5K-W5-D3, RACE DAY!!!

Today was race day. Today I finished my first virtual 5K(3.1mile) race. I made it! I completed the training and I am amazed at how far I have come in 5 weeks.

The first week's goal was to jog for 1 minute and then walk for 4 minutes(repeat 5 times). JOG FOR 1 MINUTE! That just about killed me. Sad, I know. Each week I would jog for 30 seconds more and walked less. Each week I thought I'd never make it to the next week. But at the beginning of each week I was surprised to see that I could indeed run for the required amount of time. Day 3 was always the toughest, and I was sure that I'd never be able to add 30 seconds for the next week. But I continued to surprise myself and now I can pretty easily jog for a full 3 minutes.

This past week the muscles in my calves and shins were so tight and sore. I was starting to think that I wasn't going to be able to race today. Wednesday I wasn't able to finish the last interval of running because the pain was so bad. Thursday I woke up with a wicked sinus cold. The fates seemed to be aligned against me. But I pushed forward. I wont lie. It was hard work this morning. My muscles in my calves hurt...a lot. But I was determined to do this. And do it I did! I wasn't fast. 41:30. But I did it. And I noticed that after I had jogged for 3 minutes, I still had more left in me and I could jog for even longer. This gives me great courage for when I start training to run the full 5K. I'm taking a week or two off of jogging to let my muscles heal. I'll keep up walking and riding my bike in place of my regular walk/jog in the mornings. Hopefully after a week or two my legs will feel better and I'll be ready to start in on the next level.

The only frustration I have in the whole thing is that over the past 5 weeks, I haven't lost a single pound. Not ONE! It makes me angry to think about it. So I try not to. I just keep focusing on the goal at hand, to run a full 5k, and I now know I can do it!

5K-W5-D1

Another fabulous morning. Today I was able to jog for 3 minutes!! This is really impressive. I can't believe that I have come as far as I have. This Friday is supposed to be race day, but I am feeling hesitant about doing it that day because day 3 of every week is always a killer. So I was thinking that I would do it on the Monday instead. However, I have learned a few tricks that might help me get through the sluggish Friday training, so we'll see what happens. Not much else to report today. I'm feeling good and ready for the week to come.

5K-W4-D2

OUCH! Holy guacamole! I hurt today. I spent the day on Monday doing some fairly heavy duty yard work and moving quite a few good sized rocks around my yard. I sure felt it yesterday and even more today as I slowly made my way around the track. I was very slow today, but I got it done and will be moving on.

5K-W4-D1

I SURVIVED! And not only did I survive, but it was absolutely amazing! What a feeling. I honestly didn't think that I would be able to complete today's training(walk for 2 minutes/jog for 2.5 minutes). Last week it was tough enough to finish 2 minutes of jogging...adding another 30 seconds seemed impossible. But I did it! And I didn't die! AND I look forward to doing it again! If it feels this amazing to accomplish this small feat, I can't wait for race day! It should be an incredible day!

I found a few articles on sparkpeople.com that should help with my achy knees. I was excited to find "11 exercises to decrease knee pain" and "6 stretches every runner should know". I've added these to my stretching and strength training routines. I also read an article about running technique, so today I was conscious about working on these techniques to improve my running experience. For more running info, sparkpeople has so much more here. I look forward to reading more and learning more. I feeling like I can really do this now that I am finding some answers and possible solutions.

5K-W3-D3

I was so going to die this morning. Today's training was to walk for 3 minute and jog for 2 minutes and repeat 6 times. OH. MY. WORD.  I can't tell you how hard that was.....and how incredibly slow I am. I have no idea how I am ever going to be able to accomplish next weeks training. Next week I am supposed to run more than I walk. Hahahaha....really? Oh boy. Monday I will attempt to walk for 2 minutes and jog for 2.5 minutes and repeat 5 times. Even if I do make it through, it will likely be at a snails pace. Better that than not at all I guess. But I would like to get faster...but that is likely to completely do me in at this point. I think I'll take a week or so in between this program and the jogging program to just repeat the last week of this program and work on getting faster. Does that make any sense??? Whatever, I think I know what I am talking about.
In other news, I got some superfeet insoles and I started strength training on Thursday. I really hope this helps prevent my achy knees and shins. I don't want something like that to be the cause of me not being able to reach my goal of running a 5K race this summer.

NOT ONE STINKIN' POUND!!!

Three weeks into the 5K your way training program and I haven't lost a single pound. NOT ONE! Are you kidding me? What the heck am I doing wrong? It is a really good thing that I have another goal in mind besides just losing the weight, because at this point I start to feel like everything I am doing isn't even making a difference so why am I putting myself through it? If I do nothing and stay the same weight or I work my butt off and I still stay the same weight, I might as well be doing nothing. OK, so that isn't the best logic, but it is how I start to feel when the I can't get those numbers to budge. Yes, the other day I posted about my new jeans and the three quarters of an inch that I have lost on my waist and hips, but seriously, why aren't those numbers on the scale moving? I'm sick and tired of this. I just want to see results. Like I said, it is a good thing that I have another goal I am working towards. I won't quit until I have run that 5K on Bonanza Day on July 30th, and hopefully even then I'll want to keep it up, maybe I'll start training for something bigger. If I continue to have something other than losing this weight to work for, maybe I can keep myself going regardless of what the scale says.

5K-W3-D3

Wow! I thought I was going to die this morning with my first jogging steps. First of all it was super hard to get myself out of bed, and then I couldn't stop yawning all the way to the track. My knees and shins are starting to ache. I'm not sure if it is my shoes, my weight, or that maybe I just need to add some strength training on a regular basis. Maybe it's a combination of it all. Since my weight is an issue that is going to take some time, I figure I can easily address the other two. My hubby suggested that before I invest $$ into a new pair of runners when mine are less than a year old, that maybe all I need are some "superfeet" insoles. He swears by them. So, I'll make some time to go to Lethbridge and stop by his work to get fitted up for some. Today I started a strength training program. I've always had a hard time making extra time to do strength training. But now that I am getting up earlier in the morning to go jogging, I figure that I should easily be able to add an extra 15 minutes of strength training in too. We'll see if this makes a difference.