C25K Week 2 Day 1

Well...we are back from our two week visit with our in-laws and they sent us home with their treadmill.  It was an experience pulling a little trailer behind our car but we finally made it back!!  My son came over and helped us get the beast downstairs and I took a run on it the other day.  I can sure feel the difference in altitude being back home but I do have to say it was much cooler running here than in my in-laws garage!  I'm really happy to have the treadmill and I think it will help me be more consistent with my running.  I'm also really happy to have the little trailer they gave us.  That will make it much easier when we need to bring landscaping stuff home.  No more borrowing my son's truck!  

I'm still working on a schedule that works with running but at least I don't have to worry with outside issues.  I did this run at about 7:30pm and while that time worked with my schedule I'm not sure it's a good idea for me to exercise that late.  I had a very hard time getting to sleep because it hyped me up!  Maybe I need to get up earlier but I can't imagine getting up earlier than the 4:30am I already get up.  Oh, well, I'll do some more fanagling and see what will work the best.  This is important and I WILL make it work!!

Our trip was very relaxing but I came back with a 7# gain even though I think I ate pretty well while we were there.  I just hope it doesn't take me two weeks to get it back off again.  And...I'm off on another business trip next week.  My husband is staying home for this one so I think I will take this opportunity to eat lots of salads and spend extra time at the hotel gym.

C25K Week 1 Day 3

Thankfully today seemed a little easier to get through. It's not quite as hot today which really helped. I also mixed things up by using a video from YouTube along with music from the iTunes Radio app. The video is someone doing a trail and prompting you when it's time to walk or run. It's sort of fun to watch things go by even though you're on a treadmill. 

Here's a link to the video for week 1 in case you want to check it out:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nhuZPAVHGg&list=PLl7Hd30ASDAFnzS-18l7zjAhUsKE5hUN0

C25K Week 1 Day 2

I'm on track!  I just finished day 2 of week 1 in my restart of the program. It was just as hot in the garage but my FIL set up a fan for me and that helped loads. I used a new app this time and I think it will work great once I get a good playlist of music set up. It allows you to run your own playlist and then prompts you when it's time to run or walk. I've started a list of songs I think would be good to put on my playlist so the next step is easy.  I was using some great music from an independent band we discovered in New Orleans but their music isn't really running type music.  They are a great folksy bluegrass type of band that we absolutely love but I think I need some Lady Gaga and Katy Perry next time!

I looked back at the last time I did w1d2 and it was February. I'm so bummed that I didn't keep up with the program back then!!  I'd be so much closer to my goals right now - ugh!  But I am back at it and determined to do it this time. I've even found a 5K at the end of August that I'm going to sign up for. I know myself and if I don't have something to work towards that is fairly short term, it is so easy to procrastinate my workouts and then I'm right back here starting over yet again. I really don't want to repeat that history!!

Let's start at the very beginning....

Well...it has been so long since I've run that I figured it would be a good idea to begin on C25K week 1, day 1 and see how I do. I went in thinking I'd just pick it back up and it'd be a piece of cake. Wrong-o-rama!!!

It was a tough run but there were several differences between this time and the last time I ran. I was running on a treadmill in a hot & stuffy garage. I sort of liked running on the treadmill but the lack of moving air was harsh. I'm taking tomorrow off but will run again the following day with a fan.  We shall see if that makes it a little more enjoyable. I did like the fact that the treadmill kept me at a constant rate and I couldn't slack off like I have a tendency to do when I'm running outside.  I also liked not having to deal with the unknowns you get outside. I didn't have to outrun any dogs, bugs, or crazy school kids. I can also run anytime of the day. I'm really stoked about that. I'm also really glad I'm active again. I was dripping wet when I finished but it felt great to get moving!!

