Week 4 Day 1

This morning, I got up early to go running before spending Thanksgiving Day lunch with my family and Thanskgiving Day dinner with my mother-in-law.  Yes, that's right... TWO Thanksgiving Day meals.  I can assure you that whatever calories I burned this morning will be taken care of this afternoon.

It was my first morning run, and I like that.  I feel a bit more energized (although sore) this afternoon, even after stuffing my face with turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, green bean bundles, and rolls.  (I'm not a fan of stuffing/dressing.)  Anyway - I enjoyed the morning run and my eventual goal is to be able to get up in the morning and go on a 30/45 minute run 4 or 5 days a week.

I did Week 4, Day 1, and I've been dreading it for several days now -- the 5 minute run was a scary thought for me.  I was SUPPOSED to do this on Tuesday, but for some reason I never got around to it, and yesterday I was busy all day, so today I knew I had to do it.  I woke up to mid-50 degree weather and rain.  Not my ideal running conditions... but I found a cap and hoodie to put on and headed out to do it anyway -- and God was sweet enough to stop the rain for my entire run!  Here's the Week 4 schedule...

Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then:

• Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
• Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes)
• Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
• Five-minute cool-down.

The first three-minute run and the first five-minute run, I completed without stopping!  Did you hear that??  I ran FIVE WHOLE MINUTES without stopping, after just running THREE minutes without stopping.  It's a Thanksgiving Day Miracle!

The second set of runs I did NOT complete, although I attempted them and did my best until my legs turned into complete jelly.

Baby steps -- I'm getting there, slowly but surely.  I foresee myself staying on Week 4 for at least 5 days.  We'll see.  =)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!