C25K W9D1 Complete

I can hardly believe I've made it  all the way to Week 9! This morning's run went pretty well, pretty flat course and overcast skies helped. Ran a little extra to hit 2 miles for the first time since Run for the Oaks!

C25K Week 8 Complete!

Had a really good run/walk on the American Tobacco Trail this morning! The skies were overcast, which really helped, especially since I got a late start. This is my longest distance outdoors since running the Run for the Oaks 5K at the end of Week 1. Glad to crack 21:00 avg. min/mile again with this run, as my pace had slowed lately. Just a really nice run.

Couch-to-5K W8D2 Finished!

I did C25K W8D2 after work this evening, 28 minutes of running plus 5 minutes of warmup walking and another 5 minutes of cooldown walking. I ran conservatively, since I woke up with some lower back pain the day after W8D1. The back did okay during the run, and I took an Empson salt bath when I got home. I enjoyed the American Tobacco Trail at dusk, lovely weather and enough company to feel safe. Ready to finish Week 8 up this weekend!

C25K W8D1 Finished

I finished C25K W8D1 on the treadmill this morning. I missed running outside, but it was cold, and I was a wimp. It was nice to be able to go a little faster, and I ended up hitting the 2 mile mark for the first time in this C25K. Whew! Now I'm tired, though, and I can tell the tiredness is going to linger today.

C25K Week 7 is Done!

I did C25K W7D3 this morning, after a fitfull night's sleep, a sore throat, and that pesky plantar fasciitis bothering me even more. I was tempted to quit, but decided to keep going, however slowly, and let the chips fall where they may. It was just a bad run, my slowest C25K run yet. Ah, well. Bad runs make us appreciate the good ones even more right?

I'm tempted to return to the gym machines because of the plantar fasciitis, but I really want to finish the C25K. Just six more runs. One run at a time.

80 Days is Too Long

Back on April 2, I mentioned starting an 80-Day Challenge for myself, but I've discovered that my own challenge was too long and broad, especially in the context of my current life, which has been so busy! So, I've decided to reset my challenge, as well as my weight loss goals, and shoot for 2.5 pounds AT A TIME! 2.5 pounds at a time is a little bit of a stretch (especially since I've been losing and regaining the same 2.5 pounds for a few weeks now!), but a doable goal. I won't feel progress immediately, but I should start seeing progress on the scales soon. Having short-term goals will help me tackle the proverbial elephant, one bite at a time.


Image from http://flog.cookingforceliacscolitiscrohnsandibs.com/scd-facts/how-to-eat-an-elephant/

C25K W7D2 In the Books!

Had a good run this morning, especially once I warmed up. (Plantar fasciitis in the left foot is still bothering me.) New-to-me course this morning, mostly on the golf cart paths of the Brier Creek Golf Course, quite nice! Overcast skies also helped make this my fastest pace outdoors for this C25K.

C25K W7D1 Finished

Ran/walked in Brier Creek today, but turned the opposite direction from my usual route. Today's run/walk interval was the same as Saturday's, but a little bit faster today. Nice to see some progress, even though this morning's route had less hills.

I can tell the heat and humidity are on the rise around here. Wish we could bottle last week's weather!!

C25K W6D3 Complete

Completed W6D3 today, a beautiful morning to run outside! This is the farthest I run outdoors during this C25K, but the slowest pace too. According to my BuckeyeOutdoors stats, it was the most ascent (966.7 ft) and descent (1020.3 ft) too. Lots of action for such a short run/walk. The 25-minute run interval was okay, especially considering I wasn't going very fast! The plantar fasciitis in my left foot is bothering me a bit, but not the toe pain from previous years. I did have a reflexology session last night, which I hoped would help with today's run.

I ran at Shelley Lake today, an old, familiar course, but first time doing it for the C25K. I parked at the Sertoma Art Center, since the lower parking lot was full. So my warm-up walk was downhill, and my cooldown walk was uphill. :->

C25K W6D2 Complete

C25K W6D2 by dukefan86 at Garmin Connect - Details

The link above has my numbers for this run. I almost ran on the treadmill, even drove myself to the gym! But them I decided to TRY running outside again, even though it was pretty windy. I ended up running at a slightly faster pace tonight than I did on Monday, even with more wind and more elevation. I'm pretty happy about that! Still a long way to go, though.

