Week 4, Day 1

Here's the Weekly Plan:

Brisk five-minute warmup 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)

Yesterday was a GOOD DAY!

I'm almost completely convinced that the heat/humidity are my worst enemy...and since yesterday was a beautiful day, low temp, low humidity, I had a GREAT run.

Knees held up very well. I had little or no pain all weekend.

We decided for last nights run to give a track another try, just not the same track. :)

We headed over to one of the local high schools and ran on their track and it was WONDERFUL! I felt like I could actually run again and at a decent speed.

The 5 minute runs were still a challenge for us. I was only able to make it to 3 minutes on the first 5 minute run and then my side just started cramping up big time and I had to stop and walk a bit. I assume that has alot to do with breathing? I need someone to teach me how I'm supposed to breath when I run!

The second 5 minute run I had to stop after about 2 1/2 minutes, walk for about a minute and then finished up running to our starting point...probably just another 30 second or so. I was just pooped by the time that last 5 minute ran came along.

The 3 minutes runs were really good. The first seemed easy this time around. Again, I'm sure that had alot to do with the cooler weather. And I'm pretty sure that I ran the entire second 3 minute run after I had the bad side cramp..the 90 seconds of walking, even though it goes by way too fast, did help.

I really needed this run to be great. I was really getting down on myself about not being able to keep up and was starting to think that maybe I was just one of 'those people' that just can not run. I'm feeling much more confident today.

But also pretty sore! :)

My knees are feeling good, but my legs in general are just hurting. Just that normal feeling after a good workout, but still sore.

I need Niki to tell me more about these Recovery Socks! :) Are they just for after serious runs/races? Or would I qualify to wear them with the little running I'm doing? :) Would they make my legs hurt less the next morning? And most importantly, where do I get me a pair! :)

Also, on a side note, two things:

First: Lisa has been out of commission for the last few days...feeling a bit under the weather and we've missed her! I hope she's feeling better and back to running with us this week sometime.

Second: Since Lisa didn't run with us last Thursday (or yesterday) we were missing our official time keeper! So before we ran last night I asked the Husband if he happened to have some sort of stop watch we could use and he said it just so happens that he does, and then he pulled this out:

WTF? Why did he not mention to me that he had this little baby before?!?! I *might* vaguely remember that it exsisted....but don't you think a little light bulb should have went off in his head when I started running to alert him to the fact that he had a device that does this:

"The Forerunner 201 offers athletes a personal training device with GPS that measures speed, distance, pace and calories burned, and runs on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. After you run, connect your Forerunner 201 to your computer to store and analyze your workout."

Um, HELLO!? :)

Worst...Day...EVER...

I'm not even going to dignify this post with an actual "Week X, Day X" title because I don't even consider what I did as 'running'. :(

Lets just say that I only was able to run 1 three minute lap before my knees completely gave out..to the point where I could barely walk the rest of the 15 minutes and had to physically lift my legs into the car...They drag myself around Target for 30 minutes relying heavily on the cart to hold me up. :)

Both knees killed me the entire night and I even had to wake up at 3 a.m. to ice them they hurt so bad.

It was another one of the the hottest days so far for running too.

And I'm really hoping that that was the issue...because it's been much cooler the last three days, and even though my next run isn't until tonight, they haven't bothered me at all since the humidity is down.

We also tried running on a track Thursday night, but it wasn't as nice as we thought it would be (the condition of the track) so tonight we are going to try another and see if its easier on the knees.

I'll report back with an official Week 4, Day 1 report either tonight or tomorrow and let you know how it goes.

Pray for me....

Mama Has A New Pair of Shoes

Just a little update that I went ahead and purchased the shoes I mentioned below yesterday after work. Wore them around the house for a bit and my feet/knees are happy. Tonight will be the true test when I actually run in them.

Also went to the Super Sports Store last night that was having the "Stride Analysis" clinic and spoke with one of the PT's there. I showed her the shoes I bought from the other store (didn't take them with me, but they had the same exact ones there) and she said that they *might* be too *cushy* for me...and I may decide I want something with a bit more *stability*.

She had one of the Shoe guys show me some other options, that of course were about 2x as much as I paid for mine, but whatever. I tried them on and really didn't notice much of a difference...I'm sure I wouldn't really notice until I started running. There was a pair that I considered getting but, of course, they didn't have my size.

