. Though painful and aggravating, I am not depressed about the way it ended. I just think I need to take it slower than I originally expected and slower than the program. I’m not sure how long the blisters will take to heal and whether I will be able to work out in a couple of days. But, as soon as I can, I will continue my workouts. I do expect the first week workouts to be repeating for a while. Before I can move to longer runs, I need to at least be able to complete the runs at this level. It will likely come with time. I just need to persist at it for a while longer. I knew going in that this would not be a quick process. What was run down over decades would not be rebuilt overnight. The rebuild is progressing.

The C25K program consists of three workouts per week for nine weeks. This is the results of the workout for week one, day two. Program: Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. Brisk five-minute cool-down walk. Results: I completed the workout.  As with the prior workout, my pace was slower than prescribed.  But, it was still a little faster than before.  I ended the workout at just over a mile, this time at 1.13.  I still had the achilles burn during the run segments, though different than before.  The burning feeling was not as intense.  Instead, there was just more tightness.  To complement this, my shins also began to ache.  The result was that I resumed walking before the end of the run segments as I did before.  Still, something must be going right.  I did go further this time than before and my breathing was still okay. I ran barefoot on the treadmill again and listened to Robert Ullrey’s podcast again.  I didn’t use the timer app this time, just the podcast. It seems I’m always forgetting something when I workout.  I really hope it does not become a habit.  I did remember to do the stretch before running this time.  I did the five minute warmup walk and then did a few stretches before beginning the run/walk intervals.  But, I forgot to wear the heart monitor.  I felt fine, though, and think I did okay.  But, I don’t really know for sure.  That’s what the monitors are for, right?  You get that comfort factor from knowing the numbers. I changed my diet a bit before this workout.  I drank more water to hydrate while I was working my desk job during the day.  And, I had a couple of avocado sandwiches for lunch.  That was tasty and provided some carbs.  For  an afternoon snack, I munched on a few dates for some more carbs.  That should be healthy enough and should have provided a good preparation for the workout.  Breakfast and dinner are more protein and less carbs. Another good workout is over.  My achilles seem to have mostly recovered.  My shins are still achy, though.  I think I’ll go ice them.