A short workout

So, this is something new I've been doing lately (not starting sentences with "so", even though the word doesn't belong there - I've been doing that for ages):

20-25 minute running work-out.

It's something I picked up from one of the trail running magazines I buy, and it had something to do with fitting in a work-out in your lunch break.  So far I haven't even tried to fit it in my lunch break (dude, I live in the Tropics; lunch time is seriously hot), but I sometimes throw it in for a morning or afternoon run if I only have a short time.

You have a five minute session, which you repeat four or five times depending on how much time you have:

• First 2 minutes brisk walk/slow jog
• Next 2 minutes normal run
• Last minute run like a crazy person.

Now, the "crazy person" bit involves jumping randomly from path to grass to road - dodging between trees, suddenly bursting into a gallop then going back to a sprint... running like you're being chased for a few seconds and then running like you're trying to leap over obstacles...  I tried skipping at one point, but found it easier to add leaping to my running stride rather than shift from running to skipping.

Then your watch beeps at you to tell you the minute's up, and you're back to the top of the 5 min with the brisk walk again.

Yes, it's basically a mini fartlek (and then a mini fartlek within the mini fartlek), but after 25 minutes you feel like you've done some exercise, so that's all right.

And I think my 16 year old me just said "you do what now?"

She would probably be more alarmed about the fact that I buy more than one running magazine than the fact that I actually try running workouts.

Running.  Never thought it would end up being my thing, but it's one of my favourite activities if I can find the time.

I'm not very good at it, but there's plenty of time.  Apparently (according to my magazines), if you start running in your 30s you end up getting quite decent at it in your 40s and 50s.

Something to look forward to.