AJ's C25K

Long time, no post...

2011-06-14T12:47:00.001-07:00

Hello! I'm jumping back in the saddle again! Aren't bike seats called saddles? I picked up a new bike the other day, so I've got to get in the habit of riding more often to get my moneys worth out of it. :) I took it for a spin once already and got a sore butt out of that deal, but I went again today and it wasn't too bad this time.

It was a beautiful day - just about 70 degrees and sunny. It was a little windy, so that made it tough to bike against at times. I just cruised around the neighborhood - probably biked for close to an hour or so. So fun to get out on a bike again - it's been awhile.

I'm thinking I should get back into running again. Maybe I'll alternate biking and running and maybe even throw a little 30 day shred workout in once in a while. It's a little easier to be motivated when the weather is nice, but I've got to keep up on some kind of exercise so I don't get too wimpy.

Beautiful Day!

2010-11-11T09:06:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to write this down, so I remember how nice of a day we had in November. On Tuesday, I worked in the morning and thought about coming home to take a nap. But it was way too nice of a day, so instead I took advantage of it and went for a run - in shorts and a tank top! It was almost 70 degrees out there and clear blue skies!

I didn't actually run that much, it was probably more walking, but I did run more than I have for a long time. I ran for a few minutes, then walked for a few, then ran again until I was tired, and repeated. Once I got home, I spent the rest of the afternoon outside, cleaning up the yard and gardens. Felt so good to be out in the warm sunshine!

Lazy!

2010-08-17T16:55:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it? This lazy bones got herself out for a run again! My latest excuse was that it was too hot out there and HUMID! Gross, who wants to run in that? But this week has been absolutely beautiful, so I had to get out there today. I only ran less than a mile, probably less than 10 minutes, but then I thoroughly enjoyed a half hour walk or so. Just walked along soaking up the sun and checking out what is new in the neighborhood...

I'm back!

2010-07-07T20:23:00.001-07:00

I disappeared for awhile which means I haven't been running. Sad... :( I started a job a while back that was pretty physically demanding and I didn't seem to have any energy left to run. But now I'm not working so much anymore, so back to it!

I went running again last night on those biking trails through the woods. It felt really good to run again, except I got eaten alive by mosquitoes. I haven't seen them that bad for a long time. They were terrible! They couldn't seem to catch me when I ran, but they got me good as I was warming up and then again at the end. But they itched the whole time I ran and they still do.

Anyways, I ran for about 15-20 minutes then walked back to safety in the truck - I couldn't stand them anymore!

Tonight, DH and I went for another run. Have to wait until it cools down in the evenings - it's been hot and humid out lately. We ran for about 10 minutes, took a short walk break and then ran about 10 minutes back. I threw in a couple of faster runs in there to try up the speed a bit. I could tell that my thighs and ankles were a bit sore from yesterday, but no big deal

I'm amazed at how good it feels to run again - and I realize how much I miss it. I'm impressed that I was able to run for 15-20 minutes already, since I haven't run for a couple of months. I really have to keep it up.

Through the woods...

2010-04-18T21:46:00.001-07:00

I went running through the woods yesterday. DH has been going biking on a mountain bike trail nearby lately. I decided to go with him and run part of it. I ran the first 2 sections - there are 4 sections with a total of 8 miles. I went about 2.4 miles or so. I ended up walking quite a bit of it because it was pretty hilly (and I was feeling lazy). It took a little over 30 minutes to make it through, and then it was about a 10 minute walk back to the parking lot. Kinda fun to run somewhere different. Might have to tag along again sometime.

20 minutes

2010-04-05T20:56:00.000-07:00

Ran for 20 minutes today. Let's see, what can I babble about today? After I was done running, I got some weird stomach pain again, and my quads were sore or felt odd anyways. I though about sitting along side the road for a bit, but figured I might as well just keep walking home. By the time I got home 10 minutes later, the pain was gone.

I ran in a tank top today, can't believe it's been so warm lately. No complaints about that from me! We'd all be shocked if it snowed now, even though it easily still could.

I've been switching back and forth between shoes, sometimes my real old pair, and sometimes my new pair that I though was making my knees hurt. I haven't had any knee pain or hip pain for a long time, so knock on wood that it stays that way!

Gorgeous Day!

2010-03-31T18:35:00.000-07:00

Today I had to get outside, it was absolutely gorgeous. It was somewhere over 70 degrees and sunny - in March! I first was going to bike up to the post office, but the bike didn't seem to be working too great, so I decided to run instead. Get my errands and exercise done at the same time! :) I walked first to warm up, then ran 5 minutes to the post office. I paid for my stuff and then ran about 8 or 10 minutes back. Not much for a run, so I figured I could rake up some leaves for a little more exercise.

It was so, so nice out. I hope spring is here to stay! I got the leaves raked into piles and then came in to make a Smoothie for lunch. I found this recipe for a smoothie that had spinach in it, so I figured it sounded like a good way to get some fruits and vegetables in. Sounds kind of weird, but you can't even taste the spinach. I fill my little mini food processor up with fresh spinach and about 1/4 cup of water. I puree that up, then add a banana, and a bunch of frozen fruit (1-2 cups). Today I put strawberries, raspberries and blackberries in it. What a yummy way to eat your vegetables! I've been having one daily.

So, I sat out on the deck, drinking my smoothie and soaking up some sunshine! No complaints from here today!

20 minutes!

2010-03-29T18:45:00.000-07:00

I made myself run for 20 minutes today and it wasn't even that bad! I gotta get back to liking this running. The first mile I ran in just a bit over 10 minutes and I was surprised it was that quick. I turned around to run back and realized why. The wind had been pushing me along nicely. So then I had to run back against the wind. A little bit tough, but I managed fine. Felt great afterwards!

Better than nothing

2010-03-24T13:38:00.000-07:00

Today was another nice, sunny day, so I figured I better get out there. It was about 50 degrees, a little bit windy. For some reason, I really don't feel like running, so I didn't go far. I ran for only 11 1/2 minutes. Oh well, better than nothing...

Gotta get back into running regularly!

2010-03-23T14:27:00.000-07:00

I think I've been being lazy again. Been awhile since I went running. I know I've been exercising some, but I for sure haven't been writing in the blog... It was nice and sunny and warm out today, so I went for a run. Only made it 10 minutes though and decided to stop for some reason. I walked for another 10 minutes, then ran another 3 1/2 or so. Felt good anyways to get back outside.

Back outside!

2010-03-06T23:11:00.001-08:00

It's been an absolutely gorgeous week here - around 40 degrees and clear, sunny skies. Feels like spring! I went running on Tuesday, and it felt so good to get outside and run, that I had to go again on Wednesday. I ran about 2 miles both times, about 20 minutes. I didn't get out on Thursday or Friday, but did run again today, another 2 miles. Hopefully the weather cooperates and I can keep it up!

Interval training

2010-01-18T21:48:00.000-08:00

I went running at the gym tonight. I thought I'd try intervals again, but I didn't do so great. The main problem was that it was super hot and stuffy in there. Gross. Could hardly stand it. Guess I've gotten used to the freezing cold weather we've been having!

This is what I ended up doing:
walked for 5 minutes
ran for 4 minutes at 5.6 mph
ran for 1 min at 7.0
ran for 4 min at 5.6
ran for 1 min at 7.0
ran for 4 min at 5.6
ran for 1 min at 6.5
then I just walked for another 10 minutes or so between 3.5-4.0 mph. I did put the incline up to 2 at one point for a couple of minutes. I tried to run again at 6.0 for a couple minutes again, but I was dying, so I called it good and walked for another 7 minutes or so to cool down.

My muscles were sore last time I did the interval training, so it definitely does something!

Skating

2010-01-13T22:27:00.000-08:00

Looks like I need to up the exercise - I've only been getting in about 1 day a week. Terrible. Shame on me. It's been so doggone cold and that's my excuse. Today though, was beautiful. The sun was shining and it was somewhere in the 20's. So I went skating - figured I better get some Vitamin D while I can. Grabbed my skates, a hockey stick and a puck and headed to the rink. There were a bunch of guys playing hockey, so I skated on the other rink. Not quite as nice, but I had it to myself. They did flood it again since last time I was there, so it was better, but still not smooth. I was able to skate a couple of laps after the guys left on the hockey rink and that was really nice. But I got tired after about 40 minutes and came home. Fun to get outside again!

