Days 14, 15, & 16

I am in Indiana and happy to say I (and Ellie) are staying on track. I did my ST on Monday morning before my flight with no problem. On Tuesday Ellie and I planned to do our runs, but her luggage didn't make it to Indy with her and she didn't fancy running in jeans.  Once her luggage finally arrived, I showed her my strength training regime using some old weights found in my parent's basement and a resistance band I brought with me. 

This morning we headed out for our runs in good old Mulberry. There is a park behind my parent's house that has good shade so we headed there. After a warm up on the paved path, I decided to take a jog on a small gravel path. As I was finishing out my time on the path, I stepped on a big rock and rolled my ankle. Thankfully, I didn't fall and so I just kept going. I have often rolled my ankle in the past and I usually fall. So not falling today shows me that my exercising and strength training is strengthening my weak ankle. Good news. 

Then, while running by a house, an unleashed pit bull started chasing me! I was moving as best I could but that damn dog was on my heels!  I started to really panic and embrace myself for a bite when it used its nose to nudge my butt. As if it was saying, "And stay out!"  Needless to say, I didn't run by that house again. After my run I learned that the dog did the same to Ellie. She tried to warn me before I passed the house, but I didn't see her. Thankfully neither of us were actually bit...on the butt. 

Aside from those two set backs, I felt really good about my run today. My running intervals were two 1.5 minute runs and two 2.5 minute runs; with the walks my total workout was 26 minutes.  I'm happy to report that I handled all intervals well. The distraction of the dog got me through my first 2.5 minute interval. Plus, I noticed that I didn't have nearly as hard a time breathing as I normally do for my runs. Thanks to being back at a normal altitude! My training in Denver will help my Boston 5k seem easier than my training!

Day 13

Today's 5k training happened at Red Rocks! I used the amphitheater benches to zig zag my way to the bottom. I felt pretty good about my 6- 1.5 min jogs. I had my new playlist ready and it helped to keep me going. Plus, I was inspired by everyone else working out too. I'm happy with my workout, though I do seem to have slowed down a bit in that higher altitude. But that's not important. What's important is that I completed another day of training!

My awesome route, zigging back and forth at the amphitheater. 

My very red face post workout. And this is a good five minutes after sitting in the shade!

Days 11 & 12

Figuring out the best time to eat around a workout can be tricky.  I never want to eat too much and I don't want to eat too close to my workout time (fear of puking?), and since I have been doing most of my runs in the afternoon, I have been able to eat some cereal and then go work out.  One day it didn't feel like enough so I had a Cliff bar as well and then I was stuffed and I had to delay my run until I could digest.  Yesterday was a full body strength day and after my first few exercises, my stomach just started growling like crazy!  I had to stop my working, eat, digest, and then eventually finish my workout.  I honestly think my 45 minute workout took me 3 hours.  Thankfully that happened on a ST day where it is easy to stop between muscle groups.  I will need to continue to be mindful for my run days and come up with a solid plan before race day.

Today I have decided to rest.  I like that while I have put together a (very colorful) workout plan, I don't feel guilty for moving my 'rest' day around each week.  My 'plan' has me resting on Mondays, but last week I chose to rest on Sunday and this week on Saturday.  It helps me to know that I can have a life beyond my routine by just moving some days around.  I am a little anxious about the run tomorrow because my minutes running is being upped.  So I will take the time today to plan for it tomorrow and put together a really kickass playlist that will keep me pumped throughout the run.

Monday evening, I am flying to Indianapolis to hang with my family and friends and I plan to continue my routine while I am there.  I will be doing my ST Monday morning in Denver as usual, and then I will alternate my runs and ST days.  Because I can't travel with my hand weights, I will be bringing a resistance band for a modified ST exercise.  I am confident I can continue my training while on the road, especially since Ellie is going home as well.  We have been training miles apart for a few weeks so it will be cool to train together for a week!  (Hear that, Ellie?  No excuses!)

I will update again tomorrow after my run!