C25K W6D1 Complete

I decided to run outside again this morning, so I headed over to the Brier Creek area. It was such a beautiful morning to run outdoors! Today's run/walk intervals didn't seem so intimidating after the shock of Weeks 4 and 5! I still ran rather slowly, though, finishing 1.6 miles in 34:11 (21:24 average pace). Glad it's done, a nice way to start the workweek.

Couch-to-5K Week 5 Complete!

American Tobacco Trail, Durham, NC

This morning I decided to run outside instead of heading to the treadmill in the gym, since the weather was gorgeous and pretty cool! Where to run? I charged up my Garmin Forerunner and headed to my favorite running trail, the American Tobacco Trail in Durham. It was a gorgeous morning for being outside!

Although I take walk breaks outdoors at work with some frequency, this was my first run outside in ages, and definitely my first run outdoors since starting the Couch-to-5K program. I tend to push the pace on the treadmill a bit, plus it's easier for me to maintain a consistent pace on the treadmill. And of course, the gym's air conditioning helps! :-)

So, I was a little concerned about my slower pace, plus today's C25K plan was to warm up for 5 minutes, then run for 20 minutes straight, then cool down down for 5. I decided to go for it anyway, and let the chips fall where they may. 5K races are held outdoors, after all. Time to head for the trails!

I completed my run/walk, 1.55 miles, in 32:18 minutes, a paltry 20:50 pace, but I did run (okay, jog very slowly) the whole 20 minutes. I was concerned about running out of steam, but it ended up fine. Except that I'm a little embarrassed about my pace. But now I have a new benchmark to beat in time. I have to remember that I'm in training! Speed is not the issue now. At least, speed shouldn't be the issue. *sigh*

C25K Week 5, Day 2 Complete

I did the C25K W5D2 run/walk last night, a little slower than normal (even for me), but I'm glad I got it out of the way. The run/walk intervals were 8:00/5:00, and the 8 minute run intervals intimidated me before I even started. Last night's run was mental training as much as running training. It was a minor victory to complete it.

I continued my new habit of doing some weight training after the run, a benefit of running at the gym. Each time I've done weight training lately, I've made a point of trying one new machine or exercise with the dumbbells. It's helping keep things fresh with that part of my workout, especially after running on the less-than-exciting treadmill. I also like watching what the other people in the weights area are doing.

I miss doing other cardio, but I can tell that, for now, my legs appreciate the rest days. A lot.

C25K W5D1 Complete

I decided to go to the gym last night and take care of the C25K W5D1 run/walk, and I'm glad I did. The run/walk intervals were 5:00/3:00, longer intervals for running than I've done in ages! I took it a little easier and didn't push the pace too much, which I'm glad I did. I have some left in the tank again to do some much needed weight training. I'm still a novice at the strength training, but I'm having a good time trying different machines, in addition to the dumbbells.

80-Day Challenge!

I just decided to start an 80-Day Challenge! Why 80 days? Because I leave for the ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim in 81 days. I've updated my weight loss trackers (I have several going, since I like how the data shows up on different sites, though FitDay remains my most consistent one), bought some more vegetables, and have pulled out a couple of cookbooks to get started with.

I do have a weight loss goal in mind, but am keeping the final end-of-challenge number to myself for now. You can track my progress in the widget on the right, though. :-) Other goals? More water, more exercise without getting injured, finishing the C25K program, completing another 5K. Rewards? Some new clothes and shoes for the conference, for sure. I need to build in some along-the-way goals soon!

C25K Week 4 Complete!

I completed the C25K W4D3 workout on the treadmill yesterday, and had my best pace and longest distance yet, 1.76 mi. in 32:05 minutes. So I stayed on at the gym and did some dumbbells and weight machines. I've been pretty tired today, which I guess is recovery from yesterday. I'd hoped to do a light workout today, but decided to skip it.

Week 5 of this C25K program looks to be pretty challenging! Look out!