Beginner Running
July 9th, 2010I had to order a new adapter for my laptop after Margaret Thatcher (my chinchilla) chose to chew mine.
The price of it’s replacement was $80. FUCK. Luckily, I found it on amazon for $16.
Unfortunately, when it arrived yesterday, it plugged in and lit up, but still won’t turn on. I can’t be positive, but I’m pretty sure the problem is with my laptop and not the adapter.
I get very emotional when something happens to my laptop. Last night I seriously hugged her and told her I’m nothing without her. I’m a psychopath, I know, but we’ve been through a lot together.
I think what makes me absolutely furious is that googling “HP DV6000″ allows me to view all the recalls and problems that everyone has with this laptop, and how they extend your warranty, but only for so long. Like I said, lappy and I have been through a lot. She’s already had her motherboard replaced once, and also her screen. Her internal wireless card stopped working a while ago. The cost to repair it would have been too much, so I purchased an external one. This is currently the third adapter I’ve gone through for the same damn laptop.
This is a piece of equipment that I’ve spent over $1,000 on. The money that purchased this laptop came from saving bonds that I’ve had starting since I was 6-years-old. HP wouldn’t care about this, of course. HP is HP, after all.
So I sit here, sick to my stomach, contemplating what to do.
But I do have some less depressing things to say!
I’ve been reading the book 5K and 10K training by Brian Clarke.
The book is extremely difficult to get through and not necessarily helpful. It focuses on energy levels and efficiency and such. It seems that it’s for advanced runners who already know what they are doing and just are looking to competively run a 5K or 10K. So I don’t think I plan to finish the book.
Luckily, I had picked up another book at the library that I’m finding more helpful.
Runner’s World Complete Book of Running.
I like this book SOOOO much better. It’s not very technical at all like the other book. And most importantly, it starts out with a chapter called “Beginning Running.” How ideal.
They provide a great “Ease into Running Program” that I wish I would have used whenever I started. The program is supposed to get you to be able to run for a straight 30 minutes. According to the book, beginner runners are too focused on miles when they should be focused on minutes (yeah that’s me). Once you can run 30 straight minutes, you can start to focus on miles. Have I ever run 30 straight minutes? Erm, no. The longest I’ve run is 22 straight minutes I think.
Each weeks workout is to be performed on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday:
- Week 1: Run 2 minutes, walk 4 minutes (copmlete 5 cycles).
- Week 2: Run 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes (complete 5 cycles).
- Week 3: Run 5 minutes, walk 2 1/2 minutes (complete 4 cycles).
- Week 4: Run 7 minutes, walk 3 minutes (complete 3 cycles).
- Week 5: Run 8 minutes, walk 2 minutes (complete 3 cycles).
- Week 6: Run 9 minutes, walk 2 minutes (complete 2 cycles, then run 8 minutes).
- Week 7: Run 9 minutes, walk 1 minute (complete 3 cycles).
- Week 8: Run 13 minutes, walk 2 minutes (complete 2 cycles).
- Week 9: Run 14 minutes, walk 1 minute. (complete 2 cycles). *can repeat this for another week*
- Week 10: Run 30 minutes.
This program does something that I don’t do: incorporating walk breaks. Most of the time, I run for as long as I’m comfortable running, then do a cool down and stop. Although I will admit when I stop it’s usually because I have a headache. Nonetheless, I plan to try to incorporate more walking breaks into my running to try to build up my total running time.
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I also hate it when someting happens to my laptop, it’s my most valuable item and I could not live without it.
thanks for the comments!
i bet you’ll find that you feel much stronger during your run with the small walking breaks. :) you’ll get your minutes up in no time!
I’ve been running for a while now and let me just say that I LOVE walk breaks! In the beginning, I thought running was running as long as you could without stopping. Then I saw someone literally BEAT ME in a race by doing walking/running spurts. I was pissed, let me just say that. But, I’ve found that with walking breaks, you can run so much faster and longer than you could by just running straight through. Plus you get the added intervals benefit! Though I still try to run my races, I love using intervals as a training tool – probably my favorite sessions (:
Thanks for this! I am a beginner runner and need information like this!
Hey, thanks for checking out my blog!
Haha, I’m more protective of my laptop than I am of my little sister. This is the key to my work, livelihood, much of my creative expression, and mucho entertainment. You bet I’ve got this baby under lock and key.
I am the WORST when something happens to my laptop or computer…it’s pathetic, like I can’t function without them for 15 minutes!!!
These intervals are key in the running…I used to run, I decided a long time ago that I hate it, and hate how tough it is on my knees, hips, etc. But it’s a GREAT accomplishment to say you ran race, and were able to push yourself to run and set new goals! You go, sista! You will do great, just take breaks, don’t just go to fail..that applies more to lifting!
[...] pain I was experiencing, so I’ve been working on rebuilding my running endurance. Remember the beginner running training schedule from Runner’s World Complete Book of Running? I’ve been modifying that depending on how much [...]
[...] when I bought her, I never even thought twice about ever having to replace her. But in June 2010, I laid my very first laptop down to rest: I think what makes me absolutely furious is that googling “HP DV6000″ allows me to view all [...]