Interval training

2010-01-07T19:58:00.000-08:00

I went to the gym again tonight to run on the treadmill. I was sick for 2 days, so felt good to get moving again. I was reading about interval speed training where you throw in some faster runs for a minute once in a while, so I thought I'd try it out. So this is what I ended up doing:

Walked for 10 min at 3.8 - 4.0 mph
Ran at 5.6 mph for 4 min, then Ran at 7.0 mph for 1 min
Repeated that 3 more times, then ran 3 more minutes at 5.5 mph.
Walked for 7 minutes to cool down.

Total: Ran 23 minutes, Walked 17 min

It felt really good to run faster like that, but I definitely got tired out. We'll see if I'm sore at all tomorrow. When I was running at 7.0, it reminded me of when I first started running and how hard it was. So, I can tell I have improved when I haven't had to work so hard to run now!

Running at the Gym

2009-12-31T14:52:00.000-08:00

I went running at the gym today. I ran for 10 minutes, then walked for 5, and then made myself run for 15 more. I mostly ran at 5.5 mph, but did run at 6.0 for quite a while and even bumped it up to 6.5 for a couple minutes. I really had to fill my head with all the encouragement I could to keep going:

"You can do it! Think of all the junk you've been eating - you gotta run it off! Just 5 more minutes! You can eat more tonight if you keep running! You can do it! You've done it before! Keep going! 2 more minutes! You can do it!"

Not sure why I just didn't want to run today. I think I really have to start running more often again - keeps the motivation up. Otherwise I get lazy about running. So there's one New Year's resolution... we'll see how long it lasts!

Skating

2009-12-29T21:13:00.000-08:00

I went skating today. Does that count? I went to the local skating rink and skated around for about 1/2 an hour. It was a beautiful sunny day and I had to get out and do something. Hit the puck around for awhile, but mostly just skated laps around the hockey rink. The ice was really lumpy - hopefully they flood it again soon.

Now I need to come up with titles....

2009-12-23T00:47:00.000-08:00

I went running at the gym tonight. I was starting to feel really lazy and fat (eating too many cookies!) and figured I better get in some exercise. I ran for 10 minutes at 6 mph, then switched treadmills because the fan didn't work and I was getting hot. I ran for another 10 minutes at 5.5 mph and then had to stop. I could tell my leg muscles were super tight and they were hurting, so I figured that was good enough. I walked then for 10 minutes or so and ended up running just another 2 minutes after that. Somehow I'm going to have to make myself keep running this winter. It's hard when it's cold and snowy!

C25K – Week 9, Day 3! I did it!!!

2009-12-09T00:21:00.000-08:00

Yay! I've officially completed the C25K running program! So after a year plus a few months, I can finally say I've completed the whole program. I started out once and got to about week 7, I think. I did run a 5K though during Week 6. I ended up quitting for the winter for various reasons. I started back at Week 1 in the spring and again ran up to week 7 or so, and quit because my knees were bothering me. So this fall, I figured I have to get this program done, once and for all. I started somewhere in the middle this time though, and finally made it to the end!

I did my last 30 minute run tonight at the gym. It went really well. I just wish there was some extra challenge for the last run to make it feel like I've accomplished something though. Since the last week is 3 30 minute runs, there is nothing too special about the last one. I knew I could do it, it was just a matter of getting it done.

Anyways, I ran the first 5 minutes at 5.5 mph, then upped the speed to 6.0 mph for the next 10 minutes. I was getting tired then, so I went back to 5.5 for another 10 minutes. Then I ran the last 5 minutes at 6.0 again and upped the incline for the last minute to 2.0. I think I need to start running faster.

C25K - Week 9, Day 2 again

2009-12-03T21:51:00.000-08:00

Now I get to cross off W9D2. I went to the gym tonight to run on the treadmill. It was only 25 degrees today, and I didn't have time to run in the daylight. It went fine, nothing too exciting - time seemed to crawl at first.

I ran at 5.5mph most of the time. With a minute left, I bumped it up to 6.0, and then at 30 seconds left, to 6.5. Just wanted to see what it felt like to run at that speed. Definitely can tell the difference - not sure I could keep that speed up for long.

Only 2 day left!

C25K – Week 9, Day 2

2009-11-30T15:00:00.000-08:00

Well, I tried. I haven’t gotten a run in for over a week. Shame on me. So, today, I told myself that I don’t have a choice. I have to get out there. I was able to run the first 16 ½ minutes, but it wasn’t very easy. I turned around a bit before 15 minutes and was then running uphill against the wind. I tried to keep going, but my hips hurt, my stomach was cramping up, and I just couldn’t run anymore. So I walked then for about 8 minutes. It felt much better to walk, so I figured I’d give myself a break today. When the timer had 5 ½ minutes left, I decided that I could run the rest of the way. I ran that and then another 30 seconds, so a total of 6 more minutes. In the end, I ran for 22 ½ minutes.

Still better than nothing at all, but I’m kind of disappointed that it was so hard today and I wasn’t able to cross off W9D2. That’s what I get for being lazy all week.

C25K - Week 9, Day 1

2009-11-21T12:18:00.000-08:00

Last week of the C25K! I got out for a 30 minute run today. Ran the first mile in about 10 1/2 minutes. I think I went 2.8 miles if I clocked the right route on gmap-pedometer.com. The plan says to run either 3 miles or 30 minutes. So, I'm just a little short in distance.

It was another nice day out there, still able to run in a tank top and it's the middle of November! I was running against the wind a bit on the way back, but it wasn't constant, so it was fine. My calf was getting a bit sore, and I was getting pretty tired, but did run the whole 30 minutes. My muscles are really sore today, but that's because I was shoveling rocks for 3 hours yesterday. We're cleaning out a flower bed. So, 2 more runs left and I can officially graduate!

C25K – Week 8, Day 3

2009-11-16T22:50:00.000-08:00

It’s crazy how 6 days can go by without getting any running in. I suppose there were a few cloudy, icky days in there, so I wasn’t motivated to get outside. I couldn’t resist today though – it was gorgeous out. I ran in a tank top again – but it was only a bit above 50 degrees. I just love soaking up the sun!

I didn’t know how it would go today, because we went for an hour and a half walk yesterday and I was surprisingly sore. But it went fine. My legs and feet were a bit sore, but not terrible. I ran through the neighborhoods again, and then came back on the running path. From the stop sign, which is a mile back to the main road, I had 11 minutes left. I didn’t quite make it, so my speed hasn’t increased any. Probably ran about an 11 ½ minute mile. Slow, huh? I did run faster the last minute – it would be hard to keep that up for long though. If I calculated right, I ran 2.6 miles.

Week 8 is done, only 3 more days left! On to the 30 minute runs!

C25K –Week 8, Day 2

2009-11-10T22:19:00.000-08:00

Another 28 minutes down. Another beautiful day. I think October and November got mixed up this year, but that’s okay by me. It’s been so nice out lately, clear blue, sunny skies, and 60 degrees. Today I ran in a tank top. No complaints from me.

I set my timer for 7 minutes at a time again and went through the neighborhoods. My legs had a few mild pains here and there, but nothing too bad. The run went fairly well and I tried to run a little faster here and there the last few minutes. 4 more days of the C25K!

C25K – Week 8, Day 1 Again

2009-11-07T15:17:00.000-08:00

Today was the best run ever! It felt great the whole time. I felt like I was just running along easily, no problems at all. I think three things helped.

First, it was an absolutely gorgeous day. 60 degrees, blue sky, and a beautiful sunset. I hadn't had a chance to get out there and enjoy it yet, so I couldn't wait to go running. I actually ran in shorts. I was a tiny bit cold, so I probably should have put at least capris on, but it wasn't too bad.

Second, I took a different route this time. I just meandered through the neighborhoods, with no specific plan. Nice to have a different view and new things to look at.

Third, I set my timer for 7 minutes and only thought about that 7 minutes. I set it four times and after the second time, I sorta headed back towards home, but on a different route.

Days like this make me really like running. Too bad every run couldn't be this nice!

C25K – Week 8, Day 1

2009-11-05T18:33:00.001-08:00

It was a beautiful day for a run today, but for some reason, I just did not feel like running. I did anyways, but I didn’t make it the whole 28 minutes. I ran the first mile in 11 minutes and I just couldn’t convince myself to keep running. So I walked for 3 minutes, turned around, walked 3 more and then made myself run the last 11 minutes back.

