Well, I *almost* did it!

I made the decision to go forward with the C25K program full force this week. This means no more putzing around with my pseudo week 4 attempts! So, this afternoon the girls & I went off to the track to run. It was cute, because they both ran some with me.

So how'd I do, you ask? Not too bad. I walked a lap in 4.22.7, then ran a lap, (I am not 100% sure of my time because I had my ipod locked and forgot about that! So that meant I pushed the buttons, but no splits were recorded. duh!) walked a 1/4 lap and began running again. I then ran 1.75 laps, or just short of 5 minutes. I thought it was 5 minutes, but I was wrong. Oh well. Walked my half-lap, then ran a full lap in 2.53.6 - which makes that full lap about 5.7ish mph! For me that is fast! I then stopped and began my walking break, but had to pee so badly! I ended up squatting on the field and relieving myself right there! Hey, when ya gotta go ya gotta go! Then I began my last run, 5 mins or 1/2 mile or 2 full laps. I did not do that run non-stop. I ended up breaking it up into 3 segments.

As I said, the kids were running with me and talking to me, and it was all a bit more complicated to get into my head and run correctly. I always feel as if I am running painfully slow on the track, then my splits prove me wrong; I end up running faster than my treadmill time of 5.0 / 5.2. I have a bit of a learning curve to work thru still. But it is all good, I am making progress and feeling strong out there.

I know I will be able to run a mile by my birthday. And, if I keep pushing myself this month maybe I will be able to run more than a mile.

Windy Run Today

Ran on the track again today - boy was it windy!!

walked quarter mile, ran half mile, walked 110yrs, ran quarter mile, walked 220yrds, ran quarter mile, walked 110 yrds ran 220 yrds, walked 220 yrds ran quarter mile.

Wait - I just did the math and I ran a quarter lap short of 1.5 miles! that means I only walked half mile out of my 2 miles I did! And actually I just stopped running because 1)the wind was really too strong, 2) the rain was starting, and 3)I had to get back to a birthday party and pick up Lauren soon. I was OK for going farther. huh, I do love running on the track so much more than the treadmill. Although, I don't truly love either one :)

I really need to make myself do Week 4 so that I can move forward. Although, I think I have moved forward more than I think I have! Still, not quite a mile straight. To repeat the 3x around performance of the other day!! Just gotta psych myself up for that one!

Its April, I Need to Get Going!

I just realized that it has been a few weeks in a row that I have not been serious about my running. I would really like to make some progress, but I simply am not pushing myself too hard. Yes, I have been plagued with some minor "injuries" and pains and such. But really, I have little excuse as to why I am not closer to my 3/90. 5/2.5, 3/90, 5/2.5 workout. I have done 5 minutes twice now .... just never on the treadmill. The above workout (my week 4 of the C25K program) is also the same as running .25 miles, .50 miles, .25, .5 miles. I could do it on the track pretty easily. Maybe this week the girls and I will go to the track and run. I can do it ... I know I can!!

I have exactly one month until my 44th birthday. I am supposed to lose another 7lbs and be able to run 2 miles non-stop by then. Well, I did adjust it to one mile fairly recently. So ... In 4 weeks I need to be able to run a full mile. I think the 7lbs should be no big problem. I'd like to lose more even, but I'm not getting greedy! Wow - that would be close to 50lbs lost! The sad thing, I have a lot more to go! Oh well. I'll get there.

Amazing the difference 20lbs can make

I'm looking at my self-portraits on the side, taken 1/28 and 20ish lbs ago, and I'm thinking I look "chubby" in those shots! Funny now, because at that time I was thinking how much I could see the 20lb weight loss in my face! Amazing how much a difference 20 lbs makes, yet again!

Before: The 1st 20 lbs

After: The next 20 lbs (and pardon the hair - it is my post-workout look)

WOW! Ouch

It is really nice out today, so I decided to go for a run outside, rather than go to the gym. So, with my trusty Purple Pal in hand, complete w/new uploads of B-52s and the Theme from Rocky, I headed off to the track with the determination to run 2 complete laps non-stop.

I have been visualizing myself doing just this for a while now. And I felt confident that, while I would be very tired, I *was* capable of running 1/2 mile if I just did not let myself come up with an out. And I do so much better on the track or outside than I do on the treadmill. I can go that extra minute it takes to go to the landmark outside, but inside each and every second is torture!

So off I went, walking only one full lap at quite a brisk pace before I started running; normally I walk 5 minutes and that is just a bit more than a quarter mile. But I walked my quarter mile faster than normal ... 3.5 mins actually. Then I began running. One lap was easy, this was looking good! Another half lap, I was running into the wind which was defiantly harder, but oddly enough easy once I just let the sound take me away. Now I was only 1/4 of a lap from 2 full laps; I was going to do this!! 2 laps down and I felt OK. So, I said just go a quarter of a lap farther. I did, and then some; I ended up running 3 full laps today!!

Then my hip hurt. It just came on quickly as I was almost to the end of my 3rd lap. I felt tired-ish, but not spent and was going to keep on running. But when I got just past my lap mark I had to quit as it hurt too much.

Rats!

I was never able to run again either, the pain was too much and I was afraid of hurting something seriously. And now I am so very bummed that I was not able to get a "real" workout in today. Hardly even was breathless, did not even break a sweat. grrrrr..... this being in shape thing is hard now! ...well, not quite in shape now, but much more so than 3 months ago!

Officialy Allergic To Running

So, this is the 2nd time my eyes have swelled up after running. Sniffelous has nothing on alien eyes!

So, do I take Bennedryl for running, or do I just not run!?

On The Track

The girls had gymnastics today, and since it is an hour long class right next to the old HS track, I decided to use the time to run on the track today. I did pretty good! I completed 1.5 miles in 20 minutes.

I ran 4 quarter mile sets, or close to that at least. The first set I did a complete lap (Well, I'm pretty sure this track is metric, but it is like 3yrds short of a quarter mile, so I'm counting it as a quarter mile for this purpose.) and I ran it in 2:52 ... that works out to me running at about 5.8 ish too! WOW!

The other runs were a bit slower - more like 5.3 ish or 5.5 ish. And I ran about 3/4 of a lap or a bit more before I stopped. The last lap I ran half a lap, walked for 22 seconds, then finished running the lap. I was getting tired by then, and my shin was hurting. Unfortunately I think I am developing shin splints. rats!!

But all in all I did pretty good, I think. I still need to find a day when I am supposed to do the real workout and run my 5 minutes / half mile. I've been 2 weeks at this "week 4" gap and still have not done the official week 4 workout. But I'm doing good at keeping on going.