C25K Update W2D1
Just finished W2D1 this morning. Ninety seconds of running really make a difference. But at the same time the workout seemed shorter. I don’t know if it’s the fact that there are less repetitions or I am actually starting to get used to this workout. I’d like to think it’s the latter.
So now I’ve officially passed the point I fell of the wagon last time I attempted c25k plan. I have a good feeling about actually finishing it this time. Keeping this blog going is definetely helping me stay on track.
Listening during workout: This American Life podcast show 281
C25K iPhone App one week later
It’s been a total of seven days since my C25K app became available on the App Store. I feel like it’s a milestone and that I should give some kind of a report.
So… drum roll please… during the first week I had 46 downloads. Even though this number might not look that big for an iPhone app, to me it’s huge. Just a though that 46 of you out there are using my little app to become healthier makes me feel good.
To everyone who downloaded the app: a big THANK YOU! I hope you are actively using it and are getting physically fitter. If you have any problems with the app please let me know here. If you have feature requests or suggestions please submit them here. If you love the app please write a review on the App Store, and if you are not 5-star satisfied please let me know and I’ll make sure I improve it.
Again, thanks to everyone who downloaded!
C25K W1D2
Just completed W1D2 this morning. I increased the running speed by one point to #4.6. That did make a difference as it was noticeably harder to keep running for 1 minute. I feel as though if I can easily complete 1 minute of running I’m not pushing my self enough. At the same time I don’t want to push myself too hard the first week. Hopefully I’m doing the right thing by increasing the running speed a little each day.
One thing I realized I need is some good stretch excercises. I do some kind of stretching but I doubt I’m doing it correctly. If anyone has a good link where I can find stretching instructions please post in the comments.
Anybody else started the C25K this week? Please post in the comments so we can keep each other on track. I know I will definetely need some support to keep going.
Happy Running!
Back on track – C25K W1D1
I’m happy to report that I’ve completed W1D1 today. This is my second attempt at starting it and hopefully I stay with it this time.
The temperature climbed to twenties today but I still decided to run on the treadmill. I did my walks on speed #3 and most runs on #4.5. I started running on speed #4 but it seemed like I wasn’t really getting a workout. So I gradually kept increasing until #4.5. Then I actually had to put some effort into running. My total distance for W1D1 was 1.7 miles. One of the nice things about running on a treadmill is that you get the distance calculated for you.
I did feel pretty tired afterwards. Don’t know when I’ll actually get to a point when I feel good and engendered after a workout. Maybe at Week 2.
Happy Running!
C25K App update
Just received an email from Apple letting me know that the update for the C25K app has been approved. At the time of me writing this post the new version is still not showing up in the AppStore, but I expect it will I’m a few hours. I will update this post when it appears.
I expected the approval to take longer, but looks like Apple is a lot fast at approving apps and updates then previously reported.
Thanks to everyone who purchased the app!
Happy Running
C25K iPhone App is available at the AppStore
So the big news: my C25K App for iPhone or iPod Touch has been approved and is available in the AppStore! You can find it by searching for C25K in the iTunes or the AppStore on your iPhone or Touch.
Unfortunately, the version that is in the AppStore now has a pretty big bug: The audio alert is not played at correct intervals for week 4 and later. I’ve discovered the error the same day that the app was approved by Apple. I can not express how terrible I feel about it. I’ll write more about it when I calm down a bit.
If you purchased the app and are on Week 1, there is a good chance that an update will be available before you reach Week 4. I’ve already submitted an update to Apple and it’s under review. Based on my experience it takes about a week for new applications to be approved. I’m hoping the wait is the same or shorter for the updates.
So please update the C25K app as soon as the update is available. If you find other bugs or have ideas or suggestions please submit them here: http://c25kapp.uservoice.com/
Thanks and Happy Running!
Don’t be afraid of the numeric keypad
Every once in a while I need to enter a bunch of numbers in a spreadsheet or a spreadsheet-like application. I would always use the number keys at the top of the keyboard to type numbers even though it’s kind of slow and awkward. I’ve seen accounting and data entry people use the number pad for entering numbers and I’ve seen how fast they can enter numbers with it. But I’ve never learned how to use the number pad.
Well, yesterday instead of going for the usual I decided to look up how to use the number pad. I was surprised how easy it is to get used to and how faster I became at entering numbers even after using the number pad for just a few minutes.
So maybe they teach this in high-school typing class and everybody knows how to use it, but was new to me… so I’m posting it here. Here’s how you use the numeric keypad as explained here (warning: your browser windows will resize if you click this link):
Place your index finger on the 4-key, middle finger on the 5-key, and your ring finger on the 6-key. Your little finger should rest on the Enter-key and your thumb should rest on the 0-key. This is your Home Row position. Now think of the keys on the numeric pad as being arranged in a column and you move your fingers up and down the column to enter numbers as in:
- Index finger presses keys: 7, 4, and 1
- Middle finger presses keys: /, 8, 5, and 2
- Ring finger presses keys: *, 9, 6, 3, and .
- Little finger presses keys: -, +, and Enter
- Thumb presses key 0
That’s it. Nothing complicated here. So next time you need to enter a bunch of numbers into a Spreadsheet give it a try.
Blog moved to WordPress.com
I’ve moved my blog to a free WordPress.com account. Not that I was unhappy with TypePad… but WordPress is free and it has all the features I need. For $15 a year WordPress lets you add your own domain name which I did. So it was $15/yr against $150/yr and $15 won…
The good news is that if you subscribe to my feed, you don’t have to do anything at all. Since I used FeedBurner to manage my feed all I had to do is change the source and you are now getting feeds from my new blog location. And in case you want to get out of your RSS reader and actually visit the blog the address is http://c25kapp.com
Happy Running!
So where’s that C25K app for the iPhone?
So I got a nice little surprise today! It came in a from of an email from the iPhone Developer Program folks. Based on what I've been reading on the web about the approval process for iPhone apps, I wasn't expecting a response in at least 3-4 weeks time. So it caught me totally by surprise when I got an email from them today. I wast still pretty happy even after I read the email and realized that they rejected the app. Apple is so cool, even being rejected by them makes me happy…
Well, it wasn't a complete rejection… they asked me to fix one issue with the user interface and re-submit the app. Which I just did. And if they again take the same time to look at it, and they don't find any other issue with it, my C25K app should be available in the AppStore in about a week! That's still ahead of my schedule, and a reason to be happy!
Happy running!
Alex
