Runner 5 Versus Zombie Swarm (with Stella for back up)

A month since I last blogged which speaks volumes about how much running I've been doing. Not enough! I've had to change up the routine, something that I hear time and time again as way to get the mojo back. I just lost the love. The sofa was winning, and with added daily pressures, my training dropped from 3 times a week to just one lonely session. And I have to give credit to my friend Emily for that one, having a work mate running date helps enormously!

With that in mind I do need to find a running group to help kick my schedule into gear. I'm looking at a few at the moment (from the comfort of my arm chair) but I have yet to get up the nerve to turn up at one. The majority are free, so its not the cash that's the worry, and I have it on good authority that most cater for all abilities, so what am I so afraid of?

My guess is it has something to do with the fact that I still dont see myself as a 'proper' runner. With two half marathons, and four 10kms races behind me, and another 3 races signed up for 2012, you'd think I may have convinced myself by now. I think I'm too slow, or slightly too curvy or maybe my gear isn't quite the right stuff. I think I'm terrified that when I do join a group, I'll not be able to keep up, or I'll stagger up a hill too slowly. I am my own worst enemy here.

Its that old voice playing up again, telling me its easier to just not bother. So I had to counteract it this morning before I become all consumed with self doubt and probably unhelpful obsessing about mileage missed or fitness lost. So I went for a run, but left my HRM, Nike + app and GPS at home.

I just added a few Zombies, just to mix it up a little.

I saw this app advertised a few weeks ago, but for £5 I thought it was a little too steep to invest in. Bring on the Easter sales and for £2.50 I could just about justify it. The premise is, you're Runner 5, collecting essential life saving items and out running zombie swarms with the aid of the radio controller back at base. Once you've completed your run, you log back on and 'distribute' you findings at base, unlocking new missions and helping level up your station.

If you can get over the very cheesy acting, its actually a lot of fun. I pretty much sprinted up my nemesis hill when I was told 'IT'S RIGHT BEHIND YOU!' and the zombie moans get louder in your headphones. Stella had a ball. I'll have to get her written into the script for the next upgrade. Its great for recovery runs or short, sharp sprints, as it reverts back to 'radio' mode after about 5kms. You get to choose your own music, so I'm thinking I may just download the sound track from Resident Evil for authenticity!

It got me out the door, and I'm rather intrigued to see what the next mission may be, so I'm pretty sure I'll be up for another short run tomorrow. Anything that works, I reckon, is worth trying again.

And with the extra milage adding up little by little, I may just take the leap and turn up at a running club next week. There's one next Tuesday with my name on it.