Day 10

Today was another 5k training day and since it is in the 70's today (and not 95 like it was yesterday) I opted to go the whole distance of a 5k.

I also got to try out my new water bottle pack!  Here are some pictures below:

I really liked having my water so easily accessible and I liked not having my backpack on which is what I had been using to hold a water bottle.  I will need to get used to the extra weight in one hand and may need to switch hands for each run so I don't accidentally pump up one arm and not the other.  The only other thing I will need to fix is that I need to put some sort of cloth between my hand and the plastic water bottle.  My palms were quite sweaty and that made it uncomfortable.  I really like that I can keep my iPhone and keys in the pouch.  It is easier for me to access the iPhone during my run than with my arm band I have been using.  I'll give it 4 out of 5 stars!

Today's workout was a repeat of Tuesday's workout with 4 - 1.5 min running intervals and 2 - 1 minute intervals (alternated with walking intervals).  I made it to the first mile marker in 16:10 minutes, which is a good minute less than last week!  Then I finished the whole 5k in about 56 minutes.  Which, I believe is up to par with last week.  Meaning when I stopped jogging, my walking began to slow as I tired.

While I am happy that I am able to run the full 8 minutes it is asking me to do right now, I can't say I am enjoying that jogging part.  I feel like I need to adjust my mindset so I can be more mentally behind my jogging.  Any suggestions on how to stay positive during my jogging so I will want to keep going?  My only incentive at the moment is that if I jog, my workout can be over quicker...and I don't think that has quite the positive spin I need to keep me motivated.

Day 9

Joe and I have been talking about playing tennis for a while now. Neither of us has picked up a racket in probably 10 years so we knew we would get a pretty good workout from chasing balls around. We stopped by Sports Authority and picked up some inexpensive rackets and balls and hit the courts in Congress Park. 

It was so much fun. It brought back many good memories for me from my high school years where I took tennis lessons for a number of summers. I quickly remembered how to hold the racket properly and my serve came back to me. (It wasn't that good back then either.)  If it weren't for the heat, we could have hit the ball around for a while, but alas we only got 45 minutes in before we ran out of water and the heat won. We look forward to many more tennis sessions, especially as the summer nears an end and fall comes back. 

Once home, I took a little nap and then completed my full body strength for the day. I'm feeling pretty good! Oh, and while at the sporting goods store, I picked up an awesome water bottle for my 5k training. I'll show a picture tomorrow. Off to make dinner now!

Day 8

Today's 5k training (W2 D1) went pretty well. It was my first time running for 1.5 minutes straight four times and ending in two 1 minute run intervals. I think I did alright for the first four intervals and then I started to lose momentum. But I stuck it out and ran all that I needed too. I am glad Thursday's workout is the same as today's. It will help me before I need to move on. 

My training today took me to the community pool where I met up with Joe. I had lunch packed for us and the swim in the pool that followed was heavenly. Much needed on this 95 degree day. I would say I didn't enjoy the workout of trying to put my swimsuit on my sweaty, exhausted body...but I conquered that as well. 

 The sun is starting to fade in this picture, but trust me, it was brutal a few hours ago!

Days 5, 6, & 7

Moving right along!  Week one is complete.  On Saturday I completed my Week 1 Day 3 5k training.  I was able to run all 8 - 1 minute intervals.  It was tough near the end, but made it through.  I was thinking of repeating week 1 this coming week, but I think I will move forward to week 2.  The first day still has me running for a total of 8 minutes, just spaced out differently.  So I am going to give it a shot.  If I feel like I am not ready, then I will go back to week 1 training the next day.

Yesterday I took a day of rest and quite enjoyed it.  This afternoon is was back to work and my full body strength.  I am feeling pretty good one week in and I am looking forward to keeping the momentum going into next week.  I try focus on one day at a time so I don't feel overwhelmed with how much training is left.

Well, I know this isn't a very exciting post, but I wanted to keep you updated on my progress!  Helps me to stay accountable.

