*New* – Weekly pages for C25K progress reports:

Couch to 5K – Logging my progress – Week Two

Here is where I will log the progress of my C25K (Couch to 5K) program as I complete the workouts. I had my first workout on Sept. 1, 2008. This means I will complete – or “graduate” – just after my 33rd birthday. Hopefully, I’ll also be several pounds lighter as well, as I am also on a program to lose weight. That is going great so far.

(Note: For the benefit of anyone who would like to know more about the Couch to 5K program, here is the site that offers tons of information and links to even more info… http://c25k.com.)

Shannan   (Scroll down to read the entries in chronological order)

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New Shoes, New Week…New Time?

September 9, 2008

I actually, finally, started Week Two yesterday. I had been waiting for my very first pair of running shoes to be delivered, and they came around 7pm. I was so excited, it was like opening up a Christmas present that I had been asking for and knew I finally got. I couldn’t get the box open fast enough!

We had eaten dinner (homemade soup) a little over an hour earlier, and I seemed to have gotten my energy back when the shoes came. So, after taking a few pictures of them in their new state (even the soles) and letting them sit there for a while as I contemplated using them that day instead of waiting for today, I put them on. It took a little getting used to how light they were, and I walked funny around the living room. After the episode of Kitchen Nightmares (online) was over, I did my W2D1 of the C25K.

It was as if I’d been doing it forever. I can’t believe that I was able to do 90-second intervals of running. It was more pleasant than last week’s 60-second intervals. It’s hard to fathom that your body gets used to the increases in time that happen in 9 weeks, but it seems to be working. I did 1.8 miles in 30:38 minutes. There’s a 5-minute warm up and cool down, and 2 minutes of walking after every run interval (there are 6) this week.

It was actually kind of nice running in the evening, since we weren’t watching a movie and it wasn’t an interruption of anything. I’ll stick with mornings if I can, but I know now not to give up on the day if there’s a reason I can’t run in the earlier hours. I’m so glad I didn’t. I would have disappointed myself and would have missed out on DH telling me how proud he was of me. Those words always make it worthwhile.

(Oh – and I lost 3 lbs this week! I’m doing WW, and the extra exercise has helped, I’m sure.)

Have a good one, everyone!  🙂

Shannan

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Week Two, Day Two

September 10, 2008

I just finished W2D2. I’m heading off to the shower, but wanted to record how it went. I think I tied my left shoe too tightly at first, because I was getting pain from the shoe pushing in on my foot too much. Once I loosened it, it was great. I’m still getting used to tying these differently than my regular, everyday shoes.

I tried adding a little speed today. I kept the walking at 3.6 mph, since I found that if I go higher interval after interval, it affects how I do with the running portions, and makes it harder to increase my speed for those. For 5 of the 6 intervals I ran at 4.0. For the last interval I like to increase it just a touch, so I walked 3.8 and ran 4.2. My pattern seems to be to start off lower for the first session of the week and try to increase my speed a little by the end of that week. When the next week comes, I go back down and start lower, since the time increases.

It was cold in the house today, and I needed to wear a t-shirt over my workout top. Of course, I heated up during the run, but I kept it on. It might have been the weight of the shirt — or the increased speed — that made me feel heavier today. Though the time still went by fast, it seemed that the last 30 seconds of each running interval was more laborious.

On another note, I keep losing weight consistently. I’m down 2.6 lbs from this day last week. I’m sure it’s the running that’s helping that along. by the 4th week of WW, I wouldn’t otherwise have been maintaining an almost 3-lb loss each week.

Shannan

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Week Two, Day Three

September 12, 2008

That almost said “September 13, 2008” up there, but due to one tiny thing, I changed my mind from planning to do my last Week 2 session tomorrow morning to “I’m going to jump up right now and do it today afterall.” I was looking at my online running log on RunningAhead.com. I’ve been tracking my numbers there, and use their forums and talk to other people. I figured since my log is public and can be seen by anyone who finds me on the boards, I’d better stay consistent and not have a large gap between my prior run and this one. Half of me thinks that was silly, but half of me thinks that’s just what I needed to get off my behind and do it today.

I had just gotten home, had eaten a late lunch and was checking my email. I had a headache and had hit my knee on a cabinet in my office, causing a bruise (ie. another “reason” to put off running today – I know some of you are laughing at the though right now). I saw my graph, which now looks like this…

 …and didn’t want there to be a large gap as there is between weeks (when I skip the weekend). It was as simple as that. I didn’t want anyone seeing that I skipped a day for another day of rest. It really wasn’t necessary, anyway. I tried to justify to myself that the next morning would be easier and I wouldn’t be as tired…that I’d need the workout to help me burn off the calories I MAY eat at Maggiano’s that afternoon (see this post for my other battle eating out)…that it’s OKAY to skip 2 days of running, as long as I work out on Monday again after it. The excuses went on and on. They really didn’t seem like excuses after I convinced myself I was going to wait. They made perfect sense. Now they don’t.

I actually feel better now than I did before I ran. My headache is gone, I have discovered that dinner is going to be more points than I otherwise would have had left (my 2 earned activity pts from the running got me off the hook there) and I don’t have to get up and run tomorrow feeling guilty that I waited.

It’s funny, because yesterday I couldn’t wait to run again, but on Fridays I tend to come home with a headache, and I half expected to give up anyway. I was going to use Saturday as my cushion. What am I going to do when I really get started running and want to run more often? There are only 7 days in the week! I mean, it’s good to have your rest days — don’t get me wrong — but I already had my rest day. I was in fine physical shape and had NO EXCUSE. There are people out there with bad knees (you know who you are) who are running 1-2 miles two days before a race! It was all a mental game, and though it started out clumsily (I’ll get to that in a second) and felt like I had made the wrong decision, it was the right one for me today. It was just what I needed.

Here’s why I say it was a clumsy start. I got dressed for the run in a flash, got my shoes on (no time to change my mind) and put the earbuds in my ears. I skipped the talking intro and got right to the warm-up. I hit Start on the treadmill and sped up to my brisk walking pace. Then I noticed that the zipper on my support top was interfering with my earbud cord that sways, so I fidgeted with that, trying to make it work. I noticed that I STILL hadn’t straightened out the treadmill (it was crooked from lubing it 2 weeks ago!), and it was facing a few degrees to my right, and bugged me. I had been meaning to fix that all week. I unclipped the treadmill key from my shorts, jumped to the sides and off the treadmill, straightening it out. I did this part twice. It’s still not right. I’m like that.

Next, my 5-minute warm-up is over, and it’s time to start the first running interval. I speed up a little and start running. My hand gets tangled in the earbud cords and yanks the iPod (in its case) to the floor! YIKES! I slow down the treadmill and jump off. The iPod was okay. I get back on, “rewind” the podcast to the start of the run and restart the run. The entire session after that I felt sluggish and heavy. I think it was because I usually wait longer after eating, but maybe it was just an off day. I also hadn’t drunk many liquids today. But, I finished it, going up and down a span of .4 mph in my speed for the running intervals. I ended on a high note, at least, speed-wise (I try to increase it a tiny bit at the end, just to see if I could). The time flew, but I felt like I didn’t get the workout I wanted. Maybe it’s all getting too easy? Could it be? I was preoccupied, it seemed. I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.  😛

Next week gets harder. Look for a new page on my blog for Week Three. Have a good weekend everyone!

Shannan