Monday 9 March 2015

Colwick Beginners - Week 9

Y'know... I have to pinch myself to believe that I was lucky enough to be there for that first 5k run this morning. It was an incredible sight! A sea of delicious purple weaving its way around the lakes. The way everyone paced themselves was superb... but what was even lovelier was to see the friendships that have developed over the past few weeks... to hear the chatting and laughing... to listen to everyone encouraging those around them... and to be part of seeing the completion of 5k was inspiring. A distance that seemed impossible just 9 short weeks ago... and yet today... absolutely smashed it. I will really miss our Sunday mornings together and I hope that as many of you as possible will want to carry on to Improvers from April 12th at 11... and that you will enjoy showing other runners just what you can do at next Saturday's parkrun!

Week 9's plan

There's very little to say about this week's plan! It's simple... a brisk warm-up walk of 5 minutes... then 30 minutes of running... then cool down with a 5 minute walk.

Don't feel like every run must be a brilliant one. Some will be harder work than others, that's just the nature of running. If you really need to walk, walk - there's no problem in doing that, just get yourself running again as soon as you can. It can be helpful to aim for something when you're running - the next lamppost, the next tree, the next road junction - and then evaluate how you're feeling. Do you need to slow down? Could you speed up a little? Is the pace you're at the right one for now? Then, pick another target, and re-evaluate things. By breaking your running down, it'll help make it all more manageable rather than being one big fearsome chunk!
Warm up and cool down

I know that there may be a temptation just to launch into running with no warm up - I'm as guilty of that as anyone. But... do not forget to either walk or do some dynamic stretches. It warms up your muscles, gets your heart rate to start rising... and most importantly mentally and physically prepares you for running. Things like walking lunges, bottom kicks, even just jogging lightly on the spot can be part of that warm-up routine. For more ideas, have a look at
http://www.runnersworld.com/stretching/a-runners-guide-to-warming-up as that should give you some pointers too. After your run, it's static stretches that you should be doing. Dynamic stretches are where you're moving while you stretch, static stretches, you stay still and just stretch the muscle you're targeting.

Dates for diaries


14th March - Colwick parkrun - our week 10 'graduation'. Meet at 8:45 at the Adventure Centre (where we turn to run around the little lake) for a run starting at 9am. Make sure you've registered at
http://www.parkrun.org.uk and print off the barcode you'll get once you're registered. You don't need to bring anything else other than yourself and the barcode! It's our chance to take part in a fun start to a Saturday morning as well as showing other local runners how amazing Notts Women Runners are too.
27th March - We are having a social at 7pm on the 27th of March - details are in a pinned post in our Facebook group - let us know as soon as possible if you're coming.

29th March - Social run on The Embankment. Meet at 11am at the War Memorial for a social and sociable run with us all! No time pressure... no pressure on distance... just a chance to run with friends.
12th April - 11am for Improvers at Colwick Park! Your chance to gain more confidence in your running, to run a little bit further, a little bit faster and have a little bit more fun with us! We'll be building up really steadily and there will be flexibility to allow you to build to the distance you feel comfortable with. If you want to run 5k more easily that's as fine as it is to be aiming for a 10k.


Tesco Tuesdays will continue each week at 7pm from the big Tesco at the bottom of Carlton Hill (NG4 1EB).

Mentoring new beginners
If you'd like to come and help with our next set of Beginners' runs, you would be more than welcome. They will start on April 12th at 10am at Colwick Park. If you're interested and would like to know more, drop me an email to
nottswomenrunners@gmail.com.

In the meantime, CONGRATULATIONS!! I hope that all of our purple ladies are still buzzing after that first 5k. It's such an awesome achievement and it was all down to you! Well done!! If there is any doubt in your mind as to whether you are a proper runner... YOU ARE!!

See you for Tesco Tuesday... or if not... for our graduation week 10 5k. Let's bring the NWR happiness to Colwick parkrun!!

Happy running!