I think it was all in my head that I couldn’t do it. My legs didn’t hurt (I haven’t had that nerve pain down my leg since going to the chiropractor), and I think my lungs were doing fine. I just have a hard time thinking about running for that long. It just seems too long and I’m sure I won’t be able to do it; so then of course it’s easy to give up. I think I have to start thinking in shorter increments. Maybe I’ll just set my timer for 7 minutes and do that 4 times. See, that doesn’t sound quite as miserable as 28 minutes!

C25K - Week 7, Day 3 - B00-ffalo 5K Run

2009-10-31T13:39:00.000-07:00

I did it! I ran another 5K today! It was a really windy, cold day so that did not help. The course was along the lake, and the first part was directly into the wind. I was dying right off the bat. But then we rounded the corner and it wasn't as bad. I was running with a couple others, but they quickly out ran me, so I didn't even try to keep up. The way back was much better, with the wind behind us. I think my time at the 1 mile mark was 10:24, and then at the 2 mile mark, they said 24:50, but I think we were farther than 2 miles at that point, because I didn't slow down that much. But who knows. My final time was 35:47, so I didn't quite make it in under 35 minutes like I wanted to. I did run the whole time though, so that's good.

I'm counting this as Week 7, Day 3 of the C25K, so I'm done with that week! As far as the run went, it actually wasn't terrible. I kept wanting to quit, but I didn't. I think it was hardest on my lungs. I didn't notice that my legs were sore at all, but my right shoulder hurt for a while. At 25 minutes, I thought that I could quit running and walk the rest and I'd at least get my C25K day of running in, but I really wanted to run the whole thing, so I kept going.

So yay! I ran my second 5K and got the tshirt (even though it's kinda ugly...) :)

C25K – Week 7, Day 2

2009-10-28T20:03:00.000-07:00

I went to the gym again tonight to run. It felt pretty much like torture the whole time, but I did make it 25 minutes. I had read that if you run on a treadmill, you should run on a bit of an incline, otherwise it's like you are running downhill. So, I set the incline to 1 and started out. By 5 minutes my legs hurt and I was not enjoying it. At some point then, I put it down to .5 and made myself run until the halfway point at that incline. Then I put it to 0 and kept on running. It was still hard and at some point, I put the speed down so I wouldn't quit. I think I put the incline up back at 1 for the last minute or so and was finally done.

Not sure why it seemed so hard tonight, but I did it. Next up is the 5K! I'm hoping that since today was so miserable, my next run will be easier. Oh, well, I'm not to worried about the time for the 5K, I'll just see what happens. Hopefully it goes okay anyways.

C25K – Week 7, Day

2009-10-26T19:52:00.000-07:00

I thought I was dreaming when I woke up to blue skies and sun today. Didn't need to talk myself into going for a run. Gotta soak up that Vitamin D when you can. I'm sure it won't last long.

I ran for 25 minutes today. Took me 11 1/2 minutes to run the first mile, then I ran another minute and turned around. It took 11 minutes and 45 seconds to run the mile back. It went okay, but I had to convince myself to keep going. It always feels good to know that I'm at the halfway mark, and then when there are only a few minutes left, even though I'm ready to quit, I know I can't give up that far along.

I'm planning on running a 5K on Saturday. Think I can make it in under 35 minutes??

C25K – Week 6, Day 3

2009-10-23T20:01:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally got out there and did the 25 minute run. I took almost a week off from running and I don't even have a good excuse. I'm blaming it all on the weather. All week has just been dreary and gray with rain scattered here and there. Ugh! Haven't I been saying that for the last 3 weeks?? Just not very motivating. Plus I was kinda dreading the run, so I didn't need much to convince me to skip it.

See, I'm not even kidding about the weather... This is the worst fall ever!

But I figured I couldn't put it off any longer and went to the gym tonight. And guess what? It wasn't even that bad. I'd maybe even go so far as to say that I enjoyed it. It just felt really good to run and I really needed it. Enough sitting around like a lump!

DH came with me and ran next to me. He was running at 7 mph and I was running at a wimpy 5.5 mph. What's a good speed to be running at at this point?? Well, I'm really not too concerned about speed, I just wanted to be able to make it the whole 25 minutes. And I did. Fairly easily too. I was definitely getting tired by 15 minutes, but I knew I was over halfway and just kept on going.

Oh, and my leg didn't hurt today. Yay! I did have a pretty bad side ache at first, but that went away after awhile. Then the bottoms of my feet hurt (I really need new shoes) and my knees were just a bit sore at the end. Nothing hurts now and hour later, so that's good. Going to the gym has the added bonus of a sauna at the end. Feels wonderful to heat up the muscles and stretch them out.

C25K – Week 6, Day 2

2009-10-17T14:21:00.000-07:00

I woke up to a beautiful sunny day today, so of course, I couldn't resist getting outside for a run. Haven't seen the sun for a few days around here. I swear my energy levels are affected by the sun... It was still chilly, only around 45 degrees, but that's fine. As long as the sun is shining! :)

I ran for 10 minutes, walked for 3, and ran 10. I almost made it a mile in that first 10 minutes, but not quite. Just a couple hundred yards or so short. But it was miserable running today for some reason. Just wasn't easy at all, and I kept wanting to quit, but I didn't. Had to keep telling myself that I can do it.

I tried out my newer running shoes again. They were making my knees hurt last time. No problems with the knees today, but had that right hip/leg pain again. At least it goes away when I'm done and it's not terrible while I run. So on to the 25 minute run next time. Gotta try to make myself think that it sounds fun!

C25K – Week 6, Day 1

2009-10-15T20:32:00.000-07:00

I went to the gym again today to run. It was rainy and gloomy outside and I was up in that direction anyways. It went fine. The 8 minutes seemed to drag on forever. Mainly I was getting hot and my legs were getting a bit sore for some reason. I didn't have that nerve pain down my leg though, so that's good. Went to the chiro and he stretched it out a bit and stuff. Maybe that helped. He said the muscles around my hip are just really tight, so I'll have to remember to stretch them out better. One more day of intervals and then it's all 25 minute runs or longer. Yikes!

C25K – Week 5, Day 3

2009-10-12T22:17:00.000-07:00

I did it. It’s done. I’m glad. I was really procrastinating on doing this 20 minute run and the weather sure wasn’t helping my motivation any. I meant to run on Saturday, but I woke up to an inch of snow on the ground. It’s only the middle of October! So, I refused to run. I’m just not ready for winter yet.

I told myself on Sunday that I would run. It was still cold, but most of the snow had disappeared. I got home from church, had cup of coffee, and surfed the net for a while. DH had gone mountain biking with a friend, so I was home alone. The eyelids were heavy and my pillow was calling. Yep, I crawled in for a long winters nap. Felt lovely. I had half a thought that I’d get up later and go running, but that didn’t last long. The nap felt way too good and so went Sunday.

So, this morning, I woke up to about four inches of snow and it was still coming down!! I have to admit, it was really pretty, but not exactly what I was looking for yet. I was kinda bummed, because I really wanted to get that run over with. I thought about going to the gym, but that sounded like a pain. I decided I’d just get some housework done instead. Well, then the sun came out, and it stopped snowing. It looked absolutely gorgeous out there, so fine, I’ll go for a run. I bundled up and headed out – it was around 40 degrees. Of course, that sun disappeared as soon as I got out there, but oh well, it wasn’t too bad out in the end.

The run went fine, wasn’t easy by any means though. I had to convince myself to keep going lots of times. I had that weird pain, almost like nerve pain, in my hip, going down my right leg again. It doesn’t hurt once I stop running, so that’s good at least. Almost feels like my leg is going numb when I run. I’ll have to run that by the chiropractor. But I made it. I ran the whole 20 minutes!! I got almost to the mile mark when I turned around at 10 minutes, and then almost made it back to the start at 20 minutes.

C25K – Week 5, Day 2 Again

2009-10-08T22:48:00.000-07:00

I went to the gym to run tonight. DH was going and I didn't get outside to run today, so I figured I'd try out the treadmill. It really is a bit easier to run on there. Time seemed to go really fast and before I knew it, I was done. I still got tired and I won't say it was super easy, but it's not quite as hard as running outside. I will say though that I'd rather run outside. Not much to look at from the treadmill - I'd get bored really quickly if I did that all the time.

I decided to do Week 5, Day 2 over again (Run 8, walk 5, run 8). I just didn't quite feel like doing the 20 minute run yet. Next time! I'll have to drag DH with me for extra motivation!

