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!

I am POWERFUL! I also have a cheerleader.

I ran for 20 minutes straight today! YES I DID! I thought it was going to be really, really hard seeing as I'd run twice for 8 minutes on Saturday morning and that was kind of hard... then twice for 10 minutes on Monday, also quite challenging. But I did it, and I feel very WOO HOO! about completing week 5 of c25k.

There's this little man at the park most days when I'm out there chugging along. He's short, Asian, probably in his 60's, and always wearing his tucked in white golf shirt, hat, sweatbands on the wrists, and mid-calf socks. Sometimes he's alone, sometimes he's with an older man or two, who I assume to be his relatives. He's always explaining to them that they need to move over on the trail when someone else is coming by, they all seem to always be in good spirits.

He's always happy with a "Hello" or "Good morning" if I'm walking, but he gets really cute when I'm running.

He can hear my footsteps behind him when I'm about to pass, so he always turns to look, begins clapping, and shouting, "WOO! WOO! YES! YOU SO POWERFUL! YES!"

Now, in the beginning, this was slightly embarrassing, I wasn't sure if he was "special", or a tourist, or just a really encouraging guy-- you don't normally expect random strangers to be cheering you down the path, you know? It's a funny story to tell at dinner. But then once I started talking about him, I noticed that my runs are far more exciting when I know I'm about to pass him...lol. Well today I was out super early, since I'm having to adjust my schedule to make sure I'm home by 7, when my kids wake up and start getting ready for school. I was on the last 7-8 minutes of the 20-minute run and really wearing down!

I came around a curve and passed a small parking lot to find him walking ahead of me with one of the older men. I found myself wondering if he'd tell me I was powerful today! As I passed him, he cheered me on, and GET THIS! He jogged for about a quarter mile with me cheering me on! I smiled, was too out of breath to really talk and was trying to just keep my feet moving through the fatigue and be finished. When we reached the part where the little roads cross (I assume he didn't want to leave the elderly relative too far behind or out of sight), he yelled, "THANK YOU!" and waved.

Thank ME? I yelled back, "Thank YOU!"

He makes me feel very She-Ra : )

One of these days when it cools off a bit I'll have to take him a little thank-you note and introduce myself.

Some gym machines that I'd kind of like to see go down in flames...

Maybe I'm just weak, but WHEW! This is always the first machine I tackle, so I have the most energy and spirit and can make it through both sets of 12 reps. And then I'm done and don't have to do it again.

My other nemesis o' the gym is the arm extension, which works your triceps-- the little muscle that runs from the back of your elbow to your armpit. This is one of the only exercises I've had to skip a couple of times because my little triceps were both soooo sore from the previous trip to the gym!!! I'm slowly but surely creeping up on the strength, though. When I first started, I couldn't even put any "extra" weight on this thing, but I'm up to 35 pounds. The "genetic betrayal that is my legacy" (quoting Heather Mooney from Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion) is flabby upper arms, though, so I soldier on ; )



I've been trying to do 2 days a week on the circuit training machines at the gym... that's going well. I want to build strength in addition to endurance, and each time I work out I kind of judge how challenging the machine was to me. If I feel like I can add another 5 pounds of resistance on there, I up the weight so that next time I'll have more resistance/challenge. If I can't really finish my reps/set, or it's "very difficult" for me to do so, I leave it at the same weight for next time, until I feel as though I'd like more of a challenge.

It's a nice way to see my strength training progress : )

c25k: Week 5, Day One

I really, truly wonder if running will ever be "easy" for me. If I'll ever be one of those people who just drifts through a 5-6 mile run with ease, one of those people to whom running 10 miles is a "long" run. I want to be one of those people. I'm really curious about this alleged "runner's high" euphoria that kicks in after a little while, because as I believe I've said before, the only euphoria I feel when running is the euphoria of being DONE. I wouldn't really actually call that euphoric though.

Week 5 is three runs that are 5 minutes each, with walking intervals inbetween. I can't wait to look back on this blog entry and say, "Remember when running for five minutes in a row was a challenge? Ha! Look at me now, mile after mile, like a machine, a gazelle..."

It was a push to get through all five of those minutes each time, but I don't feel exhausted (10 minutes post-cooldown)... I don't feel any pain anywhere... I wasn't sucking for air and having breathing difficulty even though it is dreadfully humid outside even before sunrise. I feel GOOD : ) I don't smell good or look good, but I feel great. I'm almost to the halfway point of c25k!!!!

Sleep... it's important.

I'm pretty sure I didn't get enough of it last night. When the alarm went off this morning, I felt like I'd been asleep for about 5 minutes, and for the first time in a few weeks I really, really considered snoozing.

I didn't snooze, because I really want to keep on track with my running and the closer we get to sunrise, the hotter it gets. I got dressed, put on my shoes, got some water, and walked out to the car to find that it was super thick and humid and 82 degrees even in the dark. As I sat down in the car, I was thinking to myself, "This is not easy. I wish I loved running. Is being fat really all that bad? Would it be horrible if I just went right back in the house and snuggled with my husband and the dog for 30 more minutes?"

I had a technical glitch where I evidently didn't start my c25k app on the phone, so my warmup was more like 15 minutes than the regular 5. The next time I started it, evidently I didn't have my volume up loud enough to hear the notifications so I missed my first run start. GRRRRRR. By now I've walked about a mile and a half and it's getting light (which means it's getting hot), but I was determined to do this. I got it all turned up and on the right timing, and finally finished the warmup for the third time and began running. I was sucking air. Tired. Flat out of juice.