Sarah



Colwick Beginners - Week 8

Running in windy weather
Well, we didn't get blown away at Colwick this morning even though the wind tried its hardest to do so!! Anyone who managed to get round the lakes with that headwind making them feel like they were wading through treacle with lead boots on did an absolutely incredible job. Of all the types of weather I ever run in, wind is my least favourite. You did brilliantly!! As I said to a few of you this morning, when you're running into a headwind treat it a bit like running up a hill. Try to keep the same cadence (rhythm) with your feet as you would do if you weren't running into the wind... but shorten your stride. If it helps, count in your head as you go... anything to get yourself into a rhythm which means you can keep on going a bit more easily! Once the wind eases, just lengthen your stride a little and keep the same cadence. It's a bit like shifting down a gear to get up a hill and then shifting up when you're on the flat again!! Don't fight it, just work with it. And swear a bit if that helps!!

Week 8
So... this week's plan... we're very very nearly at the point where you will be able to run for 30 minutes without stopping. Try to do the following 3 times in total this week:

Start with a brisk five-minute walk (properly brisk!) then 28 minutes of running with no walking and a five-minute cool-down walk.


Activity
Duration
Total time

Brisk walk
5 minutes
5 mins
1
Running
28 minutes
33 mins

Cool down walk
5 minutes
38 mins

If you want to take it slightly more gently, then replace one of the above runs with the following:
Begin with a brisk five-minute walk, then 14 minutes of running, 1.5 minutes of walking and 14 minutes of running.  As ever though, aim for the 28 minutes.  Even if you have a bad run, remember, it's only a blip - you've worked really hard to get to the point where you can call yourself a runner... and all runners have runs that aren't so great!
International Women's Day - 8th March
Next Sunday is International Women's Day and to celebrate that and our week 9 run, where you'll run for 30 minutes non-stop, we're going to paint the park purple! So... come along, wear something purple - from purple hats to purple shoes, tops, leggings... we don't mind - and enjoy your achievement as well as showing Colwick how fabulous you are. If you know any other female runners who'd like to join us on that day, just get them to come along for 11am and we'd love them to run with us. We're going to be having a sweaty beetroot-faced running selfie competition (I will have my camera if you don't have one!) where you could win some fabulous socks. We'll be live Tweeting from the run. And we'd love it if you'd take pictures and share them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram... or wherever you fancy! Just tag them #nottswr and we'll track them down!

Parkrun
As part of graduation from our Beginners' course, we'll be doing a parkrun together on the 14th of March at Colwick. It's an early start at 9am... and I know some people are feeling a bit nervous about be. But... don't be! There are people of all ages who do parkruns. From teeny tinies to people in their 70s and 80s. Some people run... some run fast, some slower. Some people run-walk. Some people walk the whole thing. The main thing is enjoying being active together.

So, what do you need to do to take part? Well, register. Go to http://www.parkrun.org.uk and fill in the simple registration form. Select Notts Women Runners as your club and then once that's done, you'll get a barcode which you need to print off and bring with you to the parkrun on the day.

We'll all meet at the Adventure Centre (where we turn to go around the little lake) at about 8:50, so we've got time to chat, get rid of some nerves and take photos! If our NWR t-shirts have come by then... wear those... otherwise anything purple would be good! If you've parked near the racecourse and walked across, you'll already have done your 5 minute warm-up walk. At 9am, they ring a bell... and you run - first around the little lake, then around the big lake, then back around the little lake. There are marshalls at various points on the course to show you where to go, and we'll all be there to cheer you on as well! At the end, you're given a little plastic chip which you then take along with your barcode to the people with the barcode scanners. They scan both of them, give you back your barcode and your time and position are recorded. That's it!

The Tuesday Run
Unfortunately, I cannot make the usual Tuesday run as Zoe and I are doing a live thing for Notts TV (exciting!) at 6:30. It would be great to think that you'd all still meet up at 7 and run together. Repeat the run from last week (out to Lidl, along the Loop Road and back along Burton Road via Stoke Lane) and that'll give you a great chance to get another 5k under your belts. If you'd like to run with me, however, I'm happy to repeat the session on Thursday at 7pm from the big Tesco at the bottom of Carlton Hill. Just reply to this email and let me know so that I have an idea whether or not that's something people would like! If you'd also like to carry on meeting on Tuesday nights for a run together, I'm happy to establish that as one of our official NWR runs. Again, let me know if you would as it would be lovely to carry on running together after the Beginners' course is done.

