Changes

I've struggled with a few things lately and finally came to a good conclusion that I feel much better about. I was supposed to race next weekend on the 8th, but I was feeling so stressed about it because I just didn't feel ready physically and I also had something else really important to me scheduled at the same time and I was freaking out trying to figure out how to make both work. I have discovered that my body really does best, now that I'm running more, with at least one, and two is better, days off between runs. This just was not allowing me to be where I want to be, distance building wise by May 8th. So I decided not to do that race. There was another race, Nita's Run on the 21st that I was planning on walking with my friends that I'm going to run instead because I feel like it gives me enough time to be really ready. I think I made the right choice!
x
I went back to the treadmill yesterday because I was worried about a storm coming through and it went pretty well. I ran my 2.25 miles and jumped on the sides for a quick water break, but other than that, felt pretty good, although I definitely prefer running outside. I wish I knew some better places to run nearby. Once I'm running further I think Valley Forge will be good, but for now it is just too much. If anyone knows of good places to run near KOP, let me know!

The other thing going on with my running is I am now registered for the Falmouth Road Race in August! I am still nervous about it, but I think it is worth a try! I guess the worst thing that happens is I have to walk a little bit, which I feel alright about, considering it is a 7 mile race. Just gives me something to keep working towards this summer and I can't wait to take morning runs along the boardwalk!

hot and hilly

I did my second run of week six today and it went alright. Friday's run was better, but I think weather had something to do with it. It was much warmer today and I ran in my neighborhood which has a good almost 1 mile loop, and some decent hills, which is good practice but much harder! I also didn't feel like my Runkeeper app was keeping accurate time of my pace. I'm not sure what makes me say that, except that my pace didn't seem nearly as slow as my app was telling me. I guess I could figure it out myself, but it doesn't really matter. I'm not nearly as worried about how fast I'm going at this point, rather just being able to run without walking.

Today was my last workout with any walking in it, which is exciting and scary at the same time. I felt so good when I did that two miles with no walking, so I'm looking forward to the build that's coming, adding a quarter mile each week. I am behind where I wanted to be by now, and will not have run 3 miles by the time my race roles around, but hopefully some adrenaline will kick in and help me out.

The last think on my mind today is that I had some knee pain for the first time since I started six weeks ago. It didn't really bother me until i was cooling down, so hopefully by my next run on Tuesday, it will feel better. (I did put some frozen corn on it :)

milestone!!!

I did it. Today I ran 2 miles WITHOUT walking. I don't know how it happened. Saturday I couldn't run 3/4 of a mile without walking, and today, 2 MILES! Can you tell I'm so excited. Just today someone asked me how the running is going (Penn Charter, where I teach is filled with runners) and I said how hard it's been and how frustrated I am, and then I come home, suck it up and went running.

I decided that it was time to get back off the treadmill and needed somewhere new to run. I looked up township parks in my area and decided to check one out. The trail is short, just over a quarter mile, but it was pretty, quiet and had just one small hill. So I ran. I have always used runkeeper on my iphone, but I upgraded to the pro version today (free, btw) and found it will talk to me and tell me my time, distance and average pace and current pace. I found this to be extremely helpful because on the treadmill, I am a serious clock watcher. Freeing up my hands helped me to relax and just think about my run. I also found that being able to change my pace throughout the run helped a great deal. On the treadmill, I felt locked in, while outside I could slow down on the hills or when I felt tired, but still be jogging, and then relax and pick up the pace a little on the downhills and flat.

I'm feeling like today really made me feel so much better about being able to do this 5k in a few weeks, and hopefully continue to build throughout the summer so that I can do the Falmouth Road Race (7 miles!) in August :)

My friend Lisa said that effortless runs make the hard ones seem worth it, and I never thought I would have one, but today wasn't effortless, but it sure felt good!