C25K – Week 5, Day 2 – Round 3

2009-10-05T22:23:00.000-07:00

It really didn’t look like a good day for a run, but I figured I’d better get out there since it has been 5 days since I’ve run. It was cloudy, chilly, and looked like it was about to rain any minute. I didn’t get any running in this weekend, because I was on my feet all day both Friday and Saturday and they hurt! We did go for a walk on Sunday though. I didn’t have any running clothes or shoes along, so I didn’t want to run.

So, I ran 8, walked 5, and ran 8. I made it just under 2 miles again. It went great, not hard at all. Just had a few twinges of pain in my hip and ankle for some reason. Not bad though. It started to rain as I was walking back, so I got out there just in time. It’s coming down out there pretty good now. I started out with a long sleeve and a wind jacket and ended up taking the wind jacket off halfway through.

C25K – Week 5, Day 1 – Round 3

2009-09-29T23:53:00.000-07:00

Went out for a run today. Feels like fall out there! It’s been hot the last few weeks, probably the warmest weeks of summer. But now it feels like fall – 60 degrees or so. It was nice and sunny today – a beautiful day. Yesterday was seriously windy, so I wasn’t about to attempt to run in that.

So I ran 5, walked 3, ran 5, walked 3 and ran 5. I went just under 2 miles. It went just fine and I didn’t collapse when I was done this time. ☺ I’m trying to decide if I should do the 20 minute run or not this week. Seems too early still, but I guess it came up quick the other times too and I’ve never felt ready for it. So maybe I’ll just go for it and see what happens.

C25K - Round 3

2009-09-23T22:43:00.000-07:00

It was too hot today to be running, but I did anyways. Our summer is just a few months late. I don't want to complain about it, because I know it's going to be cold before long, but man, it was hot out there today. I ran the same as last time and all went fine, no problems running.

But then the last 5 minutes walking home, was miserable. Not sure if I ate something funny, or didn't drink enough water beforehand, or if it was just too hot, but I was miserable for a bit afterwards. I was sweating like crazy, my face was beet red, my stomach hurt, and I was kinda dizzy. All I could do was splash cold water on my face and lay down for a bit. Felt better after a few minutes, so it wasn't terrible. Hopefully it's nothing major...

C25K - Round 3

2009-09-21T21:40:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, I got another run in. DH came with me. Did the same as last time - Ran for 5 min, walked for 3, ran 5, walked 3, & ran 5. Felt good to run -all is going well. No sore knees yet.

C25K - Round 3

2009-09-16T22:02:00.000-07:00

I decided to start the C25K again, but since I've already done it almost 2 times, I'm going to start part-way through. I figured I'd start about at Week 4, but instead of doing what the plan recommends, I made up my own Week 4 (Just because Week 4 seemed too easy, but Week 5 seemed to be overdoing it right off the bat...) I'm going to run 5 minutes, walk 3, run 5, walk 3 and run 5 for 3 days this week. After that, I think I'll follow the plan from Week 5 on.

So that's what I did today and it seemed to go just fine. Wasn't too easy, but wasn't too hard. Feels good to get some good exercise in. So wish me luck that I can keep running this round!

I'm back!!!

2009-09-14T19:03:00.000-07:00

I haven't been around for a while. 13 weeks to be exact. I quit running back then, because my knees were really bugging me. They were sore almost constantly. I think my new shoes were not the right fit and were making them hurt. Then, while hiking this summer, I must have pulled some muscle in the back of my right knee, because that was quite sore for a really long time. It just didn't seem to quit hurting. I would notice it whenever I walked or hiked.

So, I figured I'd just take a break and let my knees recover and get back to normal. And I think they are finally done hurting! I tried to do lots of other types of exercise in the meanwhile, biking, walking, hiking, etc, but nothing seemed to be as much of a workout as running. I never felt that same feeling of accomplishment as I do after a run.

After sitting around all day on Sunday, I really felt like I had to get some good exercise in, and running seemed to be what I was craving. So, DH and I went for a quick run. I wasn't sure how far I could run after not running for so long, but wanted to see if I could run a mile. Well, I was able to fairly easily run that mile and it felt soooooo good! We ran the first mile and then walked back. I didn't want to overdo it right off the bat. I figured that was a good start. So, I'm back and I hope to stick around for a while again! :)

C25K - Week 7, Day 1

2009-06-11T19:24:00.000-07:00

Just got back from a lovely evening run. Didn't have a chance to run earlier today, so I dragged DH out there with me tonight. What a beautiful summer evening - we watched the sun set as we ran. And now I'm getting a shoulder massage from him as I type. What a guy!

I was able to run the whole 25 minutes again without too much pain. I've been noticing lately though that my knees have been sore after running and occasionally throughout the day. That's no good... :(

C25K – Week 6, Day 3

2009-06-09T21:22:00.000-07:00

Okay, this time I was able to finish Week 6 – I ran the whole 25 minutes! After 3 cold, cloudy, rainy days, today was actually pretty nice. Surprisingly warm again. I made it the first mile in 10 minutes, ran a little bit farther, then turned around and came back. So I went probably pretty close to 2 ¼ miles – I’ll have to clock it to see for sure.

I tried running with my iPod today, but I’m not sure I like it. I think it was too distracting – I ended up taking out the headphones for the last 5 minutes. Maybe you get used to it over time, but I guess I probably won’t bother using it much for running. I’m still trying to decide if I want to run the 5K this Saturday – feeling kind of lazy about it, but I really should do it.

C25K – Week 6, Day 3

2009-06-05T18:13:00.000-07:00

I tried to do W6D3 today, but didn’t do so great. My sister called just as I was ready to head out for a run and asked if I wanted to meet her for coffee at the mall. Well, the mall just happens to be a couple miles away, so I figured I’d run there and then have her bring me back home. I figured it would take about 25 minutes, and it would be fun to head in a different direction than usual.

I was able to run for 15 minutes and then I needed a break. I was running against the wind and I was miserable. I thought I’d walk for just a few minutes and then run again, but I ended up walking those last 10 minutes. I made it to the mall in that time, so it was a bit closer then I thought – under 2 miles. I didn’t feel like running anymore, because I got that same side pain that I had a while back – the kind that makes you just want to curl up. It’s pretty miserable. Luckily, it only lasts for about 10 minutes or so. I was able to cool down a bit then and got the pain to mostly stop before I got to the coffee shop. Yum! Nothing like a caramel frappuccino on a hot summer day!

C25K – Week 6, Day 2

2009-06-02T19:35:00.001-07:00

Another beautiful day for a run! Just ran a loop around the neighborhood. Last time I did the C25K, I always ran down the same trail, so it was easy to see when my distance increased. That got pretty boring though, so this time I’ve been going on a few different paths to mix it up a bit. Doesn’t really matter too much to me how far I go right now.

I had just finished my running and was going to walk the rest of the way home to cool down, but the neighbor guy stopped me to chat. I don’t like stopping abruptly like that and not having that time to walk and get my heart rate back down a bit. Oh well, gotta be friendly to the neighbors too…

It felt good to run today, wasn’t too terribly hard. I can tell that it’s getting easier!!! :) From here on though, it’s straight running from 25 – 30 minutes, no walking breaks anymore. Uh, oh – I hope it goes okay. Last time I gave up, because it always sounded too hard. I really, really want to get in the habit of running 2-3 times a week though, so I have to keep going.

C25K - Week 6, Day 1

2009-05-30T21:53:00.000-07:00

We went for an evening run tonight. Planned on running all day, but ended up doing other things - ran to the grocery store, planted my garden, played in Photoshop, etc. So finally at 10pm, I got DH to go running with me. It was a super nice evening. A little cool, but calm and no bugs - nice to get out to enjoy the weather.

I was cold at first, so we started running almost right away, instead of walking for 5 minutes. I think that was a mistake though, because my shins hurt a bit when I was running. Not enough to stop, but still kinda painful. That hasn't happened before, and I usually always walk for 5 minutes, so who knows if that's why or not.

The first 5 minutes of running was hard as usual, but then the next 8 minutes seemed to go fine, and the last 5 minutes was actually kind of easy. I felt like I was breathing easier than I usually do, so I picked up the pace for the last 45 minutes. Feels good to run when it isn't painful!

