A GOOD Run

Sometimes when I start to blog about my running, I ask myself, "Does anyone read this?" Not that it matters, since I'm writing this blog as a collection of thoughts for me. I am introspective and like to go back and re-read entries to see how far I've come. I learn a lot about myself through the words that I type, but it just crossed my mind and made me wonder.

Anywho-- yesterday was Day 1 Week 2 of Couch to 5K. The description of W2D1 is: Brisk 5-minute warmup walk. Alternate 1.5 minutes of jogging with 2 minutes of walking for a total of 21 minutes. 5-minute cool-down. Workout time 31 minutes.

I wasn't sure how this would go since it's an additional 30 seconds of running on top of the minute that I was struggling with last week. However, it was the allure of the two-minutes of walking that drew me in. :-)

The 5K Crew met at 8pm and Stacey joined us as well. I think I was the only one that ran on Friday, but no one else is really following the C25K app, except for Lesley, so she and Jo and Stacey set off to do W1D3, and Ann and I did W2D1. We all finished at roughly the same time.

I don't know what it was about last night, but I felt really good while running. I felt hot, sweaty, and a little tired at the end, but I didn't have pain with every step. My muscles weren't hurting as I ran, and I didn't have an inner voice telling me to stop.

According to my app, I ran 1.70 miles total. 1.16 was walking and 0.54 was running. My average pace for walking was 19:15 and my average pace for running was 16:42.

I think it also helped that this weekend I went through my music and made a running playlist to listen to. I was eager to hear which song would be next, and I think it helped push me.

I wore my Polar (finally got batteries) and it said I was in the zone 45 minutes (which is awesome) and I burned 600+ calories over the course of putting my watch on and taking it off. Not too shabby!

I'm so glad I spent the money on my Polar. I love that it keeps me safe (by telling me if my heart rate is too high) and it accurately calculates the number of calories I've burned. :-)

When I had finished my run, my body was on fire from being really hot, but I felt really GOOD. I felt accomplished, and happy, and really glad that I had successfully completed W2D1. I think I may double W2, we'll see. Week 3 involves running 1.5 minutes, walking 1.5 minutes and then running 3 minutes and walking 3 minutes. We'll see how I'm feeling on Friday.

I got home around 9pm last night (we finished our cool-down and still had 1/2 a lap to complete). I got in the shower and stretched and then I crashed into bed. I don't think I woke at all last night. 

When I woke up this morning, I wasn't as sore as I had anticipated (which is a great thing) and I feel good. Overall, I say that yesterday was a great run and I've learned from doing this before, you've got to really enjoy the great days when they happen, because the bad runs are a bitch.

 

Back on the Horse

There are a couple of things that happened today before/during my run. I'd like to share.


1) I woke up numerous times last night (I was literally tossing and turning) because I was trying to decide if I was actually going to get up and run or not. When I had decided that I would, indeed run, I then had to think of my route.


2) When 5:20 arrived, I was in a DEEP sleep cycle and did NOT want to wake up. This is what kept going though my head (seriously):

So I got myself up and stretched and then headed out the door. The minute I stepped outside, I felt a raindrop. I had just mustered up motivation to run (it's been over a week since my last run), so I wasn't about to go back inside. However... I had no idea that I was about to embark on a run that would be 90% in the rain.


3) I learned that I DO enjoy running in the rain. It's actually kinda nice to have the rain to cool me off while I'm sweating and hot. What I DON'T like is running in the rain for the majority of my run, and then having it stop raining and become REALLY humid and hot for the last portion of my run.


4) I chose a new route today. I didn't think it through and I never even drove it to see if it'd be do-able. I just decided to go for it. Which, normally would be great. Today, was just stupid on my part.


5) I also started (unbeknown to myself) the DREADED week four of C25K. This takes you from running three minutes, to running FIVE minutes. It felt like I was running longer than usual, but I didn't intend on doing this week yet. I wanted to do another round of week three.


6) I RAN FIVE MINUTES. I didn't stop. 

7) My new route took me out to Sargent and then it was flat for about a second and then it went downhill. It took me five minutes of running and I was still running downhill (yes, it's a MONSTER hill). So I was doing great and feeling pumped... until I had to start running uphill. The uphill part wasn't too bad on Sargent. I tuned into my sub's other entrance, and it was flat for a bit so it was good.


8) Then it stopped raining. 


9) It was ALL uphill from that point to my house.


10) I was not prepared for such an incline and so much uphill running. I'm still very out of shape and carrying a LOT of extra weight... it was really hard. I had to stop because my heart monitor watch started beeping at me (it alarms me when my heart-rate is too high). I don't want to stroke-out or have a heart-attack, so I stopped running and walked.


Now, let's be real. My walking was really no slower/faster than my running at this point. LOL. But I was able to bring my heart rate back down to a normal range.


I stopped my run at 1.35 miles and didn't finish the 5 minute cool-down. I was out of space and didn't want to go a little only to turn around.


11) I realized how much I really enjoy the Greenway for running. Running through my neighborhood will have to do until the fall when it's cooler, but once we're back in cooler temps, I fully intend on going back to running around 8/9 am at the Greenway with Gus.


Before I cut my run off short-- I was averaging a 17.45 minute mile. My fastest yet!! I believe in the running world, this is called a PB. :-)

So now I'm done and just finished eating a whole wheat bagel and some strawberries. I'm ready to get in the shower and then Gus and I have morning plans at a sunflower farm!! My parents should be here in about 10 hours or so and I'm glad my morning run is over. It's going to be a high of 103 here today!!!

A New View

This morning, Christy and I met up at the Greenway at 9am to run. We decided to see what the path looked like if we went to the right at the end of the entrance instead of our usual of going left. 

It was a different route, and I liked seeing new scenery. I was tired from a lack of a good night's rest and it showed with my energy this morning. I mustered through the run, but it was rough. I need another "GOOD" day so I feel re-energized. 

To make things worse, 1/2 way through my run, my heart monitor stopped working (not sure what happened). So when we were in the cool down phase, I looked to see my heart rate and it said I didn't have one. Apparently, I died on the run. I knew I felt like I was dying, but I guess I literally did die.

I have no clue how many calories I burned. I guessed in the 600 range, but I'm guessing it might have been more. Who knows.

Since we're not leaving for MI until Saturday, I will be able to run again on Friday and then I'll be on my own while on vacation. I will be going out with my dad and maybe my mom will walk with me on Tuesday and Thursday. 

I anticipate vacation being hard to stick to my calories and monitor what I'm doing, but I'm determined. I've lost almost eight pounds... and I am not going to gain it all back from being lazy on vacation. There's no rest for the weary!!!