I ran 3 miles again yesterday : )

This felt good because it meant the first time wasn't just a fluke.  Yaaaay!  Next time out, I'm going for 3.5.

An Incredibly Inspiring Video...

This popped up on Facebook, posted by a couple of my friends.  I clicked the link, figuring it would be talking about someone's 120 pound weight loss journey... but did not expect to be crying like a baby at my desk 2 minutes later, just wanting to give this guy a big hug.

Some of us underestimate ourselves... and some of us believe, move forward, and blow the stereotypical "you can't do that" business right out of the water.  You can probably imagine which of the two categories this guy goes into ; )  After the last paragraph of yesterday's blog post, it was really cool to see someone with a similar attitude.

Don't skip this one.  Take 4 minutes to watch it.



If I've somehow messed that up and the video doesn't embed, here's the YouTube link: My 120 Pound Journey

Ben's also got a blog you can look into, if you want to learn more about him: Ben Does Life

I ran THREE MILES today!

I ran three miles today without stopping!

This came as somewhat of a surprise to me, because quite frankly week 8 of c25k has really been kicking my ass.  The last few times I've gone out to run, I have just not been able to push myself to keep up a good pace or finish the run...

Today I woke up and honestly didn't even really want to get dressed and go to the park.  I felt icky.  My tummy was blech.  I was not breathing well.  I felt like I really haven't been making progress at all, and in fact I was afraid I was regressing and might have to go back a few weeks if I wanted to complete this c25k thing.  I was also down because my runs in the allotted times were not nearing 3 miles, they were closer to 2 or 2.5 miles.  At this rate, no way am I ever going to be able to make it 10k in November.  *sad panda*

Waaaah.  Crybaby me.

So I woke up, put on my running stuff, filled up the water bottle, got in the car, and drove to the park.  The sun was coming up so bright and pretty, and my breathing medicine was starting to work.  I decided NOT to use my c25k app on the phone today, and instead just GO (no 5 minute warmup walk) and run until I'd run 3 miles.  I told myself "I can do this.  This is do-able.  Slow and steady wins the race."

Slow and steady I went.  FOR THREE MILES.  I turned on the runkeeper app so I could hear my distance and pace-- which ended up being right around 13:20 per mile.  This is significantly slower than I'd like to be, but for now I'm working on completion, not speed ; )  Mile 1 was not super easy, nor was mile 2.  Surprisingly enough, Mile 3 was when I really started getting into a nice rhythm and felt my body propel itself without my having to think about each step, one foot in front of the other.  Don't get me wrong-- I was so glad to be done and to have achieved a 3-mile stretch... but I'm not looking at 3.5, 4, or 4.5 miles as such a daunting task anymore.  I'm looking forward to breaking those barriers as well-- something I have never done before in my LIFE.

It isn't easy, but it's worth it.

You just have to DO IT.  There's no easy way, and there's really no easy workout.  You have to come to an understanding with yourself that if you want the results, you have to put in the work.  You have to stop telling yourself stuff like "I'll start next week" and make changes in your life that allow you to make time for it.  Not "have time" for it, make time.

It doesn't really and truly ever get "easier".  If you exercise early, it's always a drag getting out of your snuggly bed.  You just have to reach a point where you decide that  you only have so long on this earth, and you're the only one who gets to decide if you're going to live it happily and healthily or otherwise. 

It's not easy to get up and get going and make it a priority to exercise, but it's also not easy to live your life with the consequences that accompany an inactive, indulgent lifestyle.  You get to choose which one you want to live with. 

Can I run a 10K by the end of November?

My friend Michelle sent me an e-mail asking me if I wanted to run a 10K with her the weekend before Thanksgiving. I should point out that Michelle has already run a 10K, and is much tinier and faster than big giant me. Love her to pieces, but I think she might get awfully bored running with me.

My first thought was "Um, are you insane? I'm only running like 2 or 2.5 miles these days. I can't do SIX."

The more I talked about it with my other little runner-friends, the more realistic it actually kind of seems. I just finished up week 7 of c25k, and in two weeks I'll be at the end of that program.

There's a "Bridge to 10K" program that is a 6-week program, so *technically* I'd have plenty of time to get into gear and be running the times/distances needed to prepare for a 10K. It's similar to c25k, I've looked over it... and I know I would be able to run for 10 minutes, then walk... times 4. Who's to say I couldn't finish that program?