C25K - Week 5, Day 3

2009-05-28T23:56:00.000-07:00

Yay! I ran for 20 minutes!! The dreaded Week 5, Day 3 is done. I really was dreading it and was feeling really lazy about getting out there. It was hard, but not as miserable as I thought. I just had to tell myself to keep running, even though I wanted to stop. I think it was hardest on my legs. It seems to always be really hard at some point, but if I just keep going, it seems to get a little easier again. As usual, it felt great to get outside, enjoy this warm summer day, and get some exercise in. It always feels great afterwards, so I try to remember that when I don’t feel like running. So week 5 is done - on to Week 6!!

Extra Run

2009-05-26T23:55:00.000-07:00

I did get out for a run on Monday. I was going to try make it the 20 minute run, but really didn’t feel like it. We were camping, and I got DH, my brother and 2 14-year-old nephews to run with me. They all left me in the dust. We ran on a trail through the woods to a scenic overlook. This was my first time running in the woods. It was a nice change, beautiful scenery and all, but was pretty hard. There were some decent hills on the way back, plus you gotta pay attention to the ruts and rocks on the trail - just about twisted my ankle at one point.

The way there went okay – I realized that I wasn’t paying as much attention to my running, just enjoying the views for the most part. I was pretty tired out though when I got to the overlook. I think it took about 9-10 minutes to run there, and then we all stopped for probably 5-10 minutes checking out the view. The way back didn’t go so well. I did fine the first 5 minutes or so, but then saw the big hill I had to run up and I just couldn’t run anymore. So I walked for about 5 minutes until it leveled off and then ran/walked on and off for a few more minutes to the end.

So, basically this run was just to get some running in, in between Day 2 and Day 3 of Week 5. I didn’t want too many days to go by with no running. Just a little more practice before the big 20 minute run…

C25K - Week 5, Day 2

2009-05-22T12:54:00.000-07:00

Woah, that was a tough one. Just got back from running two 8 minute intervals with a 5 minute walk in between. It was hard. But I did it!! I was running along fine at first, but then made the mistake of looking at the timer and I wasn't even halfway through the first 8 minutes. Time dragged on after that.

Sometimes it helps to know how much time is left - if it's less than a minute or two - and other times, it makes it worse - if there's still 4 or 5 minutes left and I'm already dying. So, I try not to look at it for as long as I can and then hope to be pleasantly surprised at the small amount of time left. ;)

So, next time is the big 20 minute run. Yikes! I'm not ready for that yet. I guess I know that I should be able to do it, because I have once before, but I'm feeling kinda lazy about it. It just doesn't sound fun yet... Not sure when I'll get it in, because we'll be camping this weekend, but maybe I'll have to drag DH along and a nephew or two for motivation.

Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!

C25K – Week 5, Day 1

2009-05-19T17:11:00.000-07:00

I started Week 5 today and day 1 says to run 5 minutes, walk 3, run 5, walk 3, and run 5. Seemed to go pretty well. I made it just under 2 miles again. It’s a beautiful, sunny day out there and pretty warm. It was a bit windy, but it felt good, cools you off a bit. Didn’t seem to be hard to run with that wind, but maybe I didn’t have to run against it this time.

I was just thinking that when I run, all I think about is my breathing, counting the breaths in and out. Would be nice to not have to think about that and just run, but it seems to help keep it steady and keeps me going. Is it a good thing to be counting like that?? Or should you just run and breath however you breathe?

I’m planning on running a 5K on June 13th, so that’s only 4 weeks away. I’ll only be on Week 8, but that should be fine. I ran a 5K in November and I was only on Week 6 of the C25K – the first time I ever did the program. This is my second round, so I’m not too worried. I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to run the whole thing, but it’ll be interesting to see if my time is a lot better or not.

C25K - Week 4, Day 3

2009-05-17T10:56:00.000-07:00

Finished Week 4 today! DH came with me on my run - always fun to have a running partner. It's not fair though - I'm the one that is dying by the end and I've been running regularly (well, for the last 4 weeks anyways) and this guy hardly ever runs and probably feels like he's going backwards when he runs with me. He hardly breaks a sweat. He's the one who went out and ran a 5K for fun without bothering to train for it. He hadn't run for probably 10 years but still finished somewhere at the top. What a guy! :)

Anyhow, today's run went okay. I was pretty tired out, but did manage to pick up the pace for the last 30 seconds to try make it back to the starting point. Should have worn shorts though - it was warmer than I thought. It was 40 degrees yesterday - COLD and windy, with frost overnight, but today has definitely improved. Around 60 degrees out there, nice and sunny with just a little breeze. Maybe we will have warm weather for camping next weekend - hope so!

BTW, I figured out that this week I've been going just under 2 miles (like 1.95). The plan, if you run for distance, says to be running/walking 2 miles this week, so I'm on track with that too. I don't count the distance I walk for the warm up and cool down.

C25K - Week 4, Day 2

2009-05-14T20:47:00.000-07:00

Another beautiful day for a run! Actually, it could be warmer, but the sun was shining, so I won't complain. Just thinking about our camping trip next weekend though, and if it doesn't warm up before then, we're going to be a little chilly in the tent.

So I did W4D2 today. Boy that first 5 minutes of running seemed like a long time. But then the next 3 minutes went by quickly and the last 5 wasn't too bad. I keep waiting for the day that it's not so hard. I guess I have to keep thinking that it's not near as hard as it was the first time I ran, so it is getting easier - slowly, but surely!

C25K - Week 4, Day 1

2009-05-11T14:46:00.000-07:00

After a 5-day break (with no good excuses), I got out for a run again today and got started on Week 4. I did go on an hour bike ride in that 5 days, plus I mowed the lawn, so I wasn’t completely lazy!

Today’s run was not too easy, but not terrible either. Kinda feels good to start running longer – this week calls for a couple 5 minutes runs along with a couple shorter ones. Definitely appreciated the walk breaks, but managed to run without too much trouble. I was able to run in shorts and a tank top today – nice weather for running. It was maybe about 70 degrees and partly sunny, not much wind. I should figure out how far I went, just for fun.

C25K - Week 3, Day 3

2009-05-06T13:24:00.000-07:00

We're back from vacation. We had a grand time in San Francisco and Napa Valley! The only bad part was the weather. It rained over half of the time and the other half was cloudy - didn't see much of the sun at all. But the rain mostly stayed away when we were in the city, so we were able to walk around and ride the cable cars to see all the sites without getting too wet. Anyways, we didn't get any running in, but did get lots of walking in - with lots of hill climbing!

So today, I took advantage of the absolutely gorgeous day and went for a run. It really feels like summer! 73 degrees, blue skies, white fluffy clouds, and the grass turned green and the leaves on the trees really came out while we were gone. It felt really good to run, but I could tell I hadn't run for a week. My legs, especially my shins, were really tight. Took a while for them to warm up and stretch out again. But Week 3 is done - on to Week 4!

C25K - Week 3, Day 2

2009-04-30T11:55:00.000-07:00

Got out there this morning and ran for Week 3, Day 2. I really didn't feel like running, and for the first half kept wondering "Why am I doing this??" But in the end, it felt good as usual. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't too hard and it always feels good to know that I got some exercise in. I do too much sitting around - I need the exercise!

We're heading out of town this weekend, so not sure if I'll get Day 3 in this week or not. I'll try, but we're traveling with some other folks, so we'll have to work with their plans too.

I just noticed that there have been a few people reading this blog and was wondering if it's useful at all. What kinds of things do you want to know about the C25K? I think it's a really good plan for someone who wants to start running. I completed up through Week 7 or so last fall, and then quit after running the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot. Now I'm starting over and planning on running another 5K in June.

I never in a million years thought I'd be able to run a 5K, much less even for 5 minutes, but I did it in only 6 weeks! I didn't run at all before I started the C25K, although I did exercise a bit in other ways - walking, biking, aerobics DVDs, etc. The plan kept me motivated and got me to run more than I thought I could. There are more details if you read back to some of my other posts... If you are thinking of trying it out, do it! It's fun!

C25K - Week 3, Day 1

2009-04-28T21:44:00.000-07:00

I had to go to the post office today, and it's only a mile or so away, so I figured I'd run there instead of driving. So I got Week 3 started and my packages mailed at the same time! It was just about the right amount of distance to get my running for the day in. I first ran 1.5 minutes, walked 1.5 minutes, then ran 3 and walked 3. I got to the post office a bit after running those 3 minutes, so I used some of my walking time, standing in line and paying. Then I did the same thing back home.

The only problem with going this direction, into town, is that there are busy intersections over the freeway that slow me down. It wasn't so bad today, but I ended up waiting for cars a couple of times. Just too busy and not the best place for running. But it wasn't too hard to run those 3 minutes and sure was a beautiful, sunny day!

