Run Less Run Faster

Hello Fudgey Friends,

How are you all? Welcome to my new followers :-)

Well today saw the start of the Run Less Run Faster programme - I'd initially heard about this through Laura's blog, and then heard of a couple of people at work who have been following this programme so I ordered the book from Amazon.
My life is so busy with one thing and another that I have found it difficult to fit in my usual 4 runs a week recently, but I also felt I was just putting in miles for the sake of it & am no longer really improving speed wise, though the distances have been increasing. Now that my events for this year are out of the way it's the perfect opportunity to try something a little different. Run Less Run Faster centres around 3 key runs a week, focusing on quality not quantity, but is supplemented with at least 2 cross training sessions - whether that is cycling, rowing or resistance work. So I've read first 3 sections of the book & couldn't wait to get started.
I have signed up for The Great Winter Run 5k in January & this fits in nicely with the 5k plan in the book....so watch this space.

Run Less Run Faster Week 1 Run 1
I opted to do this run in the gym so I could make sure I maintained perfect pace during the intervals & also to protect my calf a little - though it seems to be good.
This run was about 15 minutes warm up run followed by 8 intervals of 400m working @ 11.5kmph followed by 400m recovery (between 5 & 7 kmph) - later intervals I opted for slower recovery pace so I could maintain the fast working pace & then finishing off with 10 minute cool down run. This was hard work, but it was great to be doing something other than simply putting one foot in front of the other & just plodding along. The sweat was pouring off me at the end and I felt like I had really worked. Girls Aloud & The Saturday's on the ipod did help push me along too :-)

More Personal Torture
Yesterday I did my first cross training session of the week - I had a PT session with Colin. I'd told him my calf was pretty sore & tight from Thursday so there was no calf work or running but I still worked really hard.
quick cross trainer warm up & one set of 15 olympic bar squats with no weight.
3 supersets of 15 olympic bar squats with 60lb & single arm clean & press 9kg 10 each arm
3 supersets of 15 bench squats with 20lb & swiss ball single leg hamstring curls 12 each leg
3 supersets of cable hamstrings 12 each leg & 12 hanging leg raises
3 trisets of cable wood chops 10 each side, 24 oblique cycles & 20 russian twists

I was over the moon that my hanging leg raises have progressed so much - the first set was the best I've ever done - very little swing & I manged the full 12 in one go - not quite perfect but vastly improved. The other 2 sets weren't as good - but I'm progressing all the time which is very motivating.

Food & Weight
I've been eating too much rubbish again & regained the 2.5lbs I'd lost a couple of weeks ago. I know though what I need to do to get back on track & will be back at my target weight very soon.
On Sunday I made some cauliflower & broccoli soup for us to have on Monday after my slimming class Very very easy to make just 250g of fresh broccoli & 250g of fresh cauliflower, 1 medium onion chopped & 900ml of vegetable stock. We had this last night & it was lovely.

I also made some fruit tarts on Sunday - not the healthiest I know but little treats are important now & then.

Tonight I made a delicious pork stir fry & made my own Scottish Slimmers sweet & sour sauce rather than a calorie laden processed one.

Now need to go & make lunch for tomorrow.

Take Care everyone
love
Fudgey
xxx