Week 5, Day 1, version 2 - Booya baby!

I did it!  I mapped out my route in advance and made a goal to make it the entire 2 miles regardless of how long it took me.  I figured I would be really tired because I didn't know what my pace was, but I was pretty sure it was slow and that I wasn't really hitting the distance marks.  So on Sunday morning, I got up early and set out. 

As I usually do, I started with a short walk and then some stretching before I kicked into my 5 minute warm up walk.  Then the running began.  So far, W5D1 is my favorite run.  I find the run times to be challenging, but not defeating and the walk times in between to be just enough.  It is amazing to me that as I am moving along, watching the scenery go by, running further than I have in a great many years, I find myself actually feeling stronger by the minute (as opposed to weaker like I did in the beginning).  And do you know what I found even more amazing???  I hit the 2 mile distance marker 20 seconds before the last 5 minute interval was over.  I know it is only 20 seconds, but to me, it was so much.  It told me that I was stronger than I had been giving myself credit for.  I really felt so full of pride and accomplishment!!!!

Once I returned home, there was little time to relish my milestone.  It was Father's Day, after all, and I had a breakfast to make for my husband (eggs Benedict), food to cook for a potluck, children to get ready and day bags to pack.  I barely had time to squeeze in a shower and get myself ready, never mind sit down to write my blog.  It was a wonderful day though...and while I may have eaten and drank more calories than I ran off during the party, it was a really fun and special day.  More running to do in the morning and less food to consume over the course of the day, so hopefully the scale will tip the other way!  Tomorrow, I move on to W5D2.  I will be running for time and then I will repeat the day and run for distance on Thursday.  That gives me until Saturday to mentally prepare for W5D3, the dreaded 20 minute run without any walking.  No matter how good I am feeling, that run still seems like a giant leap...I will be prepared though.  I am doing now what I though impossible a few weeks ago, so why not 20 minutes?  I can do it.  I CAN do it.  I CAN DO it.  I CAN DO IT!!!

Week 5, Day 1 - Restless nights and early mornings

The first words I uttered in my head this morning were, "No Excuses."  I had many for not wanting to get out of bed:  up many times last night with a distraught toddler who has 5 new teeth arriving all at once; a stuffy nose and itchy throat from the brutal allergy season; still feeling salted about the Celtics loss last night.  But alas, I dragged myself, bleary eyed and bitter, out of bed and dressed myself.  My blood was slow to start moving.  I walked for several minutes before the yawning subsided and I felt at all ready to fire up some Chubby Jones and begin the power walking.  Once I did though, it all started to click into place.  I always stop mid walk, be it at the beginning  or during the so-called recovery walks, to stretch my legs, calves, and lower back a little more.  It amounts to about 30 seconds, but it makes all the difference to me.  I have yet to experience any shin splints (which I always have in the past when I run) or cramping in my legs, so I stick with it religiously. 

Once I started running, it felt really good.  I found today's intervals to be much easier to finish than last week's.  I'm not sure I am quite hitting the total distances the program calls for, but I think I am pretty close.  I discovered a website that allows you to enter your running routes and then it calculate the exact distance.  I was going to check out my total mileage this morning, but the site is down until tomorrow.  If you're interested, the address is www.gmap-pedometer.com.  At any rate, it felt good and I think I am going to run W5D1 once more with the goal of hitting the distance mark.  The cool thing about today's run was that for the first time since I started this program, I really did feel that I could be running 5K.  I mean, up to now, that always felt so far away.  And while I have been positive about this C25K thing, it has still been hard for me to even imagine myself running for 20 or 25 or 30 minutes without stopping.  Even last night, thinking about day 3 of this week, I felt nothing but dread, but now, I know that while it may be hard, I will be able to do it.  It's like the more I say it, the more real it actually becomes.  My hard work, my commitment, my mindset, and the support of friends, family and fellow C25Kers - it all adds up to the wonderful truth that I know deep down:  I CAN DO IT!!!

Week 4, Day 5 - The real deal

Since I haven't actually run since Saturday morning, I was quite fearful that I would find myself out of shape and unable to run this morning.  I was afraid that 4 days without a run was going to be the undoing of all my hard work.  I was, I am happy to say, a bit of a Chicken Little in this regard, as the sky did not fall and I was fully able to run my last week 4 workout without too much difficulty.  I was sucking air pretty hard that last five minutes, but I made it.  In all honesty, the last of the week 5 workouts scares me, but the first looks very doable.  In fact, I think that I'll prefer three 5 minute runs to the varied run and walk durations of week 4.  We shall see. 

I realize after this little hiccup I encountered how important the routine is in physical fitness.  Each day away from it seems like a exponential leap from the last.  And while I did walk on Monday, it didn't have the same impact on me as a run would have, and as a result, I felt miles away from Saturday morning in my head.  On Monday evening, I laid out my clothes intending to do my run Tuesday morning, but a bad night of sleep with a teething baby and a stuffy nose had me rolling back over and going back to sleep.  Now, I know this is hardly the end of the world, but that one break from the routine I had established also altered the mindset I had established about it - NO EXCUSES.  I have to say all this and cement this idea in my mind because in two weeks, I am travelling back to the east coast to stay with my family.  I'll be there for three weeks and if I wasn't totally sure of what my commitment level had to be and didn't have my attitude about carrying on the C25K program set, then I can see how easy it would be to slip. 

We've all said it before, but so much of the success of this program, or really, any fitness program, is dependant on attitude.  It is mental toughness as much as physical toughness.  I must stay committed to my routine and the program and to myself. No excuses, I CAN DO IT!