C25K - Week 2, Day 3

2009-04-27T21:43:00.001-07:00

I didn’t get around to Day 3 last week, so I finished Week 2 today. I thought about skipping it, but then figured it was probably better not to. It felt good to get outside and get some exercise in. This time wasn’t too hard at all, should be no problem to keep advancing, but I don’t want to overdo it and get sick of it.

C25K - Week 2, Day 2

2009-04-23T21:16:00.000-07:00

Went running again today - what a beautiful day! Should have worn shorts out there - it was 80 degrees! Was fairly easy to run today, not so much wind this time. My nose started bleeding halfway through, so I had to walk a bit longer until that stopped. Must be dry out there - I guess we need some rain and I need to start guzzling the water. Hopefully that doesn't happen all the time now when it's warm. But I did run the amount I was supposed to in the end.

My legs have been sore already, even from running this little bit. Gotta stretch those things out or something. I do stretch after each run, but maybe I'm not stretching enough. Anyone have any ideas?? I suppose that means I'm working the muscles, but last time they were constantly sore and I got sick of it. Hopefully they get used to running again here shortly.

C25k - Round 2: Week 2, Day 2

2009-04-21T12:01:00.000-07:00

I didn't get around to running Day 3 of Week 1, so I just skipped it. Figured it was easy enough this second round that it wouldn't hurt, except for not getting more exercise in last week. I'll try not to skip any days from here on though.

So, today I jumped into Week 2, which says to run 1 1/2 minutes at a time followed by 2 minutes of walking. It was really tough to run the first few times, but that was only because it was super windy out there and I was running into the wind. It probably looked like I was going backwards! That's what it felt like anyways. But I did it! The last half, after I turned around, was much easier. I thought about skipping it today, because it was so windy, but I have to quit using the weather as an excuse, or I'll never get out there. Plus, it looked so nice out there - the sun was shining with blue sky and white puffy clouds... Looked like spring anyways, but it didn't really feel like it with the cold wind.

C25K - Round 2: Week 1, Day 2

2009-04-16T21:20:00.000-07:00

Went running yesterday. Almost didn't have time, but the day was so beautiful, I had to make the time. One of our first real spring days - 70 degrees and not a cloud in the sky! Ahhh...spring is here, finally.

As far as the running, it went pretty well. A few times I was surprised it was time to stop running already. Definitely could have kept running more than a minute at a time. So, it seems like this 2nd round of the C25K will be a bit easier than the 1st round. Hope so anyways.

C25K - Round 2! Week 1, Day 1

2009-04-13T15:34:00.000-07:00

Hello! I've been missing in action for awhile here. It got cold and snowy and icy here and I got lazy about running. But now, I'm back in action! I had promised a friend I'd run a local 5K race this summer with her. I kinda forgot about it, and half hoped she would too. She didn't. I got a message from her the other day wondering if I've been keeping up on running, and to let her know when that race was scheduled for. So, since I told her I'd run, now I've got to get out there and get back in shape so I can run 5K again in 2 months! Now I've got some motivation and something to work towards. Don't want to be left in the dust!

Today I figured I'd start over with the C25K program. I really liked it the first time, and since I haven't been doing hardly any running at all, I think I need to start from scratch again. Hopefully it's a little bit easier this time. It was a beautiful spring day, a little bit on the chilly side still, but not bad at all. No wind to fight against, so I ran as much as the plan called for fairly easily. Definitely got tired and out of breath, but way easier than when I started the program the first time.

[1 minute of running, followed by 1 1/2 minutes of walking, for 20 minutes, with a few minutes of walking first to warm up.]

C25K - Week 8, Day 1

2008-12-08T21:12:00.000-08:00

Well, I guess I kind of fell off track... I was so sore last week that I ended up taking the week off from running. Every morning I woke up and every muscle in my body hurt. My legs, my back, my arms, my neck. Ouch. That 5K must have really given me a workout!

So today, I got back out there. My muscles feel better, although they are still slightly sore. I knew I wouldn't be able to do the whole 28 minutes that Week 8 calls for, but I figured I'd do as much as I could. I ran for 11 minutes and made it 1 mile. Then I walked for 6 minutes and ran the last 11 minutes. It was tough, I could tell that I had taken a week off.

I'll try to get out there this week and next, but it's getting to be so busy with Christmas coming up and we're on vacation next week, so I'll have to really work at getting it in. Just 2 more weeks... I've gotta finish the program!

C25K - Week 7, Day 3

2008-11-29T13:08:00.000-08:00

Another week complete of the C25K! Well, I cheated a little bit today, but I figured I deserved a break. I was supposed to run for 25 minutes today, but I only ran for 23. I was just too sore and tired to go further. I think that Turkey Trot wore me out - I think every muscle in my body hurts! I suppose some of it is from doing push ups/sit ups too yesterday. By the way, I'm up to 100 push ups and 105 sit ups, but not all in a row, I took a 45 second or so break in between sets.

I did run the first mile faster though, I think it was about 10 minutes, but then my pace went down from there. I tried to tell myself to just keep going, but somehow I just started walking anyways... It was a beautiful day out there though, sunny and 42 degrees. I figured I better get out there and enjoy it.

C25K - Week 7, Day 2 - TurkeyTrot 5K

2008-11-28T08:33:00.000-08:00

Guess what?? I ran my first 5K race!! I'm so excited!!! At about 7pm on Wednesday, my SIL called to see if we wanted to run the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot 5K race downtown. 10 other family members were going. She was going to register and had an hour left, so we had to decide quickly if we wanted to go.

I was thinking that we'd have to get up at 6am to go downtown with 10,000 other people and thought that sounded miserable. I didn't know if it would be cold, or if the route was hilly or what to expect. But then I thought that I had to run 25 minutes on Thursday anyways, so why not go and if I had to walk part of the way, no big deal. DH said he'd go if I wanted to, but didn't matter either way to him. What to do??

Well, in the end, we told her to sign us up and see you in the morning! At 6am, way before the sun was up, we got out of bed, and I thought, "I can't even open my eyes, how on earth am I going to be able to run??" I've usually been running in the afternoons, and am not used to getting up so early. But once we met the rest of the folks, I was awake and ready to go. There were tons of people down there and the excitement was contagious.

We got in line for the start line as they were singing the last of the Star Spangled Banner and then we were off. The first mile went quickly and seemed easy. DH decided he'd run with me, since he didn't feel like fighting his way through the crowds to get to the front. Mile 2 was along the Mississippi River and wasn't too bad either. But then the route went uphill for awhile and I started to get tired. I was determined to run the whole thing though, so I told myself to just keep running, we're 2/3 of the way done. It leveled out again, and that was much better. We were still passing people up and were running at my usual pace again.

I saw the 3 mile marker up ahead, so we picked up the pace a bit, but then remembered that it was 3.1 miles, and I wasn't done yet. Once I spied the finish line though, everyone ran faster and we did too. I ran as fast as I could that last bit and crossed the finish line with a time of 37:15!! Better than I thought, but mainly so pumped that I actually ran an entire 5K! :) What a good time!

C25K - Week 7, Day 1

2008-11-26T15:50:00.000-08:00

Guess I'm a little late in posting this. Got sidetracked yesterday after I got back from running. I ran for 25 minutes again yesterday. I was ready to quit after about 5 minutes, but I kept going and was so tempted to just give up many times. But I kept going and had to keep telling myself that I've done it once, I can do it again.

I couldn't even blame the weather yesterday, because it was so nice and sunny. It was a little bit windy coming back, but not too bad. I didn't quite make the 2.5 miles, but I figured it took me 11 minutes to go the first mile and a bit longer the last mile. I did go a little over 2 miles, I think, but not by much.

My muscle have definitely been a lot more sore lately, especially my calves and my neck/shoulders. I've been trying to stretch more to see if that helps. I guess they're really getting a work out. Not sure if my neck/shoulders are sore from running or something else. Maybe I'm keeping them tensed up as I run??

C25K - Week 6, Day 3

2008-11-22T15:28:00.000-08:00

Whoohoo!!! I ran for 25 minutes today, without stopping! And I kept up a pretty steady pace and even ran faster the last minute or so! The weather was cooperating a little better today, not so much wind to run against.

I'm just thinking that 6 weeks ago, I could barely run for 60 seconds straight. It doesn't seem like that long ago - it's pretty amazing how quickly you can improve if you just keep working at it. It definitely helps to be following a plan, so someone else is telling you what to do. Otherwise, I wouldn't have even attempted to run as much as I have been.

