5K-Week something day something....I've totally lost track

Today, was a good day.

Although I haven't been blogging my daily accomplishments. I have still been busy working hard at this 5K training. Last week was a bad week for working out. But this is a new week and although it started off poor, Today was a good day.

This morning I decided was the day to get off the track and take my jogging to the road. So I ran around the perimeter of Milk River, a total of 4.4km. I'm up to running for 5 minutes and walking for one. Today was the first day at these times. At a little past the half way mark there is this long slow incline of a hill. As I approached it I was nearly done my 5 minutes of running, but I decided I was going to just keep going and push myself to the crest. I was slow, but I made it. The entire time I had the Rocky music going in my head and visualizing Rocky running up the steps. Today, I totally had my own Rocky moment. I even celebrated with my hands up in the air.

Today was a good day.

5K-W5-D3

I should really be beginning week 6, but I missed a day last week, so I am finishing out week 5. I've been pretty terrible at keeping up with making my daily entries.
I've been running for 3 minutes and walking for 1 for a few weeks now. I started out with running 5 intervals and increased it to 6 and today I increased it to 7 intervals. Last week I was feeling pretty good as I had previously just been able to complete one lap around the track in 3 minutes but last week I was able to run past the lap mark for 10 seconds before reaching 3 minutes.
Today wasn't as great. I was struggling to make it around in 3 minutes. But it may have something to do with not having a little something before I go running. Both time last week I had a quick bite (half a banana or half of an orange) before heading out but I forgot to do that this morning and I felt so sluggish. So I'll try eating again before heading out on Wednesday and see if that helps.

5K-W4-D1

Today I ran 3 minutes and walked for 1 and repeated that 5 times. I think that on Wednesday I'll try for 6 intervals. It was a beautiful morning with out a breath of wind and the sun shining cheerily. 

Last week I decided to try out the eating plan for the 21 day fix. My friend Jakki ordered me the work out program that comes with some coloured containers that you use to measure out your food. So I figured I'd give it a try, since it's really just about portion control. I've been following it for 4 days, today is day 5 or 21. Here's hoping I finally see some results on the scale again.

5K-W3-D3

I wanted to quit today. During my 5th interval I wanted to be done. But then all these positive thoughts and sayings from the work out videos I've been doing with some other sisters on Tuesday and Thursday nights started popping into my head.  Sayings like "The only person you are cheating on is yourself" or "You wanted to work, so work" or "You are doing great, you are going to feel so good when you are done" and "You can do anything you want", and with all these thoughts going through my brain, I pushed on through the last interval even though I felt exhausted. It was nice to have all those voices from my "personal trainers" in my head cheering me on.

5K-W3-D2

Beautiful morning for a run. Today I was able to pick up my pace. I could complete a lap around the track in 3 minutes. The times before I have always been just a bit shy of a lap. But today I really tried to pick up my pace and sometimes I even continued on a few paces past the lap mark before the 3 minutes was up. Most of the time I felt like I was not going to make it and wanted to just stop, but each lap I made it to the lap marker and beyond. I walked for a minute and a half in between each lap and at first that was just barely enough time to recover, but then as the laps went by it was just a little longer than I needed to recover. Feeling good about it all. Now if only I could start losing weight instead of gaining. I've put on more than 10 pounds since the middle of February and that really sucks because it took FOREVER to lose those 10 pounds.

5K-W3-D1

Went jogging with Kathryn this morning. Her knee was really bothering her. So we decided that she would just jog with me on Monday's so as not to wear out her knee before the Foam Fest race. She doesn't need as much training as I do and I would rather her not have a super sore knee and be in pain for the entire Foam Fest race. So It's just Tansley and I for the other days and really I only expect her to come with me once a week.

5K-W2-D3...Finally

Even with the addition of a run on Thursday morning, I still managed to fall behind. I didn't run on Friday like scheduled because my knees were sore and I didn't want to over do it. So I planned to run on Saturday, but it was so miserably windy that I didn't feel like it. So I didn't. Which means today although I should be starting Week 3, I am finishing week 2. Oh well. It's all good.

I was lazy this morning and didn't get out of bed for a run. So instead the girls and I ran after school. James wanted to come along with us. He was the sweetest thing ever. He ran/walked the first couple of laps around the track. Then he sat on the side lines and cheered me on for awhile. When I passed him he called out "Mommy WINS!!!" It made me smile. It was so fun to have him as a jogging buddy today.

5K-W2-D2

So late last night Jakki texted me to see if I would be interested in jogging with her again this morning. Since I missed Monday I agreed to it. Wow it was a tough morning, but I got it done and was glad for it. Now tonight I'll head on out to work out with the ladies in Coutts at 9 to do a little strength training. Here's hoping I've got enough energy to get it done.

5K-W2-D1

Didn't get out and go jogging on Monday so now we are a day behind, but we'll try to make that up on Saturday. It was a little chilly this morning and we had company. My friend Jakki Harty joined us this morning. She kept me going and pushed me harder. She stayed right by my side and I'm pretty sure she kept me going at a faster pace than I would have if I had been alone. Today I had intended on running for 3 minutes and walking for 1 minute. But after a minute of walking I just wasn't ready to start jogging again, so I walked for 2 minutes instead. It was quite a challenge to run for 3 minutes, if may have been the slightly faster pace than usual because I didn't think it would be so hard. But that being said it was a good jog. My knees are a little sore today, and that sucks.