Rightie ho. I think that's everything! I really hope you all feel as proud of yourselves as I do of you. I also hope you've discovered that running can be fun along the way and any memories of bad PE experiences at school or thoughts that you're 'just not one of those people who can run' have faded!

You've earned a celebratory cuppa cha and then some. Feet up and enjoy the rest of your Sunday!!

Sarah

Bulwell/Top Valley Beginners - Week 8

Someone asked on Wednesday for a 5k, I delivered. WOW! each and everyone of you delivered too. You all exceeded your target for the week. You ran further and some of you ran faster. You are runners. It is so amazing to see, although I have to admit to being a little sad that its ending soon. I have loved every Monday running with you. SO......... I am going to carry on a social run on Mondays same time until the improvers start. This will be social and we can decide where and what we do on the night, just informal. What do you think? You have all become such ace runners and friends. Anyway, enough slushy stuff.
Week 8
So... this week's plan... we're very very nearly at the point where you will be able to run for 30 minutes without stopping. Try to do the following 3 times in total this week:
Start with a brisk five-minute walk (properly brisk!) then 28 minutes of running with no walking and a five-minute cool-down walk.

 
Activity
Duration
Total time

 
Brisk walk
5 minutes
5 mins
1
Running
28 minutes
33 mins

 
Cool down walk
5 minutes
38 mins

If you want to take it slightly more gently, then replace one of the above runs with the following:
Begin with a brisk five-minute walk, then 14 minutes of running, 1.5 minutes of walking and 14 minutes of running.  As ever though, aim for the 28 minutes.  Even if you have a bad run, remember, it's only a blip - you've worked really hard to get to the point where you can call yourself a runner... and all runnrs have runs that aren't so great!
That's me for this week.
Zoe 
DO NOT FORGET
Wednesday: extra run 6:30 at Tesco
Claire is leading
(just to see if she has read this far haha)
 
Tonight
Watch Pinky, I mean Sarah on Notts TV at 6:30. Lets hope we get lots of new runners.
International Women's Day - 8th March
Next Sunday is International Women's Day and to celebrate that and our week 9 run, where you'll run for 30 minutes non-stop, we're going to paint the park purple! So... come along, wear something purple - from purple hats to purple shoes, tops, leggings... we don't mind - and enjoy your achievement as well as showing Colwick how fabulous you are. If you know any other female runners who'd like to join us on that day, just get them to come along for 11am and we'd love them to run with us. We're going to be having a sweaty beetroot-faced running selfie competition (I will have my camera if you don't have one!) where you could win some fabulous socks. We'll be live Tweeting from the run. And we'd love it if you'd take pictures and share them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram... or wherever you fancy! Just tag them #nottswr and we'll track them down!

Parkrun
As part of graduation from our Beginners' course, we'll be doing a parkrun together on the 14th of March at Colwick. It's an early start at 9am... and I know some people are feeling a bit nervous about be. But... don't be! There are people of all ages who do parkruns. From teeny tinies to people in their 70s and 80s. Some people run... some run fast, some slower. Some people run-walk. Some people walk the whole thing. The main thing is enjoying being active together.

So, what do you need to do to take part? Well, register. Go to http://www.parkrun.org.uk and fill in the simple registration form. Select Notts Women Runners as your club and then once that's done, you'll get a barcode which you need to print off and bring with you to the parkrun on the day.
 
We'll all meet at the Adventure Centre (where we turn to go around the little lake) at about 8:50, so we've got time to chat, get rid of some nerves and take photos! If our NWR t-shirts have come by then... wear those... otherwise anything purple would be good! If you've parked near the racecourse and walked across, you'll already have done your 5 minute warm-up walk. At 9am, they ring a bell... and you run - first around the little lake, then around the big lake, then back around the little lake. There are marshalls at various points on the course to show you where to go, and we'll all be there to cheer you on as well! At the end, you're given a little plastic chip which you then take along with your barcode to the people with the barcode scanners. They scan both of them, give you back your barcode and your time and position are recorded. That's it!