I went a little bit over 2 miles, but probably not the 2 1/4 miles that the plan says. 6 weeks down, only 3 more to go!

C25K - Week 6, Day 2

2008-11-20T22:45:00.000-08:00

Okay, today was the first time that I wasn’t able to do what the plan calls for. ☹ But, I’m blaming it on the wind and am still impressed with myself that I tried. It was only a bit above 20 degrees with a strong, cold wind. I bundled up and headed out walking. All was fine, until I turned the corner, heading in the direction that I run, which also happened to be straight against this nasty wind. I just about got blown over!

I pulled up my hood and covered up any spots where the wind was getting in, just my eyes were peeking out, and kept going. I was thinking though, that there’s no way I’m going to be able to run 10 minutes against this, I should just turn around and try tomorrow. But then I thought, I’ll just try it. I’ll run as far as I can and then coming back will be easier.

I was supposed to run 10, walk 3, and run 10. I ran for 6.5 minutes (and that was harder than ever), walked for 3.5, turned around and ran for 9.5 minutes. I just couldn’t go that last 30 seconds. I think I was pretty worn out from fighting the wind! But I’ll cross week 6, day 2 off and try for 25 minutes on Saturday! Let’s hope the weather cooperates!

C25K - Week 6, Day 1

2008-11-18T18:48:00.000-08:00

Started Week 6 today! I ran for 18 minutes total (5 min run, 3 min walk, 8 min run, 3 min walk, 5 min run), and went 2 miles in 24 minutes. The plan says you should be going 2 ¼ miles, so I guess I’m just a bit short of that.

It wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t too bad. The problem is always the wind. I was running against the cold wind on the way back, so my pace was slower. It was about 32 degrees, kinda chilly. The last couple of times I’ve been wearing a face mask that works pretty good. It keeps my face and nose warm and it’s easy to breath through. It works great when I’m going against the wind. My lower right calf hasn’t been hurting anymore when I run, so that’s good, but I have noticed that my leg muscles have been sore since the 20 minute run.

C25K - Week 5, Day 3

2008-11-15T15:03:00.000-08:00

Hip, Hip, Hooray!!! I ran for the full 20 minutes!! The first 10, I was running against the wind, so I ran really, really slowly, but I didn't stop running! On the way back, I actually ran faster, and it didn't seem as hard, I suppose because the wind was behind me. And I was tired, but not exhausted by the end, so I picked up the pace a bit more for the last minute or so.

I really didn't think I would make it, and I'm so impressed with myself that I did! Now I can totally imagine running a 5K in the near future. I'll probably wait until Spring though. Distance wise, I only went less than 3 km or 1.8 miles, but I'm not worried about that yet. Just focusing on time right now and I'll work on getting faster later. But, I just have to repeat it, because I can't believe it - I ran for 20 minutes straight!!!!

C25K - Week 5, Day 2

2008-11-13T19:33:00.000-08:00

I ran for 8 minutes straight! Today called for 2 intervals of running for 8 minutes, with a 5 minute walk in between. The last 8 minutes was tough, but I made it! Not sure how in the world I’m going to be able to run for 20 minutes with no breaks on Saturday. I have to keep thinking that it’s just 4 more minutes than what I ran today and try not to think that I don’t get any walking breaks. I think I have to find some other blogs to read of people that were able to do it.

I’m halfway through the program. I’m impressed I got this far. In some ways, it seems like it’ll be easier after the 20 minute run. If I can run for that long, what’s another 10 minutes after that? I guess I better not get too confident, because I’m sure I’ll find out that it’s still plenty hard.

C25K - Week 5, Day 1

2008-11-13T19:29:00.000-08:00

11/11/08 - Tuesday

Another beautiful day for a run! That is if you like freezing rain and 35 degrees! ☺ It actually wasn’t bad though, the wind was coming from the side, so I never had to run against it. I suppose this blog is kind of sounding like a weather report! Oops… Well, I guess the weather is a big part of running, at least here in this state. It varies so much from day to day, that you gotta be tough to run outside here! ;)

So, I ran 5 minutes, walked 3, ran 5, walked 3, and ran 5 again, for a total for 15 minutes of running. Wasn’t bad at all. I won’t say it was easy either, but definitely doable. I’m having a hard time believing that I’m going to be able to run for 20 minutes on Saturday, but that’s what the plan calls for. Yikes! I’ve read that others have been able to do it, even though they thought they couldn’t, so I’m going to plan on going for it. I’ll be so amazed if I can actually do it. I’m kind of looking forward to Saturday, just to see if I can… Who would have thought that I would ever be looking forward to running??? Not me, that’s for sure!

Push ups and sit ups for Week 3, Day 2

I did a total of 55 push ups and 63 sit ups on Wednesday, with breaks in between sets. It’s getting harder, but I am still doing more than the minimum for the last set of the plan. It says to do at least 12, but I did 17 push ups, and 25 sit ups.

C25K - Week 4, Day 3

2008-11-08T15:10:00.000-08:00

4 weeks down, 5 more to go! Got out there and ran today, even though I was tempted to skip it. I really didn't want to skip, but it was just so cold out there today, it sounded miserable! It's only about 32 degrees and there's a nasty cold wind. Snow has been coming down yesterday and today, but hasn't stuck to the ground at all. Anyways, DH got me going and we ran together.

The first half was against the wind, so it was really hard, but then when we turned around it was much better. It actually felt nice out with the wind to our backs. So, I'm glad I went, I really don't want to quit this program! Can't be letting the weather stop me. I suppose there's always the gym, but it just seems like more hassle to drive there and back.

By the way, I haven't forgotten about the push ups and sit ups. I've been doing them, just didn't think it was necessary to blog every time about it. I did a total of 32 push ups last time and 39 sit ups. Otherwise, there's nothing to really report about.

C25K - Week 4, Day 2

2008-11-06T16:48:00.001-08:00

Wahoo! I did it again! Ran another 16 minutes total today, in 3 and 5-minute intervals, the same as last time. My right calf was sore again the last 5 minutes. Maybe I need to get some new shoes.

It was a little tougher today, but I didn’t give in even though I wanted to. Maybe it was the weather, because it was not very nice out. It was cold, about 45 degrees, and cloudy, windy, and drizzly. No sun to be seen today! It still felt good to get out there though, get some fresh air and exercise. Can’t be skipping just because the weather isn’t perfect!

C25K - Week 4, Day 1

2008-11-04T20:20:00.001-08:00

I can’t believe it! I didn’t think I’d be able to do this week’s intervals. The plan jumps from running a total of 9 minutes up to a total of 16 minutes. First it says to run 3 minutes, then walk 1.5 minutes, and then run for 5 minutes! I didn’t think I could do it, but I did!! After that, you walk for 2.5 minutes and then run 3, walk 1.5, and run another 5 minutes. I was able to run the whole 16 minutes!!!

Surprisingly, it wasn’t too hard either. I thought I’d be dying, but I was actually able to pick up the pace the last 20-30 seconds of running. I don’t know if I’m imagining it, but it seemed easier than the first week of running… After I was done with the first 5, I felt like I could do anything! I was tired, but I was so excited that I was able to run for 5 minutes straight! What a good feeling to accomplish something I never thought I could do. ☺

My right calf was sore walking back, but it went away after I stretched. Just a side note, I haven’t been sore hardly at all after running, so that’s been nice. I also went a bit farther today than I have before, so at least I know that I run faster than I walk! It was a bit cloudy out today, but it was 70 degrees! What on earth is going on?? It’s November in MN and it feels like summer out there! I love it! ☺

C25K - Week 3, Day 3

2008-11-01T14:57:00.000-07:00

I completed another week! And I'm still liking it and motivated to keep going! Today was much better than last time, didn't get the stomach pain, and I still had plenty of energy to walk at a quicker pace on the way back. Usually I'm exhausted and walk really slowly.

DH came with me again, fun to have someone along to make the time go faster. I also bought a new timer today. Just picked up a cheap kitchen timer from Target. It works great and was a lot cheaper than an iPod! I just set the timer for 3 minutes (or however long) and run until it beeps, and then reset it for the next interval. Don't need to pay attention to the clock so much. Plus I like to hear what's going on around me, the traffic, birds, people, etc, and not sure I would like to have headphones in. Guess I haven't tried it yet, maybe it's easier to keep going when you have music to listen to?