Day 4

I got my strength training done today. Here is a picture of my sticker chart to prove it. :0)

I'm going to try to get up early tomorrow for my 5k training because it is supposed to get to 90 degrees. Something that I would have used as an excuse in the past. See how well I know myself?

We had some great motivational texts today between Ellie, Julia and myself. Ellie texted us that she was going to train today which helped her stick with it because our knowledge held her accountable. In turn, I said I would stop putting my ST off and get it done and Julia decided not to take Friday night off like usual and get outside for her training. Win win win. We are moving right along!

Day 3

This morning I mapped out a 5k route from my apartment and decided to try it out.  Joe joined me and ran most of the course and met up with me about 2 miles in.  The good thing about the route is that I know exactly where the first mile ends.  So while doing my training, I checked my watch at the mile mark and I had completed it in 17:20 minutes.

The running 1 minute intervals were still difficult today.  The first few segments I did alright, but in the 7th interval, I stopped running 30 seconds in and in the 8th interval, I was doing well but had to slow because I was at a street crossing.  So I would say that overall I ran about 7 minutes of my 57 minute 5K.  Not bad.  It's a start!

So my goal is to be able to do the 5K in October in 45 minutes.  I think a 15 mile is feasible for my fitness level and body type.  Ideally, I would like to make 5K's a habit and perhaps continue to train and improve upon that throughout the next year.  :0)

Meanwhile, Julia, Ellie, and I have had an addition to our little group.  Christine, another GM alum, will be driving in from Connecticut to join us for the race!  I'm excited to have more support.  We are trying to think of matching outfits and/or costumes because it is a race people tend to dress up for because of its closeness to Halloween.  If anything, we are going to get matching shirts because we are cute and cool.

My sticker today on my chart is a gold medal for completing my first 5k.  Woo!

Next Day Done

I am happy to report that I have just completed my first day of full body strength as part of my new training program.  I'm feeling pretty good about it.  I am glad that I will be alternating days between strength and jogging.  I think it will help me to not get bored too quickly.

I am going to make it a point to take different routes with my jogging, but I am also going to map out a 5k from my apartment and back so every now and then I can see how I am doing with an actual 5k route.  I have also gotten some good advice about not being afraid to repeat the first week.  My body has never been the body of a jogger, so it might take time to get there.  We have 10 weeks until the 5k and the training app is based on 8 weeks, so I plan to repeat week 1 and week 8.

My friend Laura also pointed out that when I get to the point in the app when I am jogging more than walking, it is important to remember that my biggest struggle will be mental.  My body will be able to handle the longer time running before my mind is able.  Again, I am going to try some visualization techniques to help be get over that hurtle starting today.  I am going to take 10-15 minutes a day just visualizing myself jogging for extended periods of time.

Another thing I noticed yesterday after my first workout, was how much easier it was for me to say 'no' to a cookie than normal.  There is a great mental boost to saying 'no' to bad foods when you've just spent so much energy.  Right now when I jog, I feel that I struggle most with getting a good breath.  When I was faced with a cookie yesterday, I just had this mental image of it not allowing me to breath any better if I ate it.  (That could be a good cartoon...a cookie literally choking me.)  Instead, I went for a lemonade.  Because there is sugar in lemonade, I got my sugar fix.  Plus, I can only ever drink one glass at a time, so I don't run the risk of over doing it on lemonade like I could with a cookie.  It was refreshing and filled a need and I moved on with my day with no desire for a cookie.  I'll be interested to see if this pattern continues as my training continues.  Or if I will start to convince myself that, "I worked really hard!  I deserve a cookie!"  I just need to keep in mind that breathing well while jogging is more important.  :0)

I am happy to say that Ellie and Julia have registered for the race and we are in constant contact over our activities via text.  I'm feeling pumped and am ready to tackle tomorrow's obstacles!

No Turning Back

I have completed Day 1 of training and it was....not fun.  But I just kept thinking that the more I stick to this the better I will get as the weeks go on.  I am going to use some of the visualizations that John Gabriel taught me in my book to visualize myself jogging the whole race.

