Thursday, April 14, 2016

Friends with Running



So, running and I are friends again at the moment. I had a chance to do over Monday's terrible run and I think I did pretty well.
Source


I think my biggest mistake in Monday's run was going too hard too soon. So, I put the incline at only .5 (the very first level after "flat") and slowed from 5.6 to 5.4.

I always divide runs into 5 minute intervals. I just think "I only have to get through 5 minutes". Somehow that makes it easier.


I made it through the first run and then walked for 3 minutes.

The second run was hard, but I did it. I told myself first "I just have to get through 5 minutes", then "I just have to make it halfway", then once I hit 15 minutes, I knew it was too late to stop and I was going to make it.

And let me tell you the feeling of making it was so great.

I was so sweaty my arms were dripping everywhere. So for the first time ever, before I cleaned off the treadmill, I wiped my arms with paper towels. #gross

Do you know why this picture is blurry? Because my phone was covered in sweat.
Here I am after the workout. Somehow I managed to clean myself up and librarian successfully the rest of the day after looking like this.


Friday the scheduled workout is *almost* the same- 2 20 minute runs- except the walking interval is 2 minutes instead of 3.

I took Friday off to finish our taxes, because I love the stress of doing things at the last minute. So after I drop off the kids at school, I'm going to go run at the lake. I'm looking forward to a run outside. I know I'm stuck on the treadmill for the lunchtime runs until October sometime when it cools down again, but the mornings are cool, so I'm going to take advantage of it.

So Tuesday was our weigh in with Weightwatchers. The week before, I weighed in at 151, so I was super excited to hopefully get back into the 140s again this week. Well, I weighed in at 152.2. Because I'm a big baby, I left right away and planned to sob at my desk.



Luckily, I pulled myself together and instead went for a 2 mile walk. I didn't bring any workout clothes or shoes with me, so it was interesting. But I'm glad I did it. I felt better.

I had my Weightwatchers settings set to swap activity points. But I'm earning 9 or 10 activity points a day. I definitely wasn't using them all, but I think I was using some. So I decided to change the settings so it doesn't swap activity points. If I have an extra long run or something I'll just use some of the weekly points. So far so good.

Source


By the way on my home scale this morning I was 149. So take that, Weightwatchers scale.

I'm going to a conference next week so I'll miss the weigh in, so when I next weigh in it will be 2 weeks. Surely I'll see some significant weight loss during that time (if I can manage to behave during the conference...)

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Touché, running. Touché.

I was feeling so great about running last week. But I think putting that in writing was a bit of a mistake.
I did go to the gym on Saturday and do my last workout of the 5K Runner program on the treadmill- it was 5 minute warm up and cool down and a 35 minute run. I felt super accomplished and like I could do anything. In fact, here's my post workout shot:
  
This is my accomplished face.
Well all day Sunday I got excited about my next run. I decided to go on with the 10K runner program and couldn't wait for the next workout. I walked 5 miles on Sunday for cardio but I considered it a rest from running.

So Monday I had some things going on. I was distracted. I looked forward to my run because I thought it would surely help me with some of the stress.

The scheduled run was 5 minutes warm up and cool down, and run 20-walk3-run 20.

I set the treadmill to hills to mimic the outdoors and because I was way too overconfident. At about 15 minutes I changed the setting to flat. I made it through the first 20 minutes (barely) and started walking. I knew I could physically run 20 more minutes. But when I started, I just had problems.

During the last 20 minute interval I started running but after a few minutes had to walk. I thought about quitting. I thought about just walking the rest of my scheduled time. But I ended up running 5 minutes, walking 3 and then running a little over 5 minutes to finish it off.

I was disappointed. I think though that this was 100% mental. I let myself feel daunted by the idea of 20 more whole minutes of running. I felt discouraged. I felt worried about my problems. And I just didn't feel good about it.

I ended up going 4.3 miles in 53:05. I had estimated (when I was still going strong) that I would end up at about 4.5 miles so I guess that's not too bad.

I contemplated repeating this run, but the next scheduled run is exactly the same thing (run 20-walk 3-run 20), so that will give me a chance to do it over. And then the third run of the week is the same except the walk break goes from 3 minutes to 2 minutes.


So I'll keep going. I'm already starting to get excited about running again. I'm actually forcing myself to NOT run (or even walk too much) today just because I think my body needs a break. It's going to really freak me out not to hit my 10,000 steps...

Also, on Monday I started 21 Day Fix Extreme in the mornings. I had tried this once before but thought it was too hard. But after many rounds of 21 Day Fix, I figured I was finally ready (and to be honest on Monday I would rather do anything than those effing Surrenders). So far so good- 2 workouts down.

My coworker just reminded me that any run where I don't fall on my face is a good run, so there's that...


Friday, April 8, 2016

Running and me- a surprise result

Something totally crazy and unexpected has happened to me. Running has started to go well.

Throughout the past several months I've been following a program designed to help me work up to running 5K with no breaks. Appropriately enough, it's called 5K Runner. I've had to rewind and repeat several weeks along the way, so it's taken me way more than 8 weeks.

It also tells you the mileage you ran and gives you little encouraging statements..

During the "training" (and I use that term loosely) for the last half marathon, I did these workouts during the week and did a "long run" (again, using that term loosely) on the weekends. Well, after the race, I was able to focus solely on these workouts and my training has really taken off.



Before the race, I was up to running 10 minutes without stopped. After the race I ran 15, then 20. I skipped a few workouts because I felt really confident and yesterday ran for 30 minutes. 30 minutes without walking you guys! The last time I did that was before I was pregnant with my second child (so like, 6 years ago!)

Me the last time I ran over 30 minutes without stopping (2009).


I've been on such a high from the last race that for a while I even considered training for the full marathon in December. I don't have to make a decision until June, but I think I've pretty much decided against it. I think what I really want to do is work on a strong half marathon.



The same company that puts out 5K Runner also has a 10K runner program and a Half marathon (21K) program as well. I've downloaded those and am going to follow them.

I have one more workout and I'm done with 5K runner. It's a 35 minute run (with walking warm up and cool down). The plan is to do it tomorrow morning.

Then I'll run 5Ks for a few weeks and then start 10K runner.

I'm confident that by December 11 (The Dallas Half Marathon), I'll be running a strong half marathon. My time goal is 2:30:00.

Oh and on the subject of things going well, I've joined Weight Watchers at work. Several of my coworkers joined last semester and a new 17 week session started on March 22. Our work pays for half of the entire cost, and then the rest comes out of the paycheck a little bit at a time. So I figured I would try it. And you know what, I really like it.

At Christmas on my home scale, I weighed 165. At the Weight Watchers weigh in on March 22 (on a different scale) I weighed 155.6. Last weigh in on Tuesday I weighed 151.0 (and at home I was 149). (That's the 140s y'all!)

So for now I've found something that works. For cross training I've started another round of 21 Day Fix in the mornings. I'm going to try to work up to doing 21 Day Fix Extreme. It's always seemed too hard for me, but since things are going well at the moment, this is probably the best time to try it.

I'm actually really looking forward to tomorrow's 35 minute run. I can't wait to say I completed it. Stay tuned!
I'm still going to tell everyone.