So the plan is to stick with the original ones I bought and see how it goes. If I have to upgrade to a 'better' pair, then I will.

She also suggested that I alternate shoes as well. Wear the new ones one night, and my old ones the next. Not sure why...

She really didn't have much to say about my knees. Basically what she said in not so many words is that that is normal for people who decide to get off their butts and do something. :)

We'll see if it gets better.

Week 3, Day 1.....AGAIN!

Are you confused? Good..me too! :)

After Saturday's run, I decide to take Sunday off to give my knees another break (which was supposed to be the start of Week 4 for us) Mandy and Lisa went ahead and ran Day 1 of Week 4.

This is (was?) the plan for the Week 4:

Brisk five-minute warmup 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)

The 5 minute run combined with the 100 degree weather proved to me a bit too much to handle . They reported back to me and let me know that it was much harder this week then in the past and they found themselves really pushing to run the entire 5 minutes and ended up walking alot longer in between runs then they were supposed to.

I give them props though..because the 3 minutes is hard for me, and even worse when my knees decide to give out half way through the run. :(

We came to the consensous that maybe we'd ease into Week 4 next week, and repeat Week 3 again. They felt like that was pretty much what they ended up running/walking anyway.

So, that's the plan!

Tuesday Night we ran (my day 1, their day 2) of Week 3 again. Thank goodness it rained and cooled down to around 80 degrees, otherwise we were seriously considering just taking turns running on the treadmill at Lisa's after their experience on Sunday night.

I'm telling you, I think this weather has had a really negative impact on my running.

Not that I was much of a runner to begin with, but it's really freaking my legs/knees out!!

It's hard to explain, but I have pain in my knees that is making it uncomfortable to run, but my biggest problem is that I feel like my legs do not/can not move when I run. Like they are stiffing up in protest and are unable to bend. But it's not really 'cramping' feeling...just like they don't work...like they are refusing to work.

And it's starting to really piss me off.

And it's starting to become very frustrating for me.

I'm not too tired to run...at least I don't feel tired...maybe a bit 'winded' but I feel like I can keep running, but my legs are like cement and I cannot pick them up off the ground.

Why? :(

Tonight there is a clinic at one of the local Super Sports Stores (say that 10 times fast!) here in town. There are going to be PT's there from the Orthopedic Hospital doing stride analysis' for people and fitting them for proper running shoes. I'm planning on attending that. Hopefully they can help.

On a side note, the running shoes I posted about yesterday are on sale today AND I have another $10 off coupon for the store they are at (BONUS!)...so I'm thinking of maybe running (no pun intended) out and getting them after work and then taking them with me tonight to the Super Sports Store to see if they are a good fit for me.

I'm sure the Super Sports Store would like for me to buy a $100 pair of shoes from them...but it ain't gonna happen...Unless they are SUPER CUTE....Unless I win the lottery.

I'll report back on what they tell me.

Hopefully I'll be ready for Week 3, Day 2 (again) tomorrow.

Running Shoes

I'm thinking about investing in a new pair of running shoes..

Not sure if that will solve all of the knee pain issues, but it shouldn't make them any worse.

Right?

I'm thinking of giving these a try.

They are fairly inexpensive..and I'm not sure if I really want to spend $$$ on a pair of shoes...so I think these should work okay.

Aren't Asics supposed to be pretty decent running shoes?

I just really like the colors.

And they look cute on my feet.

This post is probably more suited for my other blog. :)

Bennington Daze Road Race

Bright and early on Saturday morning I 'ran' my first race! :)

I won't lie...it was NOT easy...I thought it might be, but I was mistaken.

I was actually surprised to wake up Saturday morning thinking my knee pain was miraculously gone...My knees felt great, so I left the brace I was wearing on the left one at home.

A few short steps into the race and I realized that I was mistaken, yet again.

The first mile of the race was basically uphill..so that was really hard for me. Mandy, Lisa and I stayed together for about the first 1/2 mile, alternating walking and running, but I sooned realized that I would have to take it a bit slower with all the knee pain...I would have to walk a little longer then them between runs.

Once I reached the top of the hill and turned around to finish the second mile, I was able to run a bit more...it helped that it was down hill..so I picked it up a bit, and once I came to the flat service, walked a bit longer again.

I think my official time was 28:25 (horrible)...a few minutes behind my friends (GREAT JOB GIRLS!!!!!)

