W5D3: Windy

While in TX, D did not let me skip out on my run, so we went to a lake by her apt complex.  It was gorgeous!  I could see the lake the whole time on the trail, and the wind was awesome and kept me from overheating too quickly.

The first 5 minutes were really challenging, since I haven't done anything (not even KB or gym classes) all week, but it didn't take long for me to get in the groove...so to speak.

Of course, we finished our outing to the lake with Bona Karma pizza, which was fantastic!!!!  :)

W5D2: Harder

maybe i need to return to a more frequent run schedule.  my legs have felt weak the last 2-3 runs, and i think that putting 3+ days in-between sessions isn't ideal.  i felt great when running every other day, and in some cases two days in a row.  plus, i'm not getting as much pleasure out of it afterwards.  i wonder if i'm doing something wrong.

either way, my vacation starts in 48 hours.  woohoo!  gotta move up to week 6 while i'm in texas.  that ought to be fun...

W5D1: Mistaken

For the last 2 days, I thought that Week 5 included an 8-minute run.  When I set up the track for the iPod, I realized I was mistaken, and I only had to alternate 5 minutes of jogging and 3 minutes of walking.  Oh, the relief!  I wasn't even worried that I couldn't do it.

W4D3: Intimidated

Today, I decided to do my Week 4 Day 3 run at Shelley Lake.  It was just under 70 degrees outside, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.  It was cool in the shade, semi-warm in the sun, and a slight breeze kept the somewhat pollinated air moving.

The jogging part was not bad, but there are way more hills and inclines on the Shelley Lake trail than there are in my neighborhood, so I could feel myself tiring more quickly today.  There was a time--at the end of the first 5-min interval--where I seriously considered slowing to a walk.  My legs were tired, and I was having trouble keeping my breathing steady.  I felt myself slow, then I told myself not to quit.  I picked up the pace again, got 3 steps farther, and the cue to start walking sounded.  R-e-l-i-e-f!!!  It was as though my whole body sagged, but I kept walking, and after about 30 seconds, I felt my energy and stamina return.

I have never walked/run the trail at Shelley Lake, so I had no idea what to expect.  I looked it up online before I left work and found out that the paved trail is a little over 2 miles.  Unfortunately, there are options to the trail to make it longer/shorter as you prefer, but I have no idea the difference in distance when the short route is taken.  I took the short route today.  I'm not sure exactly where the mile markers are measured, but my session ended just after I passed the 1.75 marker.  I walked the last quarter of a mile to my car.  It took me about 35 minutes to walk/jog the entire length of the lake, and I stopped for a few minutes to stretch my calves on my way back to the car.

I was a little intimidated at first by the distance around the lake, but I made it!  Lots of people were on the trail, and lots of people passed me.  On the other hand, I passed a few people, too.  (Nevermind their age or pace...)

I think I will start Week 5 the day after tomorrow, but I will do it in my neighborhood.  Two days after that, I will venture back out to Shelley Lake and see how it goes.  There's an 8-minute run interval in the Week 5 curriculum, and I'm hoping that my body adjusts to that as it has adjusted to all the previous increased intervals.

I wonder how you're supposed to increase your speed once your body has become accustomed to the impact of running...

W4D2: Break

It took me 5 days to get to the W4D2 run.  I was really worried that waiting that long would set me back, but as it turned out, the break was a very good idea.  The first 3-min segment was a bit difficult because I was panting almost as soon as I took off.  However, I forced a paced breathing, and by the time I got to the first 5-min segment, I felt fine.  Daniel drove the path that I ran yesterday, and it ended up being approximately 1.7 miles.  Not bad considering I started at 1.3 miles during Week 1.  It won't be long before I can jog a full 30 minutes without stopping or walking.  heehee!!!

W4D1: Dread

After I got home from work today, I looked up the "curriculum" for Week 4.  I considered doing another Week 3 session, but thought that since W3D3 was somewhat easy that I should challenge myself and step it up.  So, I set up my Week 4 template and W4D1 podcast and set out.

As I expected, the 3-minute jog was a comfortable warm-up, and the 90-second walk that followed was a refreshing rest.  A bit of apprehension lingered with the cue to start the 5-minute jog sounded, but I began and tried not to think about it.  I focused on breathing steadily, ignored the fatigue in my legs, and listened to my book.  I noticed that I was covering more ground in the neighborhood and decided that I am going to have to invest in some kind of device to track the distance.  I'm getting to where I need to track both time and distance.  When the 5 minutes were over, I was glad to have the 2.5 minutes to walk and cool down a bit.  The next 3-minute jog still wasn't bad, and there was another 90-second walking interval before the final 5-minute jog.  At the end of that my legs felt like they had lead in them, but I did it!  I jogged for 5 continuous minutes...twice!  Yea, me!

W3D3: Breezy

So I'm a little late getting this blog out.  I did the W3D3 run last Friday evening (4/9), and (again) to my amazement, jogging the 3-minute interval was not as difficult as I had once thought.  Now that jogging a 90 second interval sounds easy and doesn't inflict lots of dread, I don't mind doing it.

W3D2: Short

just did it.  it was kinda hard.  i slowed down (shorter strides) at the second 3-min interval.  that's all.

the end.

W3D1: Pleased

It's Easter Sunday, and after sleeping in and having a small breakfast, I went for my Couch-to-5K run.  I started Week 3 today, and to my surprise (again), I did OK.  The interval this time is run 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds, run 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes.  Do that for 2 repetitions.  I made my iPod listening track and was out the door.  The first part was easy enough, but I had my doubts when the 3-minute run started.  To my satisfaction and pride, the 3 minutes were up without much pain or fatigue.  It was warm, as the temp has been around 80 all day and I chose high noon for my run, but all in all, it went well.  When I got home and stopped to drink some water, I realized how hot, sweaty, and tired I was, but still very pleased.  Hope the rest of the week is easy enough.