5K-W1-D3

Almost didn't bother to go for a run this Holiday Friday. But then Kathryn and I decided to just do it. So glad we did. It was beautiful this morning at 8. The sun was shining bright, there was a light dusting of snow on the ground and there wasn't a breath of wind. It was awesome. Today I started out as before running 2min walking 2min. The plan was to run this six times. After the third rep I felt like walking for 2min was too long, so I cut it down to just a minute and a half. Even that felt a little long. That is good. That means that next week when I increase my running time to 3min I'll be prepared. Feeling great. Loving how this is going so far.

5K-W1-D2

It was a beautiful morning that smelled of rain. The wind wasn't blowing and that is always a wonderful thing. Kathryn and Tansley joined me and we headed to the track to do our rounds. Five intervals running for 2 minutes and walking for 2 minutes. All went well and I look forward to Friday and adding an extra interval. So far I'm feeling good about all of this. Hopefully that will continue and hoping beyond all hope that this time in addition to being able to run 5K I will also see the numbers on the scale drop. Today the scale read 256.8lbs.

A new beginning...again 5K-W1-D1

Alright so the last 100 days didn't go so well, at all. But it's time to start new and it's time to start training for the 5K Foam Fest run that Kathryn and Tansley and I have signed up for in June. Today we started following the sparkpeople 5K Your Way Rookie Training Program. For the first week the plan is to walk for 4 minutes and then jog for 1 and do that 4 times for a total of 20 minutes. But this morning I found that to be too easy. So instead I jogged for 2 minutes and walked for 2 or sometimes only 1:30, but still aimed for 20 minutes total. I think I'll stick with that for this week with an increase of one repetition on Friday. I think I'll likely switch over to the 5K Your Way Running Plan in a week or two because I seem to be farther ahead in my abilities that the Rookie plan, thanks to the workouts I've been doing twice a week at the church for the past 6 months or so.

The girls and I were up early this morning and headed to the track for our first go. The morning was calm and warmish. We were treated to watch the sun rise and it was beautiful. If I hadn't been running, I would have taken the time to take a picture.

Day 101 - The beginning of a new day...I mean Challenge

So here it begins. Another 100 days. The first 100 were eventful, and yet not very eventful. I was pretty good at doing cardio 5 times a week, pretty much forgot all about doing push ups about half way through. And cheated a lot more often than I had said that I would allow.

But that was that, and this is now. So here is what I.m going to work at for this 100 days.

1. Continue with cardio 5 days a week.
2. Track my food at least 5 days a week. But aiming for everyday.
3. Get up at 6am at least 3 days a week to go for a walk or bike ride with Kathryrn. This will morph over the weeks as we prepare to run in the 5k Bonanza day race at the end of these 100 days.
4. Keep up on the blogging each day.

I'll keep it at that for now. I think last time I made it too complicated, too many things to keep track of. Tracking my food everyday is going to take some time, and it really is going to be a challenge, I don't think I have ever been successful at keeping at it for more than 3 weeks...if that. So this will take some dedication. But I know it's possible.

So here is today, and the next 100. 

See you tomorrow.

Race Day!!!

Today I ran my first real 5K road race. IT WAS AWESOME! My two oldest girls, Kathryn and Tansley, ran with me. I was running beside another lady right at the end, and it was great to have someone to run against. It made me really pick up my pace and push through to the end. As a result I finished the race 3 minutes faster than I have ever done it. At the finish line there was my handsome hubby and the two younger kiddies. He had a bouquet of flowers and a chocolate bar for me! The whole things was amazing.
Our times were
Kathryn 37:51
Tansley 38:05
Me 38:29

It was a good morning!

35 minutes...seriously, it's true!

Today's training was to run for 35 minutes. I honestly didn't think that was going to be possible. So I told myself that I knew I could jog a full mile(12 min) so I would do that first and if I felt like I could keep going I would. Well I just kept going. When I got out the the half way mark I walked for 30 seconds, to check my watch and to take in the fact that I had just jogged for 19 minutes and 21 seconds. I then resumed jogging and didn't stop until I had completed 35 minutes, a total of 4.42km(2.75miles). That's just short of my 5k goal.

What an accomplishment! I feel amazing. At times I didn't think that I was going to be able to do it, but I stuck to it, worked through the pain, and here I am. I have another two weeks before the race. I have no doubts that by then I'll be able to jog a full 5K. This is seriously amazing stuff!!!

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.

Some Success

OK, so the scale may not be my friend. But there is no denying that I have had some success when I see this.

So, I'll just keep working away, doing what I am doing, and one day when I step on that scale, the numbers will be different.

5K-W3-D1 (and W2-D3)

I honestly didn't think I was going to be able to do the required jogging for today(walk 3min, jog 2min 5 times). I struggled with Day 3 last week(walk 3min, jog 1.5min 6 times). It was hard and I was slow. Today wasn't much different. But I was surprised that it didn't seem any harder than Day 3 last week and by the end of it, I was feeling pretty good. I'm really enjoying doing this. It's a great challenge and I am really looking forward to the rewarding experience of running a full 5K in the summer. I'm going to splurge on some really good shoes so I don't completely destroy my knees. I bought some pretty good shoes last year, but I'm thinking I need to get a little higher end shoe if I am really going to have success at this. So when I head to Spokane later in May, I'll see what I can find.