As much as exercising has always been a part of my life, I have never been much of a runner. Growing up I was into team sports with field hockey being my sport of choice. Only a couple of years ago (when I needed to lose a few kilos) I started working out at the gym but I would mainly go to classes, do weight & core exercises or work out on the cross trainer. Running was just something I wasn't good at and couldn't motivate myself to get into.
However, since moving to London I found so many of my friends were into running and it is such a great, healthy and outdoorsy way to work out I decided to get over my running 'fear' and set myself a challenge! One of my
new years resolutions for for 2012 was to take part in a 10km run and once winter was over I found myself entering the London BUPA 10km run to motivate me to reach my goal. So this meant getting out there and train, train, train! However as much as I thought I was pretty fit and healthy I was really struggling to run for more than 10 minutes without being completely puffed and exhausted. So I decided to look for help....and I found it in a couple of nifty little iPhone apps!
Neon Coral iPhone4 Cover by H&M
These apps have really helped me train and I recommend you trying them if you want to get off the couch and get running :)
♥ Get Running App (Couch to 5K) - £1.99 (
link)
This is the first app I got to get myself ready from huffing and puffing after 10 minutes to be able to run for 30 minutes in one go! It claims that "With three enjoyable workouts a week, in nine weeks you will be running continuously for half an hour, even if getting off the couch is a struggle today! Get Running breaks through the “beginning barrier” with its popular Couch to 5k running plan. In week one’s workouts you'll alternate one minute of running with 90 seconds of walking. With each new week, Get Running’s human voice coach gradually builds up your pace, until you’re running for a whole half-hour!"
I absolutely loved this app because it coached me like a personal trainer would with lots of recorded progress and encouragement prompts like 'well done, you have run for 20 minutes now - only 10 more minutes to go!'
♥ Map my Run - FREE (
link)
Run, record and track your workouts. It works with the GPS on your iPhone and tracks your route on a live map, records your distance and pace and time. You can set it to give you voice prompts every five minutes so let you know how long you've run and how many km's you have done which for me is a great motivator when I set myself a time/distance goal for that day!
♥ Bridge to 10K App - £1.99 (
link)
"Specifically designed for 5K app graduates. Pick up where the 5K app leaves off and get to running a 10K (6.2 mile) race in just 6 weeks."
With all of the above iPhone apps you can keep your iTunes music playing at the same time. I find playing upbeat music really helps me keep energised and pumped to complete my runs :) You know how people say running becomes like a drug, well I always thought people were a little nuts when they said that....but maybe I am starting to believe it. The feeling when you've completed a good run is amazing...exhausting but so satisfying! I am happy to say that I can now run around 8-9km and this weekend brings my big challenge for the
London 10km BUPA run
I decided to run this race for charity and I just want to say THANK YOU to all my generous friends and colleagues that have donated so far. I am running for the '
Beating Bowl Cancer' charity because several members of my family have unfortunately been personally affected by this horrible illness and I think the work this charity does to raise awareness is fantastic.
My Just Giving Charity Page (
link) if you want to support this worthy cause!
Happy Hump day everyone and wish me luck for Sunday!! ;) xoxo