But it was a beautiful day again today! Great day to get out for a run! (I like being able to say that I went for a 'run' instead of a walk...) :) Can't beat this awesome fall weather! :)

Push ups – Week 1, Day 3

2008-10-31T10:38:00.000-07:00

I did 27 push ups today! Plan calls for 5 sets of 4, 5, 4, 4, and at least 5, but I did 10. Easy enough.

Then I decided I might as well be doing sit ups at the same time. Can't hurt to strengthen the abs too! Well, I can't do the full sit ups, but I'll do crunches for the first round and then maybe try to do the full sit ups later. So I started with the same sets as the push ups challenge, for Week 1, Day 3, so I'm on the same schedule. I was able to do 20 crunches for the last set, for a total of 37 crunches.

C25K - Week 3, Day 2

2008-10-31T10:36:00.000-07:00

10/30/08 Thursday

Well, I made it, but barely. I was able to run the full amount of time, although I really wanted to quit early the last 3 minutes of running. My legs hurt (thighs) and it was hard to breath. It was windy, so the way back was harder running against the wind. Plus I had mowed the lawn yesterday, so that’s about 60 minutes of walking fairly quickly behind the mower. Maybe my legs weren’t able to rest enough.

I thought I was good to go after I was done running, but as I was walking back, I started feeling terrible. Usually, that’s the best part – I’m done running and can just enjoy the feeling of accomplishment and being outside. Today was an unusually warm day for the end of October – it was close to 70! I was thrilled to be running in just a tank top! I should have put shorts on, but didn’t realize that it was that warm, so I wore my long pants. It was a lovely day to be outside!

But anyways, the side of my abdomen started hurting really bad and I just wanted to curl up on the side of the road, but managed to make it home. Usually I stretch on the front steps when I get back, but I couldn’t today. I just went in and kicked my shoes off and collapsed on the bed. It hurt so much! I'm not exactly sure what was going on, but I was curled up in pain for about 5 or 10 minutes and then it calmed down to a tolerable ache, and so went the second day of week 3.

Push ups – Week 1, Day 2

2008-10-29T16:18:00.001-07:00

I did 22 push ups today! The plan calls for 5 sets again: 3, 4, 2, 3 and then at least 4, I did 10. It says to rest for 90 seconds in between, but again, that’s too long, so I just rested however long I felt I had to, but did rest the full 90 seconds before the last set. It was still easy enough, but I noticed after last time that my arms and chest were sore from push ups, so it’s working anyways!

C25K - Week 3, Day 1

2008-10-28T16:49:00.000-07:00

Wowza! I ran for 3 minutes straight today! The plan for this week is to run for 1 ½ minutes, walk for 1 ½ minutes, run for 3 minutes, walk for 3 minutes, and repeat. So it’s a total of 9 minutes of running. The first 3 minutes went by quickly, I was thinking later that maybe I only ran for 2 minutes, but in the end, I think it was 3. It’s hard to keep track with a watch that’s not digital, because you have to remember how many times the second hand has gone around. I for sure did the whole 3 minutes the second time though. It seemed long, but it’s weird, it didn’t seem to be harder than running 1 ½ minutes, just the same level of difficulty stretched out longer, if that makes any sense…

I’ve been walking to the end of our road, about 5 minutes, and then I start the intervals of running and walking. There is a nice paved trail that is 2 miles long across from our road. When I am halfway through the intervals (about 10 minutes), I turn around and come back to the start of the trail, and then walk the rest of the way home, another 5 minutes or so. That’s why I think that I did run the whole 3 minutes the first time, because I turned around halfway through as usual, and made it almost back to the beginning by the time I was done with the intervals.

It’s easy to see if my distance increases or not by going the same route. Today was a little shorter than the last couple weeks, but this week there is only 18 minutes of intervals, while there was 20 minutes the first 2 weeks.

It was chilly out there today. I needed my hat and gloves the whole time. It was nice and sunny though, and not windy. Can’t complain about the crisp fall air! Feels great to get out there and enjoy it! It helps to always try to think about how I feel when I’m done, and not while I’m out there running.

Push ups!

2008-10-28T16:38:00.000-07:00

10/27/08 Monday

I started another challenge today! It’s called the One Hundred Push Ups Challenge. I’m going to do this on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, the days that I’m not doing the Couch to 5K challenge. I tried to do regular push ups, but I’m not even able to do one (how pathetic is that??), so I’m going to do this challenge by doing the push ups on my knees, girly push ups… ☺ When I get to the one hundred push ups mark (should be in 6 weeks!), then maybe I’ll start over by doing them the real way.

So, today I started at level 1 and did 5 reps: first 2 push ups, then 3, then 2, then 2 more, and then for the last set, you’re supposed to do as many as you can, so I did 8. You can rest for 60 seconds in between. It seemed really long to rest for 60 seconds, so I didn’t always rest that long. It wasn’t really hard to do these, but I’ll just follow the program and see how it goes. So far, it seems like it’ll be an easy challenge, but we’ll see how I feel about that when I’m supposed to be doing 40-50 push ups in a row! That sounds like a lot!

Week 2, Day 3

2008-10-25T13:00:00.000-07:00

Yay! I finished Week 2 today! Seemed to still be hard, but it was a beautiful, sunny day today, so that helps. It was a little windy again out there, but I’m not sure how much harder that makes it. It was the same amount of running as the other 2 days this week.

Week 2, Day 2

2008-10-23T18:09:00.001-07:00

Made it out for a run this afternoon. Same deal as Tuesday with 90 seconds of running and 2 minutes of walking. I'm always definitely ready to start walking again after 90 seconds of running, but am able to run all the intervals. I remembered to stretch beforehand. It was just a little chilly, but the sun was shining, so I can't complain. Wore a hat for the first half, and gloves the whole time. It's great to get out and enjoy the weather!

Week 2, Day 1

2008-10-21T16:54:00.000-07:00

Woohoo!! I can run 90 seconds at a time! I just got back from completing Day 1 of the second week. This week's plan is to run for 90 seconds and walk for 2 minutes - a total of 6 times in 20 minutes. That equals 9 whole minutes of running! It was around 50 degrees today when I went after the sun had already set. I was pretty chilly when I was walking, but warmed up as I ran.

It really didn't seem to be any harder than last week, so I'm game to keep running! I feel great when I'm done, so it's worth the pain while I run. My legs have been able to handle the running just fine - they have been just a tiny bit sore, but I've been remembering to stretch good after. I seem to always forget to stretch before - I guess I'm just so excited to get out there and run! :) It's a bit harder on my lungs though, I don't think I'm able to keep up a conversation when I run, because I'm breathing too hard. I am able to recover during the walking periods though, just in time to start running again.

Week 1 is Done!!

2008-10-18T15:02:00.000-07:00

DH came with me today for Day 3 - He was the timekeeper. It was nice to be able to just run and not have to watch the clock. Seemed to be just as hard as the other 2 days, but today was really windy. It's another beautiful sunny day, feels great to be out there exercising!

Went about the same distance, same amount of running as the other 2 days.

Week 1, Day 2!

2008-10-16T15:24:00.000-07:00

Day 2 is done! :) It felt about the same as Day 1, just as hard, but I did it again! I feel great when I'm done - glad that I did another hard workout. It also feels good to get out in the fresh, cool, fall air and sunshine! It's been around 55 degrees this week, I think summer is over...

I've been timing the intervals with just my regular watch - would be nice to have an iPod or something like that, so I wouldn't have to pay so much attention to the watch. I went about the same distance as last time, same eight 60 second intervals of running with 90 seconds of walking in between.

Week 1, Day 1

2008-10-14T12:11:00.000-07:00

I DID IT!!!!! I started the Couch to 5K program today! I never thought I’d be able to run the full amount, but I did! And I lived to tell about it!! It was tough, and I probably ran pretty slowly, but I ran all 8 intervals of 60 seconds each with 90 seconds of walking in between. I went a total distance of 3.65 km.

I read about this program on www.coolrunning.com and decided that I wanted to try it out – not because I want to be a regular runner, but because I figured a person should be in shape enough to be able to run for more than 60 seconds at a time. That’s all I was able to do last week! In 9 weeks, I will (hopefully) be running for 30 minutes straight! I know, I don’t believe it either, but I’m hoping I can prove to myself that I can!

So, I’m starting this blog, just as a way to keep track of my progress. Feel free to join me! Or let me know how your C25K training went if you’ve already done that. Or just leave me some comments/encouragement/tips/whatever!