All set for the challenge...

The Global Corporate Challenge or GCC for short starts this Wednesday. Since my last post I have been trying to work out what I do now and how I am going to achieve 10,000 steps a day for 100 days (basically from this Wednesday the 23rd May until the end of August).

I have made a change to my routine for going to work which means instead of getting the work bus from the station, I now walk both ways.  This means on average going to and from work and all the walking while at work i do about 13,000 steps a day which equates to about 5 miles. So all good there.  The issue, and I can't believe I would ever complain about this, is when I am working from home. Literally I can average about 500 steps! So this is where I am going to have to go for walks and runs whether it be before, at lunch or after work. At weekends it should ok as parkrun plus warm up and warm down mean I am well on my way there for Saturdays. Then Sunday I can go for long walks/runs so that should be fine.

Overall I am really looking forward to it and I hope the website where you enter your website gives you all the stats so I can see how I am doing compared to others. Not that I am competitive :-P   I am a bit concerned that I'll end up doing too much walking instead of running.  And the last thing I want to do is to have to change the title of this blog to "Walking, walking and other adventures...".  So there's motivation right there to get the running shoes on!  I've got my team of 7 too so will be following how everyone in my team and people outwith my team get on too.  It would be good if we can spur each other on and get a friendly rivalry going. I've already got a few mini leagues set up. My main aim with this though is to try and get healthier.

Since the last post I have also had quite a few good runs including equalling last years best at Pollok parkrun for a 29.10.and an amazing one down at Eglinton parkrun.  It's such a nice park with some fun trails.  Plus I managed to record a time of 27.33 for the 5k which is my fastest 5k since 2011.  I was really pushing it and was pleased with the result. Photo by Kenny Phillips

Today I was at Tollcross parkrun which I have not run since New years day 2015.  I remembered it being tough and today was tough too!  I was breathing heavily after the first hill and that first hill comes immediately! But I stuck it out and unlike last time I didn't have to walk at all. I came in at 29.01 so was very pleased.

Killearn 10k is 2 weeks away and I would like to get up to 10k distance in the next week just to know I'm in the right shape for it.

May

Well this has been a good month. I made parkrun 5 out of 5 times. The main aim for the month was to get under 30 mins at Pollok

2nd May - I was at Pollok for my 40th parkrun. It was a pretty solid run coming in at 30.38.

9th May - I ventured out to Greenock parkrun for the first time. The weather was amazing and I really pushed it.  The course goes along the prominade. It goes out for 1 1/2 k, then you turn around and go back for a km. Then you turn round and then go back again for a kilometer. Then one final turn around for the 1 1/2 k to finish. It is quite a quiet parkrun with under 100 running which meant there was no problem getting away at the start. I felt I gave a good effort and I was rewarded with 28.28 which is my fastest 5k time this year and only 5 seconds off my best 5k time since returning to running.

May 16 - I was back at Pollok and found the first km a bit slow. I think I may have started too far back here. Especially when you turn left off the road onto the path in the first k. The pace was pretty much dictated by the wall of runners in front. But after that bit there was no excuses and I just missed out on a sub 30 minute by just 7 seconds.

May 23 - Another bit of parkrun tourism as I headed for Irvine for the Eglinton parkrun.  I have never been to the country park before and found the park to be amazing.  The course as well really is fantastic. Even with between 150 and 200 runners there was no problems at the start and the first 200 meters can more than cope with the crowd before the runners spread out.  It goes into a small loop for starter with the whole route being on paths and trails. Then it goes in to large loop round the loch. Then you go round the small loop, then down the straight to the finish. It works well because the fast runners don't have the issue of overtaking slower runners and the slower runners don't have the issue of faster runners breathing down there necks.  The route I would say is nearly as undulating as Pollok and my time certainly reflected this as I was 1 second faster than Pollok the previous week coming in at 30.06.

May 30th - Today I was back at Pollok and really wanted to achieve my objective for the month and get under 30 mins. There was pacers today but I decided just to run my own run.  I found I was positioned better today and that the first k I was running at a good pace. The 30 min pacer was in sight and in the 2nd k I did catch her and she said she was going too quickly. I was giving a good effort and found I was slowing in the 3rd and 4th k. The 30 min pacer overtook me again but I caught up on the last hill and kept going to the finish.  I do not envy the job as a pacer at Pollok, as the course is so difficult to judge pace on and everyone has different strengths and weaknesses on descents and ascents. I was pleased when I got home to find that I finished in 29.14! Only 4 seconds off my best time at Pollok for the year and 6 seconds off my best time at Pollok since returning to running.

So things are looking up. :-) I'm still struggling with my midweek runs - getting them in and when I do I find I struggle and have to cut them short. But I'll get there. I am definitely in a better position than April and I'm looking forward to the Men's 10k next month.  Might even get some season best's at parkrun too...