Last night was Wk6D2. I ran by myself. The weather was sunny and 30ish- a nice change from Monday's single digits.
I warmed up for 10 minutes and then stretched really well. I then warmed up again for 5 minutes prior to the run portion. My legs were still pretty stiff and crampy but it was manageable. I stretched for a minute or so during the walk interval and then again really well after the workout.
I'm still a bit discouraged but am not giving up. I think if I keep persisting that the legs will improve with time but its getting past this (and not backsliding further) that will be a challenge.
Last night was the last interval run and there's no scheduled walking from here on out. Kind of nervous but I've done the work so hopefully my body will remember that!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Try, try again
After Monday's frusterating performance, I'm back at it again tonight.
I hope that it was just a bad day and that tonight goes better. Fingers crossed!
I hope that it was just a bad day and that tonight goes better. Fingers crossed!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Not my proudest moment
Last week, M and I completed W5D3 with a reasonable degree of success. We ran (shuffled) for nearly the entire 20 minutes. Twice I had to take a few strides as walking but it only about 30 seconds each time. I struggle with counting the session as a complete success because of the brief walking breaks. My personality tends to see things as they are written and in black in white so I feel bad taking full credit if I can't accomplish it as it was written.
I went to yoga Saturday and swam on Sunday and was rarin' to go for Wk6D1 on Monday.
It was freezing (like 5 degrees) outside so much of my motivation had waned in the weather conditions. The first intervals went okay. By the time I hit the middle, 8 minute interval, my calves were locked town tight. I could hardly take a step. This happened once before, which is what caused me to see the exercise physiologist. Stretching didn't help at all.
I felt so betrayed by my body (I've been doing my part, why wasn't it holding up its end of the bargain) that I lost it. I was crying and cursing. My husband did everything right, trying to comfort me, but I wasn't having any of it! I threatened to quit, etc. I was kind of angry with him too (through no fault of his own). I mean, he runs with me because its important to me, not because it was his idea or anything. And I can tell he is physically holding himself back, which upsets me because 1. I exercise twice as much as he does (crosstraining) and 2. its such a struggle for me and if I had his body I wouldn't want to be held back (he always stays with me no matter how much I encourage him to go faster on his own). I know he understood that my anger wasn't about him as much as it was frusteration at my own shortcomings but it still was a lousy way to act towards someone who I love deeply and who has done nothing but love and support me.
I'm not going to quit. It may take me longer than the prescribed C25k 9 weeks to be able to run a 10 minute mile but I won't give up. I owe it to myself and my family to get healthy so I'll keep putting one foot in front of the other for as long as I can.
I went to yoga Saturday and swam on Sunday and was rarin' to go for Wk6D1 on Monday.
It was freezing (like 5 degrees) outside so much of my motivation had waned in the weather conditions. The first intervals went okay. By the time I hit the middle, 8 minute interval, my calves were locked town tight. I could hardly take a step. This happened once before, which is what caused me to see the exercise physiologist. Stretching didn't help at all.
I felt so betrayed by my body (I've been doing my part, why wasn't it holding up its end of the bargain) that I lost it. I was crying and cursing. My husband did everything right, trying to comfort me, but I wasn't having any of it! I threatened to quit, etc. I was kind of angry with him too (through no fault of his own). I mean, he runs with me because its important to me, not because it was his idea or anything. And I can tell he is physically holding himself back, which upsets me because 1. I exercise twice as much as he does (crosstraining) and 2. its such a struggle for me and if I had his body I wouldn't want to be held back (he always stays with me no matter how much I encourage him to go faster on his own). I know he understood that my anger wasn't about him as much as it was frusteration at my own shortcomings but it still was a lousy way to act towards someone who I love deeply and who has done nothing but love and support me.
I'm not going to quit. It may take me longer than the prescribed C25k 9 weeks to be able to run a 10 minute mile but I won't give up. I owe it to myself and my family to get healthy so I'll keep putting one foot in front of the other for as long as I can.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Rollercoaster
Last week on Thursday, I ran W4D2 of C25k. It was my best run yet! It felt smooth and best of all, I experienced NO leg pain during! This is huge!!! I had hope that maybe my legs won't always ache during a run and that I'm not a fool for trying to complete this program.