My friend Kelli also mentioned that once you're up to 3 miles, you can do two 3-mile runs a week, then one "long" run-- adding 1/2 mile each week. Quite frankly, I'll be happy to just get comfortable running a 3-mile distance again. I may take a week between the two programs and just do 3-mile runs; not focusing on time but on distance. We'll see, I'll have to get all nerdy and plot it out on the calendar ; )

I'm happy to say I've finished up week 7 today! There's a counter at the bottom of the map page for that 10K, and it's 70 days. 10 weeks. Why the heck not?

"Rungry". This is a word I first saw my friend Kristi use on her blog about the hunger you experience once you start running a lot. I can't tell you for sure whether it's runger or PMS or some horrid combination of the two, but WOWSERS I have just been sooo hungry this week. I'm doing my best to keep up on the healthy snacks, and get plenty of water... but I was at the mall yesterday and had that "must have pretzel... must have pretzel... must have salty delicious pretzel and real sugary coca-cola" feeling. I gave in because you know what? I've been kicking ass at this whole running gig.


Let's talk about the scale.

So back on August 1, I was hanging tough at 235. That first week I decided to get myself in gear, the scale went down 6 pounds... which I know was not all fat loss, but when you go from "eating like a pimply teenager" to watching what you put into your mouth, there are some changes-for-the-better. The following week the scale went down 3 pounds, and I was ringing in at 226. Nowadays I'm hanging right at 224-225. I can definitely feel the changes where the fit of my clothing is concerned! HOORAY! I better, with all this running.

I've not been getting to the gym on a regular schedule like I'd like to, but I hit a point last week where I just really felt like my body needed a break. I'm all for the "I CAN DO IT!" mentality, but I also think we should listen to our bodies and give them a day (or a few days) off once in a while when the fatigue is really setting in. I was working a lot too, and we had the kids' first week of school, getting started in extra-curriculars and getting schedules down took precedence over me getting myself into the car and to the gym. My husband was out of town and I had some mom-family-stuff to do. Excuses? Yes... but reality. I managed to keep on my running schedule, which I kind of consider to be my bare minimum.

This last week, I can tell that I'm missing my strength training at the gym. I'd like to get back to that next week. I need to stay POWERFUL!

Speaking of powerful, my little cheerleader-man has been out in full force. He's just so cute, cheering on anyone who's running, running along with them. Today we were walking at the same part of the trail and he introduced himself-- his name is Yung and he came to America from Vietnam in 1975.

Rainy Morning = Treadmill Running

Background: My last run was Week 6 Day 2 of c25k on Monday. It's Friday. It's been a big busy week, and I have not made the time for myself to run. Last night I was telling myself that I really needed to make the time for running today, so that I don't get off track with my c25k goals... and also, so I don't feel like crap.

So I woke up this morning in the dark to the sounds of roaring thunder and some flashes of lightning (oh and to my alarm, and my husband Jack shaking my shoulder to wake me up so I would turn off my alarm. I'm a heavy sleeper).

I was immediately not happy, because this meant I probably couldn't go to the park and finish off week 6 today. I got up and got dressed anyway, because at this point it wasn't raining. Once I was dressed, it started pouring so I went back to bed in my running clothes...lol. It was a nice little snuggle-time, though, I won't deny! Jack's alarm clock went off eventually, and I snoozed through the rain until he was done with his shower. I decided I was going to run no matter what, that I wasn't going to let rain be an excuse. I know that I'll start feeling fat and crabby if I don't get some good exercise in. I don't want that to happen.

I put on my shoes, drove toward the park because the rain seemed to be letting up. No dice, it was definitely raining at the park. I considered running in the rain, but then decided I have a perfectly good YMCA membership and maybe I should try running on the treadmill today! *furrowed brow and mad face because I hate the treadmill*

To add perceived insult to injury, I cued up w6d3 on my Evo and saw that it was not really intervals of running.

It was 25 minutes of straight running. How on earth was I going to EVER accomplish that with having "rested" for 3 days since my last run, which had nothing remotely near 25 minutes of straight running? IMPOSSIBLE. I was surely going to suffer, but alas, I decided to try. I told myself that i would run for 15 minutes, and if I made it that far, I would be done and re-do this workout another day.

5 Minute warm-up, then I began running. After 5 minutes of running I was pretty sure I wasn't even going to make it to 10 minutes... but I plugged along and made it to 10. Then I made it to 15, and suddenly I was thinking I would definitely push it to 20. Then once I hit 20, I was feeling good and decided what's 5 more? AND I FINISHED IT... the whole 25 minutes. To be honest, I could have kept going. I couldn't believe it!

I kept looking down to see what my distance was, and I'd picture myself in the park at approximately that distance, and think about how far it would be to the end of the loop again. I also had my little treadmill tv on "America's Funniest Home Videos" which was helpful : )

I am so pumped and ready to get back to my pretty park trail and tackle week 7!