C25K Week 4 Day 2

Hi all! Sorry this post is so late. I actually completed this day's training on March 31st and then we immediately went out of town to visit family.  I was yet again shocked that I was able to run for such a long continuous time!  I am very nervous about week 5 to come but I'll cross that bridge when I get there.  I'm really starting to understand the truth in the theory that reaching physical goals has a huge mental aspect to them.  I've missed a couple weeks of training but hopefully week 4 day 3 will go smoothly.  I plan to run again on Thursday and then tackle day 1 of week 5 on Saturday.

We had a great time on our little getaway but unfortunately it rained buckets every day and it was not safe to be running around so I didn't get any training in while we were gone.  I was very careful with food while I was gone and I'm really proud of myself for only gaining a pound the whole time.  That was eating what was served but within reason.  As an example one night we had pizza and I chose just to eat the top since I knew that if I ate that crust no matter how wonderfully delicious it would be I would definitely pay for it later.

I did share with family that I had been running and unfortunately they weren't exactly supportive.  I know they love me and are just worried that I will ruin my body with running.  They know someone who was a runner that said that if they would have known the damage they were doing, they never would have started.  I've done quite a bit of research on the topic of safe running and I don't plan on becoming a world class marathoner and pushing my body beyond what it should be doing or is ready for.  I think I'm smart about my running and listen to my body very closely.  I don't have a huge stride nor do I hit my footpads very hard.  I joke with my husband that I'm more of a stumbler than a runner.  I'm really slow too - he keeps up with me just by picking up his walking pace a little bit.  I just took the comment in stride and changed the subject.  That's really all you can do I guess.

We've been back home for a little bit now and I'm struggling to get completely back into the swing of things.  I was able to get that pound off that I gained on vacation and send another of it's friends packing as well.  Yeah me!  While I haven't been working out as much as I should probably be, I haven't been completely sedentary either.  I'm still going to my weekly dance classes and we had a performance on Saturday.  The performance was great fun and we ended up dancing with other groups at the event as well.  I was probably dancing for a good two hours altogether.  I was tired and sore later that day but it felt so good.  I need to remind myself how good it feels to be active when I get home from work and just want to collapse on the couch with a glass of wine!!  Yep...it's that mental thing again!

Holy Cow!!!

I DID IT!!!  I completed C25K Week 4 Day 1 the very first time out!  To say I'm shocked is an understatement.  Knowing I would be doing two 3 minute runs and two 5 minute runs in this workout was really daunting.  Then when I got started and realized that my recovery would only be 90 seconds and 2.5 minutes, respectively, I was really worried.  Of course, I looked down and gave my running partner, Peanut, the pep talk he needed!  It wasn't easy but it also wasn't so bad that I thought I was going to collapse either.  I think I might make it through week 4 without a repeater!  Woohoo!!!

Peanut, however, might be reaching the end of his physical abilities and after this week I don't think he will be able to be my running partner anymore.  He struggled with this run and was not keeping up very well.  But...he's cute and adorable so maybe I'll add in some evening pleasure walks for him.

Healthy eating is going well but the scale is not showing it so I'm just hoping that since I've been more consistent with my activity these past few weeks that it's just a little stall while my body puts on some muscle and gets used to what's going on.  Next week is measurements week so we'll see if that shows some changes.  I can't say I feel any difference in my clothes but I don't wear really tight things anyway so small changes won't be really noticeable.

I also think I might take a big huge leap on this blog next week and actually post my measurements - scary!!  I've been reading a bunch of health blogs recently and the ones that really speak to me are the ones that I can relate to personally.  Ones where I can see that the blogger is or was my size and still had a body that was strong and capable.  Those really inspire me and maybe someone will stumble on my blog and need some inspiration too!  I know it sounds so cliche but if I can do this, other women like me can!!  Seriously...before I started losing weight and exercising regularly just going from one floor of my tri-level house to the other would get me winded.

I also need to find some time to update my blog design and put some links to those blogs in a gadget on the sidebar.  Where do all those hours go?!?

