Notes by Nectar

I began the week with Week 7 Day 1 of the 10k Runner app. I’d tried to do it the week before but found it so hard – I thought it would be a good idea to get comfortable with it before moving to the next level.

• Warm up x 5 min
• Run x 20 min
• Cool down x 5 min

I alternated between 6 km/h and 7.2 km/h and struggled again.

On Monday morning I had a session with Pete. I started with 1 km on the treadmill – walking at 5.5 km/h for 1 min, running at 7.5 km/h for 400 metres, walking for 1 min and then running until I got to 1 km. I did it in 8:40. After some stretches, he told me I’d be doing another version of the ’30 workout’. Ugh. I think he was expecting that reaction from me! It went like this:

• Pushups x 30
• Lateral pulldown x 30 (wide overhand grip)
• Cross-trainer x 30 calories
• Tricep dips x 30
• Lateral pulldown x 30 (narrow underhand grip)
• Cross-trainer x 30 calories
• Incline pushups x 30
• Seated low row x 30
• Cross-trainer x 30 calories

I was supposed to do all that without official breaks. I did stop for water a couple of times though. After that, I did a different set of exercises:

• Combined squat/kickback x 30 (alternating 15 on each side)
• Hanging knee raises x 30
• Combined squat/side kick x 30 (alternating 15 on each side)
• Elbow to knee crunches x 30 (30 on each side)
• Step ups x 30 (15 on each side, stepping on/off a stationary treadmill)
• Butterfly situps x 30

And that was it. I did some stretches and went home.

I went back to the gym on Tuesday for Week 7 Day 2 of the 10k Runner app. I struggled again and thought I might have to repeat the week again the following week! Does running ever get any easier??

I had another session with Pete on Wednesday. I’d been out at Art Dubai on Tuesday night and told him I was feeling really tired, hoping he would go easy on me – but that was not the case. I started with a warmup on the treadmill:

• Walk x 3 min
• Run x 30 s, walk x 30 s (x 4 min)
• Run x 3 min

Pete told me I wouldn’t be using the treadmill again after that. I did some stretches and began the first Tabata circuit:

• Combined squat/shoulder press x 20 s (3-kg weights)
• Rest x 10 s
• Knee in/out x 20 s
• Rest x 10 s
• Combined reverse lunge/straight leg kick x 20 s (on one side)
• Rest x 10 s
• Combined side raise/bicep curl x 20 s (3-kg weights)
• Rest x 10 s
• Repeat (using the other leg during the combined reverse lunge/straight leg kick exercise)

I had some water and then did 4 min on the cross trainer (alternating 20 s at a fast pace and 10 s at a slower pace). I had a break and did the next Tabata circuit:

• Mountain climbers x 20 s
• Rest x 10 s
• Crunches x 20 s
• Rest x 10 s
• ‘Macarena’ plank x 20 s
• Rest x 10 s
• Scissors x 20 s
• Rest x 10 s
• Repeat

Well, the ‘Macarena’ plank is nowhere near as fun as it sounds. In a plank position, on my hands I would have to lift one hand and touch the opposite shoulder and do the same with the other hand. I’d then have to lift the first hand and touch my hip on the same side and then do the same thing on the other side. I could actually hear the song going round in my head as I was doing it.

I had a break and did the next circuit:

• Shuttle runs x 20 s
• Rest x 40 s
• Repeat for 4 min

After another break I did another Tabata circuit:

• Pushups x 20 s
• Rest x 10 s
• Side hip raises x 20 s (on one side)
• Rest x 10 s
• Side hip raises x 20 s (on the other side)
• Rest x 10 s
• Butterfly situps x 20 s
• Rest x 10 s
• Repeat

Oh God – I was ready to go home. I had another 4 minutes on the cross-trainer, alternating fast and slow speeds and I was finally done. I did some stretches to finish and went home.

On Thursday morning I went to a Hatha Flow class at Eco Yoga Sanctuary. They had a special offer on – 40 classes for AED 1999, valid for a year. I decided to buy it – I like going there and most of the teachers I’ve had are good.

I took the day off on Friday. I’d been working until really late on Thursday night and hadn’t slept very well that night.

On Saturday my friend and I made it to the beach for our evening walk. We started a little before 6pm – it was such a beautiful evening.

We did our 6 km in just under an hour. And because we weren’t trying to improve on our time, I think it was easier on my knees than previous weeks.

Total distance covered this week?

Low point of the week? I didn’t get to Day 3 of Week 7 in the 10k Runner app.

High point of the week? Doing six workouts this week, including the 1-hour walk on the beach. I also met a friend on Tuesday evening after almost three months – he told me I’d lost a lot of weight!

Weight loss? It was nice seeing 75 kg a few times this week. My Libra weight-tracking now tells me I’ll hit my goal weight of 65 kg by the end of November this year!

Read more updates here.