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!