Today I am getting a pedicure and going to a dance rehearsal for a flash mob I'm a part of in May (more on that later!) so I better get my fingers off this computer and feed my awesome hubby before he has to go out for the day and then I need to go get cleaned up for my day.

Thanks ever so much for reading this little ole blog and sending up encouraging thoughts for me!  I'm reaching goals and doing things I never thought I'd be able to do and knowing there are people out there cheering me on is so uplifting!!

Updates

I'm doing really well with C25K! I did week 3 day 1 on Saturday and I nearly cried when I heard the voice say that we were going to run 3 minutes without stopping!!  I had my little dog Peanut with me and I just said out loud to him that we WERE going to do this.  I checked my Garmin to see what my elapsed time was so far so I could keep myself motivated.  I waited until I was really tired to look at it again and when I saw I only had a minute left of the run I knew I could do it.  Then when the 2nd 3 minute run came up I knew I could do it because I'd done it already!

On Monday the hubby and I went for a 5k hike on a local trail.  We hiked up 1.6 miles with an elevation gain of 315 feet and then hiked back down again.  I felt like I was incredibly slow on this hike but really my pace wasn't all that much slower than when I'm doing C25K.  My knees get upset when I go uphill.  I'm hoping as I take off more weight that they will not punish me so much.

When I woke up this morning I felt like I had been hit by a truck.  I'm thinking it was the combination of the hike yesterday and the fact that I had two slices of whole wheat bread for lunch before our hike.  I'm really starting to think that gluten attacks my joints in a horrible way.  I wasn't sure I would be able to run today but I pushed through and did it!  It definitely wasn't my fastest run but I made it through the whole program including the two 3 minute runs!!  It was a challenge on the track today because the middle school track team was doing sprints at the same time.  Peanut did pretty good and wasn't too distracted by all the kids which really surprised me.  I put aside my self consciousness and did my workout.  I just kept telling myself that what those kids thought of me did not matter.  I was quite proud of myself for getting out there and I wasn't going to let anything take that away from me!

Eating has been going really well except for the bread thing on Monday.  I tried a new recipe last night that wasn't a home run but it was edible.  It was Garlic Lover's Stew from Kalyn's Kitchen.  Usually her recipes end up as keepers but this one was too salty and too garlicky for our tastes.  I rescued the stew meat from the concoction and threw out all the rest.  I'm going to use the stew meat in a curry of some type later this week.  Here's a link to the recipe if you want to try it - like I said it wasn't bad but it just wasn't suited to our taste preference:  http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2008/02/crockpot-beef-stew-recipe-with-olives.html

Tomorrow is Curves and dance class and then the last day of week 3 is on Thursday.  Saturday I move to week 4 and I've heard it's a push to get through it.  I'll just keep telling myself I can do it and put forth all the effort I have.  That's the only thing I can do unless Fiona the Fitness Fairy visits by then and magically makes me a world class runner!  I think maybe I'll have better luck keeping up my positive self talk.

Still Running!

Well...I made a plan and I put it in my planner like I said I would!  Lo and behold I'm two days into the week and I've fulfilled both of my plans for these days!!!  I went to Curves yesterday and I ran C25K week 2 day 1 today.  I'm not going to lie and say it was easy - that I was high on the motivation of new goals written in my awesome new planner that my amazing hubby bought me for my birthday (that's over two months away - but who's counting?).  Nope...it was hard but I did it and I feel great inside...deeeeeep inside because right now everything below my neck is screaming.

Tomorrow - Curves and dance class - wish me luck!

Back to Running!

Today I finally got back out there.  I redid week 1 day 3 of C25K and the really hard part was dodging all the snow/ice piles and mud puddles.  I actually was surprised that it wasn't harder to get back into it since I haven't run in a couple weeks.  I need to set up a workout plan and actually stick to it so I don't have to do this back and forth on the training plan.  I would really like to commit to doing Curves on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and then C25K on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.  I wrote it in my planner so hopefully I will keep up with it.  I know all the experts say to make an appointment with yourself to do these things but gosh, is that a hard thing to follow through on.