I don't think I finished last....

But I'm not sure...there were at least some walkers still behind me and a 10 year old boy... :)

I crossed the finish line about 5 seconds behind some guy...

Who ran the 5 miles. :) I wonder if he was the first one to finish?? Not sure. :)

I had to bail right after the race to make it to a baby shower I was helping host, so I didn't get to stick around and see how "Miss N" did, but I heard she came in second in the 5 mile for the women?! Great Job Girl!!

Here's the evidence that I actually did participate in the run! :) #265. Thanks to Mandy's friend Michelle (Mrs. Nebraska) for this picture of us!

I think my face is the same color as my shirt, no? :)

Week 3, Day 2

...which really should have been day 3 for this week.

I skipped out on running Tuesday night, which should have been day 2, and last night day 3, but my knee just wasn't having it. I decided that it would probably be a better idea to stay off of it that night and ice it and then give it a few extra days rest so that I'd be ready for Thursday.

And that's what I did.

And last nights run sucked.

On top of my knee still not being 100%, add in 90 degree heat and about 1000% humidity even at 8 p.m. and that made for one sucky run.

I'm not sure if it was the heat, or the fact that I probably didn't stretch out enough, or the fact that it had been 4 days since my last run, but my legs just decided that they did not want to work...even the easy 90 second first run was hard for me...I just felt like I couldn't get my legs to bend and move. I couldn't get going. :(

But I toughed it out and made it through the first 90 second, the first 3 minute and the second 90 second runs...but by the time the last 3 minute run came around, I was really pushing it and the knee wasn't having it.

I had to fall back and walk quite a bit..run a little...walk again...run again...off and on for that last three minutes. I finally did catch up with Mandy and Lisa, so that was good. It is really encouraging to have friends to run with...I know I would not have the drive to do this on my own, so I'm thankful that I have them. This morning every part of my body is a bit stiff...both knees a little achy.

There is a 2 mile run this Saturday morning that I have been going back and forth on about participating in....I finally decided yesterday afternoon that I was pretty sure I could do it...thought the knee would be good after 4 days off and that if last nights run went well, I'd be ready to go on Saturday morning....I even called the guy incharge of the run to make sure I could still sign up at the race on Saturday and was really excited about it...but after last night I'm starting to have doubts about it again. At least being able to run it...which I never really intended to be able to run the entire 2 miles...but maybe just off and on..now I'm not so sure. I think I may still participate even if I have to walk the whole thing.

I was kinda hoping I could say it was my first official 'race'...or run...whatever....but it may have to just be a long walk. :) We'll see.

Week 3, Day 1

Now that I'm on the right schedule, I'm changing the titles to reflect that..and that way if I miss out on a run or fall behind, you'll all know that I'm slacking off. :)

Here is the schedule for this week:

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 three minutes)

Can I say that this SERIOUSLY kicked my butt. I went from feeling like I was a 'running machine' to feeling like I could just fall over and die. :)

It probably didn't help that my left knee was/is seriously hurting...it started bothering me from day one, but usually only hurt the following day and was fine by the next. I think the fact that I ran so hard on the last day of week 2 and thought I was kicking butt, finally caught up with me. I've been icing it since yesterdays run.

We decided to run in the morning yesterday, as opposed to night as we have been, and so we were ready bright and early at 8:30 a.m. to start. My body was NOT ready for that.

Also it seems that somehow this plan skipped the week where you ran/walked for 2 minutes. :) We jumped from 90 seconds to THREE minutes! That may not seem like much..but it was a HUGE difference! :( I really struggled.

So the combo of 8 a.m. running, plus achy knee, plus the three minute jump really effected my running yesterday and I didn't feel as confident about my ability to do this as I had before.

Tomorrow is Day 2 of this schedule..and I'm nervous. :(

I'm really hoping my knee hangs in there. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know!

Day 4

Last Thursday was day four of training. Just to clear things up, because I was playing 'catch up' to get on the same schedule as Mandy & Lisa, day four for me was actually their Week 2, Day 3. The schedule we are following is three running days a week (Sun., Tues., & Thurs.)..so the first two weeks I actually only ran 2 days...instead of three like them. But now we are all on the same page. :)

So day four for me was the end of week two and I felt like I was really kicking ass! Again, very surprised I was keeping up and actually felt like I could really run at a pretty decent rate. Granted it was still a pretty easy run;

"Brisk five minute warm-up walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes."