Today's training was a 5 minute walk followed by 6 - 1 min run/1.5 min walks and then a 5 min cool down walk.  Thursday's run will be similar, but add two more of those run/walk intervals.  I'm not going to lie...by the time I got to the sixth 1 minute run, I wasn't moving too quickly.  I think a grandma could have walked faster than my jog.  But speed isn't the point.  I am trying to train my body to jog, speed can come later.

After my training, I walked around to find some stickers for my chart.  I eventually found some in the bookstore by my house.  When I got home, I hung up my charts and put my first 'All Star!' sticker on today's date.  I then bought my plane ticket to Boston and registered for the race.  There is no turning back now!  Julia will be buying her ticket soon and she and Ellie will be registering as well.

I'm a bit terrified that I have gotten over excited and way over my head, but as Julia said to me today, "The worse thing that could happen is that we walk a 5K."  It's true!  If I can run even a little bit of it, I will consider it a success.  Plus it will be so great to be with Julia and Ellie.  We will encourage each other and inspire each other to keep moving on our paths.

Tomorrow I will be doing my full body strength training....my fav.

Nothing's Official Until Highlighters Are Involved

I have a confession to make.  I have been stuck in limbo for about a month.  I realize you guys aren't surprised because otherwise you would have had many more updates from me.  Moving to Denver has been exciting, but it comes with its challenges.  Joe and I are excited to start making roots here in Denver, but that means I am in the holding area before we buy a house, get satisfying jobs, make friends, etc.  When I first moved here, this meant all the free time in the world to focus on myself and my new lifestyle!  But as all new shiny things begin to dull, I became tired of focusing on me all the time.  Aquatics became mundane and having a big side of veggies for lunch but not dinner became commonplace.

Obviously I still want to better myself and stay on my path, but as we all know, it gets hard after a while.  So that is when something new needs to be introduced.  Something to get me excited again.  I can so easily get into ruts and as my ruts deepen, my motivation leaves and melancholy sets in.  This is a situation I am quite familiar with and it has been my downfall for many things.  I find something that works but then do it over and over and over again just the same until I get bored and hate it.  Resent it even.  Finding a way out of it and onto something new on my path is difficult.

So this has been my mindset these past few blog-less weeks.  And today I have some exciting news to get me going again.  My Green Mountain friend, Julia, mentioned on Facebook that she was starting a 0 to 5K training program (an App on her phone) a couple days ago.  Then last night, my sister Ellie mentioned that she was interested in starting to jog outside.  So I gathered them (via text messaging as we are in Denver, DC, and Boston) and said, "Let's do this.  Let's all start training for a 5K and then actually meet up and do one!"

I found a 5K that looks good in Newton, MA (very close to where Ellie lives) and Julia and I are going to fly out to Boston for a weekend to participate in the 5K on October 27th.  10 weeks!  Our training apps give us 8 weeks to train for a 5K, so the two extra weeks will hopefully get us extra prepared.  Which is great because I am feeling very much not ready at this moment.

The first thing I did last night was work out my schedule.  Because you know me, nothing is official until highlighters are involved.  Here is a pic of our 10 weeks.

I will be doing my 5K training on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays and my full body strength on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.  On Mondays I will rest.  Now, as soon as I laid out this wonderfully, colorful plan, I started to doubt myself.  Like I just said, I get into too much of a routine and I get bored, I stop....I fail.  So I am going to need some extra motivation from everyone.  I am excited to share my experiences with you, but I am especially excited to share them with Julia and Ellie.  Though we are miles apart, I feel like we can really motivate and inspire one another.  They will be getting many texts from me as I accomplish my tasks each day and I hope to get the same from them.  You never know when that text may help me (or them) to get our butts off the couch and onto our training.  I know some days will be easier than others, but all that matters is that we try.  Sticking to my schedule will be really difficult, but I have to imagine what I will feel like when I can run/jog for a whole 5k!  Right now, it seems impossible, so it will be so rewarding when I CAN do it.

I'm thinking of getting stickers to put on my highlighted calendar on the days I finish my training.  :0)