So I managed to complete a Week 2 run today. There was a great deal of coughing and spluttering, phlegm and unpleasantness, but not so much that I couldn't do the running. So here's hoping upon hope that my problems over the past week are just the cold, not the asthma. In general I think I am getting too out-of-breath; the internet says you should be able to talk while you're running and I can't by any means. I'm going to do a full Week 2 and hope it all gets better.

It was the first rainy run today. We whined like girls at the beginning but it wasn't bad. I can see if you're running a long way that cold and rain can be a good thing. It did however destroy my hair, so I'll need to get a running hat. Do they make running hats? Or are they normal hats, but 30% dearer?

In other news I did not register at the docs; they require 2 proofs of address and I only have one. My BT bill is just not good enough!

Week 2, no fun to be had

Week 2 run 2 didn't really happen. I developed a cold and cough and decided to do brisk walk on Friday instead. It was probably the right choice, but very frustrating to see Kirsty and Mark set off on the run. I tried a week 2 run today and it was very hard and unpleasant to breathe. I managed to do 5 out of the 6 runs which I'm pleased about, but I imagine that that's what a full-on asthma attack is like. I didn't panic, but every breath was a struggle, with the wheezing and coughing up phlegm (I told you it was unpleasant.)

There is a bright side, in that my legs no longer hurt and I seem to be developing some rhythm. Also, I had music on for the first time and it helped immensely. Thanks, Wham!

Now I'm unsure if my breathing issues are due to the cold or the asthma. I'm going to try registering at the docs tomorrow so that I can get the inhaler I need, but they require two proofs of address and I only have one, so I'm not optimistic. In the meantime I'm going to stick with week 2 runs and hope that the cold, along with all of the wheezing, goes away.

Fuck you, asthma

Week 2, run 1. I went for the 1.5min run, 2min walk. As soon as I started the first run, the wheeze started. I kept up until run segment 5/6 . At that point I told the others that I wouldn't be doing run 6 with them and they should go ahead. It was too much to manage through breathing; the asthma doesn't usually bother me at all but in the back of my mind is the knowledge that the beast is not to be messed with. I called this blog the Big Wheeze as some dark humour but I do have to be careful of it. When you're working to make your body a better machine, you need everything to cooperate and you certainly don't need some bastard disease making it hard to breathe. After run 5, I kept walking for about 3.5 minutes then the breathing clamed down enough to let me have a pop at run 6, and I did 1 minute. I am happy that I did that.

On the bright side, no shin pain today, just plasantly tired legs. Mark, who used to run millions of miles for fun, thought I was striding too short, so I tried not to and it seemed to work. Also by the time I got home I felt positively bouncy. Must be those endorphins I've been reading about.

My workplace is an odd one. It's half full of young/ish men who like sports and fitness challenges. Then there are the others - the non-sporties, either by nature or by illness. Very much in the second category, I do find the sporties a little bit inspiring, and insane. But now it's common knowledge that Kirsty and I are doing this thing, we seem to be inspiring some other non-sporties. Hence Mark running with us, knee-supports and all, and Laura running, but not with us. She went straight for seeing if she can run 20 minutes 3 times a week. I wish her nothing but luck with that but I am sceptical. All the signs and the sporties and the internet point to starting slowly, as I am doing. It will be interesting to see how that works out.

So.. tangent. I need to get my ass to the doctors asap. I don't have any Ventolin because of complacency but it looks like I can't get away with those sort of shenanigans now. (Fuck you, asthma.)

Almost week 2

Runs 2 and 3 were not so pleasant. My shins started hurting to the extent that I had to stop and stretch. But I completed both sessions, out of breath and feeling nothing but glad that it was over. I don't know if I'm running too fast, too awkward, strides too small, too big, whatever. Complicated stuff. I knew it would be hard.

After run 3 I felt sure that I'm unable to move on to week 2 of Couch to 5k and should instead repeat week 1. I ran this by Kirsty and she wants to push on. I don't want to hold her back and I don't want to hold myself back, so tomorrow I will try Week 2 - run 1.5mins, walk 2. (If I didn't do week 2 she'd do it on her own so I wouldn't actually hold her back, just feel shit.)

Incidentally, Susan are fanstastic. Just brilliant to run in. They even keep the feet ventilated.

My boss ran home from work today. The distance to his house is 12 miles; he was looking at routes to stretch it to 15. Yesterday I ran/walked 3km.

Week 1, Run 1

Took Susan out for their first spin today. They were fantastic and my feet felt great. The rest of me did not.

Couch to 5k is designed to be an easy start program for the previously lazy, and objectively, I can see that it is. Run 60 seconds, walk 90 seconds. Repeat x8. By x4 my legs felt wobbly and I was too out of breath to talk properly. But I made it! I did all 8 and did not die. I see that grim determination will be required here; I am chunky and untrained and not designed to run, but I want to do it. I'm really glad to have company, even though the company found the whole thing easier and more fun than I did.

On the bright side, I am doing well at not thinking about how flabby or silly I look, and I do feel a teensy bit proud of myself for doing something.

Running shoes purchased. They are called Nike Air Zoom Structure Triax+ 12. That's 3 times as many letters as are in my full name. They have words like FOOTBRIDGE and DURALON written on them and they have nice purpley pink bits. I want to call them Susan.

My running vest from Asthma UK came today. It's considerably less awesome than the shoes; it is lurid green and will force me to say that I'm spreading my wings. But it is my vest. For running. I will proudly chug around London's finest parkland in it and feel glad that I am helping a charity that means something to me.

My fundraising and asthma fact pack had some surprises for me, including two balloons. One of which ended up behind my bookcase for no reason.. Anyway it made me reflect on how lucky I am. 3 people die every day from asthma, some people's medication doesn't work, some people can't get out of bed because of this stupid condition. Mine is under control and I can do what I want; it's amazing really. Maybe if I get fit it will get even better.

So the next step is to get the hell going! A slightly frustrating wait of a week while Kirsty is on holiday. I don't have to wait but think I need the motivation of the other person.

Beginnings

The pub - the place to plan wars, start religions, make illicit flirtations and tell your platonic friends that you'll love them forever. For me, it was the place, the venue, the sacred and hallowed watering-hole, where I agreed to run a half-marathon with my friend Kirsty.

Why this is something to write about

- I hate exercise;
- I am overweight;
- I am asthmatic;
- 'For the bus' is as far as I have ever run.

I am unfit, I know that and it's never really bothered me. But this year, I will tick over into my third decade.. I've never been fit.. never pushed myself that way.. can I do it?

The plan

We intend to run the Royal Parks Half Marathon in London on October 1oth. 222 days from today. I am running for Asthma UK and Kirsty is running for Mind. I need to raise £350 in sponsorship and I hope that I can.

We'll start by doing the couch to 5k training program. We kick off on March 16th and, should the gods smile on me, I will be able to run 5k by mid-May. Which, coincidentally, is the distance to work. That would save on bus fare! Then maybe we'll do the training program suggested by the Royal Parks, which is 16 weeks designed to start in June.

First on my agenda is buying running shoes. I don't want to be put off by technicalities like poor training shoes. Erm, I may also need to look into clothes suitable for exercising in..