Running is Hard

This is what I decided today, as I huffed and puffed my way through my workout. I wasn't able to do the full workout without walking, but I only walked a little bit, and I was thinking about dropping my race for the 8th and just running another one later in May I already want to do, because I'm not sure I'm going to be ready in time. The more I thought about it, the sillier I thought that was, because while my goal is to run the whole thing without walking... if I don't do it the first time, at least it will be a good start. I just have to do the best I can and keep working hard and sooner or later, I'll be where I want to be; a place where I can run without thinking, without turning bright red, without checking my distance every 20 seconds. I have moments where I can relax my upper body and get in a grove where I can imagine what a really good, long run must feel like. I hope I get there!

effort=strength

After last week and going into week five, I was nervous. Last week was hard. I was tired, sweaty, weary and discouraged. I felt good after each workout, but am not at the point where I look forward to the next one. Going into week five, when things are starting to get pretty serious, I was feeling some anxiety. I turned to my friend, LK, again, seeking advice. Her response was not the one I was looking for. She said, "it is hard, and if it weren't, everyone would do it, and that sometimes perseverance is the reward." I was looking for, "don't worry, it get's easier!" or something, like that, but I guess that would have been too easy. After some thought, and a decent run today, I decided that it will get easier, but when it does, that's when you push a little harder and that's how you make progress.

LK also told me that effort=strength, so the more I'm putting in, the stronger I will become. I like to think that's not just about muscle tone, although I do look forward to my legs catching up with my heart strength, but that this process is strengthening me as a person. Sticking to something and doing it well is pretty standard for me. I don't like to quit and I don't like to lose. Running is one thing that has bested me many times before and I like to hope that each day I get closer to being someone who could go for a run to blow off a rough day, or just to enjoy a beautiful day.

On a more technical note, my run today wasn't easy. I was running .5 miles, walking .25, then alternating back to running for a total of three running blocks and 2 walking. The first half mile went well, the second I needed to walk for .05 in the middle, and same with the last half mile. I have kept up a slow and steady pace and my heart rate is good, so that's good, but I struggle with the idea that at the end of this week I need to run two miles straight. I don't feel ready. I guess time will tell.

It is unusual for me to post three times in a week, but this week was tough. Going into my run today I was thinking that it was going to be difficult, and I was right. Not having a day of rest in between was tough, plus having a late night didn't help I'm sure. That last half mile this week gets me every time. I had to stop and walk for just a little bit during it just to survive, but my distance was further in the same period of time than it was on Thursday, but not quite as far as Saturday. That seems about right, considering how I felt about the runs in general.

I am very nervous about this coming week because it seems hard to believe that by this time next week I will be running 20 minutes straight without walking... We'll see I guess.

I did, also go for a nice walk with a pretty decent uphill climb with some friends today too, which was a much more pleasant way to work some cardio in :)

So, while today was not great, I hope that next week is better.

a better day

Today went better. I was tired and very sweaty and kinda a mess, but I was able to do my week 4 workout without walking when I was "supposed" to be running. I also went a little faster than I did on Thursday, which felt like an accomplishment. Right now, the half mile stretches feel endless, and I can't really imagine running the full 3.1 without keeling over, but I also remind myself that I have to just take this one step at a time. There was a time when the 1 minute of jogging was hard, and now I'm running more than I'm walking! I must say that I look forward to the day (if it ever comes) when I can run the 3 miles without being a red faced, sweaty mess :)

My hardest run yet

So, today was hard. I had a really busy week, coming back to school after my spring break and it became very difficult to fit in my work outs. I finally got to the gym today, for the first time since Friday and I definitely felt the difference. The jump in the running to walking ratio was a significant one this week and one I had been nervous about to begin with, and then adding to it five days off, I'm actually surprised it went as well as it did.

I had a good first half, and was able to run the first half mile chunk without too much trouble. It was the last one that really got to me. I even had to stop and walk for .05 miles and then start up again. I was able to finish and feel like overall, I had a run I could be proud of, but I hope that it goes even better tomorrow! Maybe I'll post again before I start the next week...