Tag: changes

Anxious? Yes…

My first 5K in two short weeks.  Though luckily I chose essentially just a fun run for my first attempt.  I don’t know if I said before what I am doing for my first, it’s “The Color Run”, untimed and full of walkers so I don’t have to feel like a loser if I can’t run the whole thing! Yes, I know, just attempting it makes me not a loser.

I have kept up with an every other day running schedule but have really been struggling this last week and a half or so, finding myself barely able to run three minutes. So yesterday was supposed to be a running day. Nope, I just walked for a mile and a half.  Apparently my body needed that. Today I was able to run again with a bit more ease!

Most days I do about a half hour total. Last Saturday and again today I’ve kept going to finish a full 5K through both running and walking to become more prepared for what I will actually experience.  Last week it was just a bit over an hour total. Today? 54.5 minutes, woo-hoo!

So… I am thinking of modifying my schedule to the following: run/walk a 5k Saturdays, walk a 5k Sundays, run/walk Mondays and Wednesdays 30 minutes, walk 30 minutes on Fridays.  I think this will be doable and keep me progressing for now.  Next Spring I would like to do a real and timed race.

I know one thing… I don’t want to stop running.  How weird I find that statement!

I didn’t do much of anything yesterday or today!

Yesterday I went to my friend / coworker’s house for a Tastefully Simple party so I ate bunches, ordered spices, beer bread, and desserts, and then scheduled a party at my house for November.

Today I didn’t leave the house.  I did not shirk from my run though and completed W6D1.  (A little faster for my run parts at 4mph which apparently is most people’s walking speed, oh well!) Next Saturday should be W7D1 and I am planning to do it somewhere outside… I don’t know where though, I’d prefer somewhere where the hills won’t completely kill me and here in Southwestern Pennsylvania even somewhat flat surfaces are hard to come by.  Since the first 5K I’m signed up to do is The Color Run and it is going to be in South Park, I’m considering going there.

I didn’t sew a bit this weekend either.  I did look at quilts and other sewing on the Internet and on my way to the party yesterday stopped at a quilt store but anything productive?  Nope.  Lazy weekend!

Monday… tried W5D3 and didn’t get through it. Supposed to run 20 minutes straight, I ran 9, walked 2, ran 9.

Wednesday… again tried Day 3, didn’t get through it.  Actually did worse than Monday. Ran 10, walked 3, ran 5 or 6 (not sure).

So then I started to think maybe I couldn’t do it. I started thinking maybe I’d skip over completing day 3 and just do W6D1 ’cause that goes back to run/walk intervals.

When I stepped on the treadmill this morning to warm-up I still wasn’t sure what I was going to do. Then I decided I would be pissed off at myself if I gave up ’cause it was hard.

I kept my sweat towel covering the time and focused on how many laps I finished. When I finally looked at the time (when my math based on laps and speed said close to done) I had gone 20 seconds over.

Yes! Talk about feeling accomplished!  Sunday’s run should be almost easy after beating my demon’s ass!

I’m sure the cooler weather helped but still… I did it. I didn’t give up!

Week 5, Day 1 is completed!

When I started this a month ago I couldn’t even run for 30 seconds easily. Today? I completed three segments of 5 minutes each of running.

It is possible to amaze yourself.

Still not smoking… that has been tough but self talk gets me through when the cravings hit.

I am up 3 pounds… that is the only negative at the moment.

Lately I’ve been amazing myself… For three full weeks now I’ve been running every other day, following the C25K program. Today I did week 3 day 2 and actually did the running parts at 4 mph. That may seem slow to some people but it’s actually quite fast for me as previous days were mostly around 3.5 to 3.8 mph.

Went and tried on clothes today… didn’t buy any. I set a goal that I would go shopping when I reach 175 so 6 more pounds to go. Which is good because I really do need some new pants for work. The pants that I have I already took in so it really is time for new ones!

After the non productive shopping trip I went to the sewing expo that was in Pittsburgh this weekend. Had fun, got some patterns, refrained from buying any fabric, and for the most part stuck to my budget.

Found a great new place to eat when I’m in Monroeville. Since it is over an hour from my house it won’t be frequented often though. Noodles & Company. Yum! Even with all the eating issues I’ve had recently (which I won’t go into at the moment) I was able to happily eat there and keep it down!

Oh, and I haven’t had a cigarette in 13 and a half days…

I feel accomplished and proud.

Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday I did what I describe as “Week 0.5” of the couch to 5k program.  Week 1 has you run for 60 seconds, then walk for 90.  So on Sunday, when I set out to do Week 1, Day 1 I found that I could not jog for 60 seconds… so I did 30 seconds with twice managing 45 seconds.  That’s when I decided I would be doing week 0.5.

Tuesday I ran 45 seconds each time I was supposed to run and the last two times I did the full 60.

Thursday I did 60 seconds the first two times, 45 the next three, and 60 for the last two.

I’ve decided to do every other day so today I did Week 1, Day 1 and ran the full 60 seconds each time.

I have surprised myself!

So. I have lost 45 pounds since the beginning of the year. I have 35 left to go. I’m at the point I don’t really care how long the 35 takes me now, I’ll just keep working at it, because I can buy a pants in a size 12

In two weeks I’m having a small afternoon party… first one I’ve had in about six years. Have been cleaning & decluttering.

Friday I signed up to do a 5k on October 12th. I’ve never in my life run anywhere for any reason. Ok, short distances at work for crisis situations but on purpose? For “fun”? Nope! So I am starting a C25K program.

I’m thinking it might put a dent in those last 35 pounds too…

And one more thing that’s changing? Quitting smoking… Quit date is August 12.

Good thing I am stubborn…