Week 4, Day 5 - A day late and a dollar short

I had just an amazing weekend!  Starting with the arrival of a good friend and his kids and ending with a great wedding and a fun night camping.  I was so glad I got up early and ran on Saturday before we left.  It was a far better run than the last and I felt energized by it.  I had a ton to do so we could get out of town on time, so I couldn't sit and write (much anyway).  My plan was to write yesterday, but I returned home with the most unbelievable allergy attack I think I've ever had.  I couldn't breath.  I couldn't stop sneezing and my nose wouldn't stop running.  My sinuses were stinging and swollen and I hated life.  I was in no mood to sit and write anything. 

Despite this, my resolve to stay on track had me doing the normal nightly preparations for my run and I set the alarm to get up at 6:10 am.  I got out of bed, still feeling pretty crummy, dressed and left the house.  All started well, but as soon as I started running and breathing heavy, I thought I was going to DIE.  The sinuses were burning and I felt like my temples were going to burst open, so for the first time since I started this program, I abandoned my mission.  I could not go on.  I walked the entire route I normally would just to go through the motions and not feel like a total loser.  Providing I feel better on the morning, I will try it again.  Since I am not feeling great and now I missed a day, I am going to do W4D5 one last time before starting week 5.  If I am still illing tomorrow, then look for me on Wednesday, but I really want to jump right back in before I lose my momentum.

I remain committed and have my goal locked into my view.  This day is but a small setback and I am choosing to focus on the positive that I still got up and tried.  I want this, I need this and I am determined to do this.  So, watch out, I'll be back and I know that I CAN DO IT!

Week 4, Day 4 - Running, Running, Running

Woke up this morning and went running.  Came home and ran around getting ready to go to the wedding and camp.  Was running late all morning and now I have to run out the door, so I will write my blog tomorrow when I am not running myself ragged.

Hope you all have a very nice day!

Week 4, Day 3 - not every day can be a good day

I want to be honest here, so I have to start by saying that today sucked.  I was awake for hours last night and when I was just on the verge of falling back asleep and able to catch an hour of precious slumber before the alarm went off, my daughter woke up.  All she wanted was her pacifier and she went right back to sleep, but I would not be so lucky.  So, a few minutes before 6:00, I got out of bed, drank some water and scarfed down a banana.  I don't usually eat before I run, but I figured I had the time to let it sit and digest before I hit the pavement, so I gave it a try.

I don't know if it was the lack of sleep or the food in my stomach or both, but this run never felt good to me from the start.  I finished each run interval, but labored through them all.  Try as I might to think positive thoughts, each gruelling minute seemed to last an eternity and I felt nauseous the entire time.  Normally, I really enjoy walking at the end of the last run interval and intentionally go further than I need to so I have a good 3/4 - 1 mile to  cool down, but today it was tough.  My legs were rubbery and slow and it seemed like I would never get home.  It was, of course, raining, but the one bright spot in this morning's workout was the beautiful rainbow I got to see along the way.

Some days are just going to be like that I guess.  I'm glad I pushed through, but I wish I felt better about it.  I have a wedding to go to on Saturday in a nice grove in the Redwoods.  We are camping there afterwards and I decided that there was so much happening that morning to get me ready and out the door that I was going to repeat one more week 4  workout rather than trying to take on something new and unknown.  I'm glad I decided that in advance, because after today, I definitely am not feeling like I am ready for week 5 yet.  Hopefully, like every other 4th workout I do, I kick its ass and move on the next day.

I'm sorry, my friends, that I was not able to sprinkle a little ray of sunshine today.  As much as I try to be positive, I am also trying to be honest, so there you have it.  I wish you all the best in your runs today or tomorrow and leave you with this though...if I could get up today and finish this run, despite feeling tired and sick to my stomach, the YOU CAN DO IT too!

Week 4, Day 2 - half way through the program

On my refrigerator is a spreadsheet with the entire C25K program printed on it.  Every time I return from a run, I "X" out the corresponding box.  When I repeat a day, I make a cross through it so it looks like a little star.  It is a very satisfying exercise and it gives me a visual representation of what I am accomplishing.  Today, as I marked the W4D2 box I realized I was half way through the program.  Wow!  I have come so far and am excited to know that there is still a long way ahead of me.  If I have made such amazing strides for myself in 4 1/2 weeks, just think what I can do in the next 4 1/2 weeks!

Yesterday afternoon was just beautiful.  I had every window in the house open and the evening was warmer than usual.  I got my things ready last night for today's run expecting more of the same, so was deeply disappointed to awaken to the realization that I'd be running in the rain again.  It's fine to run in the rain, but really not as enjoyable to me as starting the day running in the crisp, clean, cool air of a bright, blue morning.  On top of the crummy weather, the rain brings out the slugs.  I swear, it's like the onslaught of rain is to slugs is what the lighting of the Olympic torch is to humans.  They come out in force ready to show off their finesse and skill.  The only problem is, I feel like I am running on an obstacle course.  I haven't spoken to this yet, but I have a history of unique and cataclysmic accidents that have landed me hurt, on crutches, in the ER, and wrapped in bandages on many occasions.  I'll say that no one has ever used the word graceful to describe me, so it is with extra caution that I tread on this slug land mine field.  And of course, as I've mentioned before, I don't live in an area I would consider to be inhabited by the most responsible dog owners, so there are quite a few land mines of another kind I must watch for on the sidewalks (argh!).

Nevertheless, I kicked W4D2's ass.  It had me in a tight corner that last 2 minutes of the last run, but I found some punch and finished strong.  It felt good.  I felt strong and alive.  I want to continue feeling this way.  I hope now that we are moving into a phase of longer running, I'll start to see more results in the weight loss department.  I am still noticing differences in how my clothes fit, but I'd really like to start seeing more differences on the scale.  I am committed to this 100% though, so I know that I will reach my goals, I know that I CAN DO IT!