Getting the gear to run

You know through following my posts, that I have been getting the basic gear in preparation to run. Until I run, I have upped my pace in my walking.

My running belt I ordered, I boobed on. It wasn’t quite big enough to hold what I wanted; phone in its case, my keys and inhaler. Thankfully, it didn’t cost much. But for the price, it looked good quality. It will come in handy for someone’s Christmas box next year, or it will go in a charity bag this year.
I have now ordered a Spiebelt. The large one. From watching the original be filled, this should work for me and I read somewhere last night, how someone was using one to hold the same things.

I also bought a Garmin Forerunner 30 watch for accurate distance I walk, or run. The watch alone will be enough for what I want it for, but trying it out to make sure it was ok and tracking me, I did upload to my Garmin account. I’m hesitant about uploading regular, because I was worried what internet data it would take up, with my internet being only a certain amount. Maybe someone reading this, who this uses their fitness watch everyday and uploading their content can tell me if it is known to gobble data, or not. Until then, I may just use my Garmin account every couple of months or more. I make notes that I want to keep in a journal.
The watch I have it set so it automatically stops when I do. From trying it outside for the first time walking to work, it seems to accurately track me. But when I tried it just for fun inside while working, (which at this point you are not using GPRS, because you are indoors,) I found that if my walking was at a certain slow pace, it did not monitor my walking at times. The timer was still on stop, even though I was walking. But anyway, my watch isn’t for work, it’s when I am outside to walk at a pace then at that point I was observing at work and for running.

So, using details from my watch, walking from home to work yesterday, it took me 27 minutes 14 seconds at the distance of 1.54 miles.
Coming back home on my same route, it took me 24 minutes and 56 seconds at distance of 1.55 miles.

The distance slightly varying, depending where I stood to start and end my watch from, on each occasion.

Do you run some miles, whether beginner, or been doing it for some years?

Do you use a fitness watch to monitor your walks/runs?

Have you ever done 5k?

Since the post, “the urge to run.”

Since the post, “The urge to run” I have decided to get some running gear. (You would have already known this, if you were following the comments in that post.)
I started with my trainers, thinking this would be the expensive part, but I came out of the shop smiling. It turned out not to be expensive. The trainer’s were in a sale and I thought the price I was looking at, was the sale price. But when I got to the till, further amount was knocked off! Only paid £25 for these Fila Threshold running shoes in the end. 🙂 I see they are not available online now, as I write this.
I bought these half a size bigger than I would normally wear, to allow room for my feet to spread when running. This is something I have learnt about, when it comes to running shoes.
Some recommend half a size up from your usual shoes and some say a size up. I wasn’t going a size bigger than my current shoes, as years ago, by accident when I done this, it caused problems. But I will try half a size up. Although years ago, I never had problems running in trainers that were same size as my other shoes.

Prior to buying these shoes, there was some excitement in town, as I blogged about in this post here: “An exciting time in my local town”.
After lunch, I went and bought my jogging bottoms from a local supermarket. I also bought a zipped jacket that wicks away sweat and I allowed myself one t-shirt that did the same thing. If I stick at this, I will allow myself another sports top later down the line, but until then, I will make do with some of my t-shirts.
I ordered my sports bra online and a running belt to hold my keys, small change maybe and mobile phone. I am waiting for these to arrive as I write this. Once they come, there is nothing to stop me from starting.

I do need to buy a sports cap and I will sort this out maybe this weekend, by going back to the sports shop. I will need to wear the cap especially in summer, as so I don’t get sunstroke.

In the meantime, as you know I like walking and there were times last month I really put a spurt on, to get the frustration out of my system of stress caused, which I felt the benefit from.  I have this past week, kept that pace going to work and coming back home from there and I have a personal best (PB) in that, as of yesterday. It now takes me 24 minutes to work, when it used to take me 30 minutes. I am happy with that. That walk, when I googled it, is 1.6 miles.

The urge to run

Most of January, I have had the urge to run. Not run from the issues I have been sharing with you in my blog posts, but as in the urge to go jogging. This urge to jog has surprised me, because I have not done any jogging/running, since I was a teenager.

Through stresses I have had and as I shared in a post and some comments of posts on my blog as well as other blogs, I have been walking off my stress. I have felt the positive effects from that when I have. But to feel the urge to run, has come as a surprise.

Even now, I have the urge to go running. It’s not as strong as in January, but it’s still there. My mood dipping this week and so I think that’s why it’s not as strong.

Trouble is, I have no trainers, or a sports bra to keep things in place. Trainers I have not worn since my 30’s.
As I have shared in an earlier blog post, or in a comment this year, money has been difficult. I would need to draw money from my savings to get appropriate running shoes, sports bra and a couple of pairs of jogging bottoms, making do with everything else I have. As much as the urge to run, at the same time I don’t want to spend. But I know from other bloggers that run, that running does help their mental health. I know that will be true, for the effects I had when I really put some leg work in when walking around my area quicker than usual, to work the frustration I had off.

Whether I will risk and spend, I don’t know. It’s the part I am not liking right now; the parting of money.