Learning to Run: Week Two

Week Two hasn't been an easy one, there have been some challenges and low points,  but I have stuck with it and completed another three runs. Following the C25k running trainer app, this week each of the runs was made up of 5 minutes warmup at the start, 5 minutes cooldown at the end and then alternated 90 seconds running and 2 minutes walking. Although it was only a 30second addition to each run I really felt it and had to force my legs to keep moving.

A big difficulty this week was the change in the weather with last weeks sunshine being replaced with heavy rain and winds. Being a newbie to running outside, I learnt that running in the rain is hard and not very pleasant. I wore a waterproof jacket and the wind had some fun blowing down my hood. Despite this we completed all 3 runs outside.

On top of the weather I also had a bit of a cold which was effecting my sinuses and breathing. Rain and sore throat don't make a successful runner and I could really feel the impact on my run. By the end of the second day I was starting to feel frustrated that I wasn't getting faster and my stamina wasn't building, but I think running is something that needs to be worked at and I'm starting to realise that even slight changes can effect my performance.

As a treat for the third run we left the city and had a countryside run past railway tracks, a natural sandy beach and some sheep fields. This was really enjoyable and the 30minutes passed very quickly. I think it can be motivating to run somewhere new and have fresh sights to occupy your mind, instead of the pain in your legs. Altogether, this week has been challenging but I feel I am making slow progress and am just as motivated to start week 3!

Week Two:

• Lowlight- Running in the rain with a cold *sniffles*
• Highlight- Wearing running shorts outside for the first time and not feeling self conscious!

Learning to Run: Week One

I have always liked the idea of being a good runner; long countryside runs with just music and my thoughts and the sights around me, but unfortunately running is something that I have always struggled with (been completely incapable of). So when my boyfriend found a new app that tempted with the promise of learning to run 5k from complete beginner (couch) I thought I would give it a go!


The app is called C25k, and is completely free. The programme lasts 8 weeks and requires you to do 3 runs a week of 30minutes, with each week building and developing your endurance and skill. This week we done 2 runs outside and 1 on the treadmill at the gym. Each session in week one is made up of 5 minutes walking at the start and end and alternating 1.5minutes walking with 1 minute running, which totals 8 minutes running.


With regular walking breaks this sounds like a gentle start but I'll admit, by the end of the first session I looked like a tomato, my legs ached and I had to take some time to get my breath back. But, I had done it all without stopping and felt a sense of pride! The next session was also difficult but I already felt like I was making progress and I wasn't as exhausted this time. And by day 3 I felt I was almost ready to start building up the running times! I think with a lot of running apps each session progresses so quick that it is hard to keep up but I like that with C25k you get a week with each programme to really develop your endurance.


It is really important with this app to keep going and properly run for each of the minutes for it to be effective. Luckily, I have someone to run with to help force me on when it gets hard. But I also think making a playlist of energetic and encouraging songs can really help. You can listen to the app while your music plays and the app will tell you when to start running or walking.


To encourage us to stick to the running regime we enthusiastically made a timetable for the next 8 weeks and after each run we score the date off the sheet. So far it is helping and I am enjoying the runs! But I know I have a long way to go...

Week One:

• Lowlight- feeling self conscious as I walk home with a bright red face.
• Highlight- completing the 3 sessions and feeling like I'm progressing.

 Do you run or would you like to? Do you have any tips for a new runner?

Reading on an iPad Mini

Getting a Kindle wasn't something I had given that much thought to. I put this down to 2 reasons: ownership of something physical and eyestrain. I love physically having a book, being able to add it to a book shelf, use old tickets as bookmarks and feel a sense of ownership. I also thought that reading books electronically would cause eye strain and as I already look at a computer at least 8 hours a day for work I was wary about spending my free time looking at more screens. But this year something changed. I decided that reading a book electronically might not be all that bad. I have watched my mum slowly trying to cut down on her collection because it was taking over every wall and I've felt the arm ache of trying to move a collection to a new flat. So, after a lot of consideration, I thought that perhaps reading off pixels might not be so bad; it'd certainly save space and be easier than carrying a hardback on holiday. After considering a Kindle and a Nook and a few other e-readers I decided to do something different and merge my desire for a portable laptop with an e-reading device and picked the iPad mini.

I admit, for the first few months of having my iPad I couldn't bring myself to read a book off of it but having just finished one book on the iBooks app and two on the Kindle app I decided now would be a good time to share my thoughts on this different form of reading.

My first hurdle was that pixels is not paper! It just looks different and for me that took some time (around 2 chapters) to adjust to. I know Kindle screens are adapted to appear more matte which I can imagine is good for your eyes, especially over long reading sessions but after a play about with the settings on both the Kindle and iBooks apps I found you could change the brightness and background to a level that suits you. I went with a sepia background as I found it easier on my eyes. Another good point with these apps is that you can change font size and that the light from the device means its easier to have late night reading sessions.

Along with font and brightness there were a few other settings on these apps that I really found helpful. Firstly the simple bookmark in the corner. Yes, it's old school but it works. No panicking that my bookmark fell out in my bag with this! Secondly, both apps had a guide at the bottom of each page to show how far in to the book you were, both in page number and percentage. I found this really handy and I started to set targets for myself such as "read 5% before bed tonight". Again, a simple idea but I found it really motivated me and encouraged me to read more. I definitely think this contributed to me reading both books much faster than I normally would.

Another perk to the Kindle app is that you can also download it to your phone. I never thought I would enjoy reading off such a small screen but I quickly got engrossed and was surprised how many pages I actually managed to read during downtime at work and on bus journeys. When I got home my iPad instantly recognised that I had read the extra pages and synced to the right spot.

I think if reading is all you want to do on your device and brightness/ glare is something you are really concerned about I would look in to other devices that are more specifically developed for reading. But if you're looking for a device that you can read from but also use for other purposes then I would recommend the iPad Mini. It is light and very portable, easy to lie in bed with for hours and has a number of apps. I also found that buying ebooks is a lot cheaper than physical copies, with a lot of classics that you can get for free. However, I would recommend checking your book choice on a few apps before purchasing because I found a considerable price difference between the apps. Also, I haven't felt any eyestrain with the iPad and have just downloaded my 3rd read. I think I may be a convert!

Do you use your iPad for reading?