On the food front things are going great!  I'm trying new recipes and the majority of them are coming out well.  We've even found a few that we are going to add into our regular rotation.  It makes it so much easier for meal planning when I have a good amount of regular dishes.  I hate making the same things week in and week out so this way I can work up to several weeks where I don't have to repeat anything.  I really need to start posting my menu plans here.  I'll put that in my planner! lol

C25K Day 2 and Weigh in

I did not lose anything this week!!  I hate weeks like this.  I feel like I did everything right but I'm going to go back and look at what I ate and try to figure out what was wrong.  I know it's better than a gain but just barely better.  I've been telling myself all day that it's just one week and that slow and steady will win this race.  But, gosh darnit already, I want to win today!! ;-)

With regard to C2K...day 2 is done!  It was hard..I dare say just as hard as day 1 but I did it.  DH helped me along by coaching my breathing and reminding me to lift my head.  He had me breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth.  I think it helped but now my nose is runny and hurts!  Also I'm not 100% sold on my shoes.  I retied the laces but it seems like my feet keep scootching forward and then my toes are all cramped up in front.  I'd like to visit the running store to get fitted with good shoes but I'm still afraid I'm going to quit and then I'll have wasted a bunch of money on shoes.  I know this is not a very healthy way to think and believe me I'm trying to change my attitude.

My next running day would be Saturday but we are forecast for a really bad snowstorm so I'm not sure what is going to happen.  If possible, it might be a good idea to lay down $4.25 and go over to the rec center and use their indoor track.  Next week I am on a business trip so my hope is that I can find the time at least twice to go into the workout room at the hotel and use the treadmill to train.  Next week we increase our run time intervals by another 30 seconds and I don't want to take a week off and then try to do that!  I'm expecting we will be working long days so running outside is not the best idea since it will be dark and I'm going to a very large urban city with a noticeable crime rate.

I went back to Curves on Monday and had problems with my key tag so I had to reprogram a new one and half way through my workout it freaked out again.  I really think that once my year is up on this membership I am not going to renew.  It costs just as much as a family membership at the rec center and at least with that membership DH could come with me if he wanted to.  He's not a big fan of the place because it's usually filled with obnoxious teenagers and over crowded.  But...at least if I'm paying this amount of money he could come if he wanted to.  I could also go back to taking my Zumba classes that I actually liked (not loved...because, well, it's still exercise.)  Maybe someday I'll be one of those people who likes exercise!  Gosh...I sure hope I come back and read this in a year and laugh at myself!!

I was looking at quotes today to try to keep my motivation going and help my confidence problem.  I found this really good one that I'll close this post out with.

It’s very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit.  George Sheehan

C25K Week 1 Day 1

DH and I had a really good discussion today about my fears of failure and not meeting goals. He's so wonderful!  He understands me and promises to be there to help. That really means so much!!!

As a start he went with me today to start the couch to 5K program. It was 37 degrees with a pretty good wind and I quickly figured out I need more warmth on my legs. I completed the program but that last run segment was very difficult and in addition to be feeling very tight and sore muscles I was also feeling that horrible tingling you get when the cold is starting to invade. 

We used the gravel track at the middle school and I could really tell the difference when we got back on the asphalt walking home. I don't think I would like running on that surface!  I did have my new Reeboks on and they felt pretty good. I need to fix the lacing but I think they will work well for me. 

When we got home I ordered some Under Armour ColdGear compression leggings and a ColdGear shirt. They should be here later in the week. Hopefully they will help me stay warmer.  I also need some better gloves but I have these freakishly long fingers so I'll go over to the sporting goods store for those so I can try them on. 

My next run should be on Wednesday. I will get over to Curves before then. I think a good plan will be to do C25K 3 days a week and then go to Curves the alternating 3 days and have one day off per week. I really want to stick with this and have some completed goals that I  can look back on to motivate me to go further and feel confident in myself. Good start so far!!