I was super excited for W4D3 on Saturday! I got up and ate a bit and couldn't wait to get out there! Imagine my disappointment when the run was a struggle. It was the first time we had run on the street, off the cleared pathway, which was a challenge because the sidewalks weren't plowed which made for tricky footing. Also, the wind was more of a factor than it had been previously. My legs felt like lead. At one point, I had to walk (which has happened maybe once before during a run interval). My uber supportive husband wouldn't let me quit, though. We finished strong and ended up running our farthest distance ever, by a quarter mile! I know I should be celebrating this small victory but I can't help but feel defeated by my own body since my legs failed to cooperate. I have been really discouraged and have found a reason to miss my run the last few days. No more avoiding, though. Tonight I have to get back on the schedule. I hate the ups and downs and am hoping that if I stick with it, my experiences will be more consistent.
I was super excited for W4D3 on Saturday! I got up and ate a bit and couldn't wait to get out there! Imagine my disappointment when the run was a struggle. It was the first time we had run on the street, off the cleared pathway, which was a challenge because the sidewalks weren't plowed which made for tricky footing. Also, the wind was more of a factor than it had been previously. My legs felt like lead. At one point, I had to walk (which has happened maybe once before during a run interval). My uber supportive husband wouldn't let me quit, though. We finished strong and ended up running our farthest distance ever, by a quarter mile! I know I should be celebrating this small victory but I can't help but feel defeated by my own body since my legs failed to cooperate. I have been really discouraged and have found a reason to miss my run the last few days. No more avoiding, though. Tonight I have to get back on the schedule. I hate the ups and downs and am hoping that if I stick with it, my experiences will be more consistent.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
No short cuts
Well, here I am... 33 and heavier than I'd like to be- by a lot! I spent the majority of my adult life in a terrible relationship in which I neglected my body and ate horribly (fast food, frozen dinners, junk food and soda were my four food groups). Obviously, this resulted in me getting bigger and bigger.
I've tried diet and exercise before. I trained to run a relay leg of the Detroit Marathon and ended up with shin splints after a few months. I tried running again about a year later with the same results. I started training last spring and fell and sprained my ankle which resulted in months of pain and cortisone shots.
So, I find myself injury free and motivated again. I'm going to keep trying until I succeed. Which is where this blog, and you, my lovely readers, come in. I started a training program about a month ago (Couch to 5k ) with the immediate goal to run the St. Patrick's Day 5k. I've also been cross training with spin class once a week and swimming once a week to work towards my ultimate goal of finishing a sprint triathalon in August. I need you all to help keep me accountable.
So far, its been going really well. Even though I missed a week being sick, I picked up right where I left off. If its cold and snowing, I still run (no treadmill or gym membership, so I run outside in the often frigid northern midwest weather). I would get injured before because I would try too much at once but the C25k interval schedule has really helped. Unless you've been sadly unfit and overweight you may not understand this, but this week (wk4) I had to run for 5 minutes without stopping. I didn't think I could do it. But I did! This program really gives me hope that I can achieve my goals, which is something that I haven't felt in decades.
I've tried diet and exercise before. I trained to run a relay leg of the Detroit Marathon and ended up with shin splints after a few months. I tried running again about a year later with the same results. I started training last spring and fell and sprained my ankle which resulted in months of pain and cortisone shots.
So, I find myself injury free and motivated again. I'm going to keep trying until I succeed. Which is where this blog, and you, my lovely readers, come in. I started a training program about a month ago (Couch to 5k ) with the immediate goal to run the St. Patrick's Day 5k. I've also been cross training with spin class once a week and swimming once a week to work towards my ultimate goal of finishing a sprint triathalon in August. I need you all to help keep me accountable.
So far, its been going really well. Even though I missed a week being sick, I picked up right where I left off. If its cold and snowing, I still run (no treadmill or gym membership, so I run outside in the often frigid northern midwest weather). I would get injured before because I would try too much at once but the C25k interval schedule has really helped. Unless you've been sadly unfit and overweight you may not understand this, but this week (wk4) I had to run for 5 minutes without stopping. I didn't think I could do it. But I did! This program really gives me hope that I can achieve my goals, which is something that I haven't felt in decades.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)