Week 4 Day 2

I ran yesterday.

I stunk it up.

I did the entire first three-minute run... but that was the only run I completed without stopping to take a break and walk.

I feel like I may be on Week 4 FOREVER.

I also feel like my calves are on fire.

You know how I eventually want to run a HALF MARATHON?  (That's 13.1 miles. Approximately 2 hours.)  Yeah... right now I can't even complete five-minute jog.

*sigh*

Slow and steady wins the race?  Keep on moving?  Pain is weakness leaving the body?

I can do ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME!

It may take me 5 years to build up to it... but I WILL eventually.... someday... run a 5k.

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!!!

The Jogging Stroller

The weather on Sunday afternoon was cloudy and in the high 60s, perfect to take the jogging stroller out for it’s first run!  Christopher was refusing to take an afternoon nap and Stephen had plans to go to his mom’s house when he got off work to help her with some chemicals for her pool. I decided around 3:15 that I would just load Christopher up in the stroller and head out for my run and end it at my mother-in-law’s house. (She lives a mile from us.) 

Oh.
My.
Goodness.

In case any of you missed this post where I (semi-jokingly) said I was going to name her Betty….

Well, I changed her name.

To El Diablo.

I tried to do another day on Week 3 (I figured it would be easiest to stay with the 90-second/3-minute runs) but I couldn’t even finish it.  Hard.  Hard hard hard hard hard.

Hopefully no more Diablo anytime soon.

Sorry so late on this post!  I haven’t had much time with the computer since Sunday – but I’m on Turkey Day Break now so hopefully I can get caught up with blogging!

I’ll update again tonight after I do Week 4 Day 1!

Week 3 Day 3 (Round Two)

Last night I did W3D3 again.  Since I hadn’t completed the 2nd 3-minute run the last time I did W3D3, I decided to do it again. I completed all the runs and felt great afterward!

Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then do two repetitions of the following:

• Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 400 yards (or 3 minutes)
• five-minute cool-down.

I’m still loving the program.  I’m ready for my legs to stop hurting, though.  Stephen thinks that by a few more weeks time I should be feeling less pain in my legs. I seem to be sore all the time.

Last night I did NOT want to run.  I had a little bit of a tummy ache and it was pretty cool.  I need to go shopping for warmer running clothes.  I did go, though, and felt great afterwards – and of course by the time I was finished the temp outside felt really nice!

I THINK I am going to move on to Week 4 when I run next.  It will probably be Sunday because tomorrow I am going BRIDESMAID dress shopping for my brother’s wedding!  I’m nervous about moving on to Week 4, but I know that I just need to suck it up and move on. Here is the schedule for Week 4!

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)

I’m nervous!  Wish me luck! :)

Week 3 Day 3

Tonight I ran for the first time in 3 days – the longest I’ve gone since starting the program a few weeks ago.  I have been waiting on Stephen to get home before doing the program because it has been a little chilly during the day and I don’t really want to get Christopher out and running in the cool air.  Since DST ended and it’s getting darker much earlier now, it’s harder to get the run done before dark.  Stephen usually gets home around 4:15, and I have to leave within 30 minutes after he gets home. I hate that I have a nice big jogging stroller and that I’m not able to use it much right now (or probably through the next few months) but I know it will come in handy next spring, early summer, and fall.  Plus, I figure since I am a newbie to the program (and running, period!) it’s easier on me to run without the stroller – I know it’s going to be much harder to run with it, so I may as well build up my endurance as much as possible while I am “training.”

Anyway, tonight I did the last day of Week 3, which is the same routine as W3D1 and W3D2:

Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then do two repetitions of the following:

• Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 400 yards (or 3 minutes)
• five-minute cool-down.

I’m not sure if it’s all the pizza I’ve been eating (not good, y’all, not good.) but it seemed tougher tonight than last time.  I did not run the whole 3 minute time frame during the 2nd 3 minute run; I had to stop a few times just to catch my breath for a few seconds, then I would run again.  I didn’t want to stop completely so I figured it was better to stop and walk for a few seconds rather than stop and not run again at all.

I am going to repeat this routine on my next run, instead of moving on to Week 4.  I’ll probably just do it one more time, and if I can do all 4 running segments without stopping, I’ll move on to Week 4 the next time.

Week 3 Day 2

Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:

• Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 400 yards (or 3 minutes)
• five-minute cool-down.

Tonight’s run was very good!  I hadn’t ran in two days – I had planned on doing W3D2 yesterday, but we got busy doing stuff and it totally slipped my mind, and by the time I remembered about it, it was already dark. I was dreading it today, to be quite honest! I had been following a fairly strict diet, but for the past 2 days I completely ignored my dieting rules for Mexican food and pizza.  Those are definitely my weaknesses.  But I’m back on the Weight Watchers bandwagon now and am enjoying a nice big salad as I type this.

Anyway, I was dreading today’s run, partly because I haven’t been eating right and partly because that second 3-minute run was a killer last time, and I just knew there was no way I would be able to complete it tonight, either.  But I did!  I totally did both 3-minute runs and both 90-second runs, just as the program is laid out!  I was super excited about it and very proud of myself.  (Toot toot!)

Can’t wait for Week 3 Day 3!

Week 3 Day 1

Tonight I decided to move on to Week 3.  I spent 5 days on Week 2 and I was getting fairly comfortable with the 90 second runs.  Here is the Week 3 schedule:

Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:

• Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 400 yards (or 3 minutes)
• five-minute cool-down.

I feel pretty good about tonight’s exercise.  I did NOT finish the last 3-minute run – I probably did about 90 seconds of it.  But I’m okay with that.  :)  I will do my next run on Thursday, and I will try my BEST to complete the last 3-minute run.  My legs are still adjusting to running with all this weight and I’m still kind of sore!  But I’m working towards a huge goal and that is all that matters!