But I still felt really good about it. I was starting to feel like the faster I ran, the less tired I felt...which doesn't really make sense, but that's how I felt. Lisa even joked for me to wait for them at the end of the run because I started to pull away a bit. If the entire 9 weeks was comprised of this, it would be no big deal...but I'd soon find out that the jump from Week 2 to 3 would seriously kick my butt....

Day 3

Okay, so technically I should have been running for Week 1, Day 3 of the C25K..but since Mandy and our other friend Lisa are a couple of days ahead of me and already on week 2, I ran that schedule with them. That consisted of the five minute vigorous walking warm up then 90 seconds of running, followed by 2 minutes of walking, repeated six times. (or however many times it takes for you to get to 20 minutes overall)

90 seconds of running doesn't sound like much.

Does a minute and a half sound better?

I think so.

We ran for 1 minute and a half, then walked for 2 minutes, 6 times.

Much better!

Again I was surprised that I was able to keep up the whole time. All together, including the walk back to the car, it took us about 25 minutes. I was pretty tired by the time we got back to the car, but was fine by the time I drove home. No sweat!

Well, lots of actual sweat...but you know what I mean.

I do have to say that my left knee is hurting a bit today...and wearing heels doesn't help that much at all.

Our plan is to run again on Thursday (tomorrow) so hopefully it will feel better with a 'day off'. Our goal is to run Sun., Tues., & Thurs. nights.

The 5k we are running is actually on Aug. 15th...I think I may have said it was July 15th before...which I was wrong...which is a good thing...and extra month to train! :)

Mandy and Lisa are also going to do a 2 mile run next weekend! I wish I could do it with them, but I have a prior commitment. :( Boo! But I think I might try and talk them into another 5K at the end of this month...I don't think we'll be ready to run the whole thing, but its on a Sunday and that could count as one of our training days..we'll could do the scheduled Day One training for that week at the race. I think I *might* try and convince them! :) We'll see.

Day 2

Was much harder then day one! :) Probably because my body was still aching..but that's what happens when it's not used to excersize of any kind.

But I still give myself credit for going out there and running..even as my body protested.

Friday night I ran by myself around the high school track. Which was much more boring then the first night running with Mandy at the lake. I did have my iPod, which helped a bit, but it was alot harder to time myself and make sure I was running according to the recommended Week 1 plan: 60 seconds of running, 90 seconds walking, repeat 8 times.

I really need to invest in a stop watch of some sort.

I was totally prepared to feel even more crappy come Saturday morning...I really thought I'd be hurting big time after the second run, but surprisingly, I felt great the next morning. Perfectly fine! Almost like I hadn't run the night before...but I promise I did!

I technically still have one day left in Week 1...but Mandy is already two days into Week 2 and if I'm going to run with her I might jump on over to the next week tonight. Week 2 consists of 90 seconds of running, followed by 2 minutes of walking; repeat 8 times.

This might pose a bit of a challenge for me, but I'm up for it. Why else would I be putting myself through this torture!

Day 1

So last night was day one of my Couch To 5K training and I'm pleasantly surprised to announce that I did not pass out and die as I expected. In fact, it was actually pretty okay. I am a little sore today...the legs are not quite used to all that activity, but I'm ready for Day 2!

My goal right now if to try and attempt to do Day 2 tonight, weather and legs permitting. If the legs don't want to cooperate, then I will probably just do 20 minutes of brisk walking tonight and pick back up with day 2 tomorrow.

Thanks to my friend Mandy for telling me that she was starting the program to prepare for a 5K race in July. My goal is to be ready to participate in that as well!

So lets sum up those goals, shall we?

1. Get through the first week of C25K
2. Finish the entire 9 weeks of the C25K program or at least a similar training schedule for the next month
3. Be ready to run the 5K on July 15th and finish it!
4. Hopefully loose some weight while doing all of the above.

#4 would actually be my biggest accomplishment...#3 a close second. :)

I did have my husband take a quick pic of me yesterday right before I headed out to run. I thought it would be a good idea to have a 'before' picture of me to see if all this running made a difference in the weight department...and I may post it on here..but right now it's a very scary picture. :) It would be much more fun to post it AFTER I loose 50 lbs..as a side-by-side comparison...Don't you think? :)