I continued on hoping it would get better, but it never did. I finished the workout but didn't run continuously during all of my running-intervals-- when I got too tired, I'd walk 10 steps and then pick the running back up with a distance marker in mind. For instance, "I'll keep running until I get to that light pole... I can make it to that light pole..."

The wanting to go to sleep really never subsided. I should have gone to bed at 10:30 when I was tired, but noooo, I decided to stay up and watch one more tv show. I think I'm just going to have a do-over of week 4 day 2!

I wanted to post this because I think it's important to talk about the really rough days too...and for me to be able to look back at this next time I'm having a hard time, saying :it happens, it will happen again, but it won't be like this every day."

Keeping meals colorful

We've always heard that if you're trying to eat well, try and keep lots of color on your plate from various food items (food items that aren't artificially colored). It's a good way to work a variety of fruits and vegetables into your diet, and keep you from having horrible-brown-plate-syndrome... where there is no color in your meal.

It's hard to train your brain away from that "one meat, potatoes/rice/pasta, and corn" mentality sometimes, though... and it's so easy to just grab chips or crackers when you've made a sandwich... or grab something "easy" in the first place and not take the time to cut up fruit or veggies. I've made a conscious effort to really represent the fruits and veggies this week.

I've been taking full advantage of the strawberries and peached/nectarines that are sooooo good this time of year.

Broccoli + eggbeaters + 1/2 serving of chopped chicken lunchmeat + 1/4 cup of shredded 2% cheese
Strawberries
Milk




Whole wheat sugar-free bread + peanut butter + Polaner sugar-free all fruit strawberry preserves
Steamed broccoli + parmesan cheese



a couple of different bagel/cream cheese fruit combos (I've been having the Thomas brand whole wheat bagels and fat-free philly cream cheese)







Scrambled egg sandwich and berries

Here's what I use when I run : )

When I started running, it seemed really simple... but then as the days went by, there were new little tweaks and issues that crept up and I had to find good solutions.

I have this wonderful state of the art new android phone (HTC Evo through Sprint, which I love) that can help me track my distance and direct me through the Couch-to-5k program, and play music at the same time, but I am also a huge large Amazon and can't find a phone-holder-exercise-case thing that fits around my mammoth upper arm. I see other people running with ipods and phones on a velcro band around their arm, but alas, this is not the solution for me.

I'd resigned to the fact that I'd probably have to just find a fannypack of some kind and look like a giant nerd during my workouts. I went to Sun & Ski Sports and explored, and VOILA! Perfection.

This "waist pack" is made for distance runners to keep their keys and "gel energy packs" in (I have no need for the gel energy packs at this point). As luck would have it, the back section fits my giant awesome phone perfectly : ) I also carry a rescue inhaler since I'm asthmatic, and my keys. The waistband is adjustable, and the whole thing is really exactly what I needed.



To time my workouts, I use the "C25K Pro" app on my phone (I know there are droid apps and also iphone apps for C25K). It has each workout in the series and will "ding" at me when I am supposed to start/stop running. It has a different little ding at the end, when you're to begin your cool-down. It even has a little explanation at the top of the screen, letting you know what your workout will be like for the day.

It'll also provide you with music if you choose. I prefer, most days, to run without music... but sometimes you need the distraction, and some people run better with a good beat behind them.



C25K Pro will show you your progress via happy little green bars on workouts completed... you can always re-run a workout if you desire.



To keep track of my distance, time, pace, etc. I use the "Runkeeper" app. In the past, I also used FitTrack (for Palm OS). Runkeeper allows you to choose your activity, then it will track you. You do need a phone with GPS capability to use this app.





I'll have to remember to take a pic of Runkeeper after a run one of these days, so I can show you the cool little graph and stuff : )

Next, we have shoes. Finding the right pair of shoes is pretty important. There are lots of runner-specific stores that will help fit you and choose the right shoes for you based on your stride, the way your feet move, etc. Don't be afraid, go in there, let them know your fitness level (I know, sometimes it's obvious that we aren't little marathon runner people... but just let them know of your plans so they can help). In Houston, Luke's Locker, Fleet Feet, and Tri On The Run are great examples. These are stores where in most cases, the people who work there love to run and want everyone to have a great running experience.

Shoes can be the answer to hip pain, knee pain, foot pain... suffice it to say they can really make a difference; especially when you're overweight and getting back into a fitness routine. Your body is taking on a lot of added pressure carrying around the extra weight, so be nice to your feet!

I have always been a Nike girl, they fit my feet really well and accommodate for my super-high arches. I don't remember the model name of my shoes, but here they are, my morning companions:



Freddy thinks they smell fantastic.



Some other important points to touch on are bra/undies/wardrobe...

Finding a good sportsbra that really holds the ladies in place can be incredibly frustrating when you're a chesty pear. I don't think the people designing athletic wear understand the plight of the overweight person-- we bounce in every direction and need some support and restraint! We need underwire, and we need a cup that a breast can actually fit into. Smooshing the uni-boob to the chest is really not enough.

They don't sell the good ones at Academy or Sports Authority. I even went to a local lingerie shop and was fitted for an athletic bra-- it was great, but I found an even greater bra at the Hanes outlet... evidently the Champion brand falls under their umbrella. This bra is ridiculously hard to put on, but man, once you get it on it's PERFECT. Support, restraint, minimization, and... would you believe it, SEPARATION!!!!! It's not a sit-around-the-house-comfy bra, this bra means business. It's a love-hate relationship, but I love it so much when it's doing a great job for me and I don't have to worry about crazy chest bounce.

I give you... the Champion Powerback Underwire Sports Bra! They even come in black or white. No, this is of course NOT me modeling the bra.



Undies! My favorite everyday undies are, as I've found out, not ideal for running, especially if you have the beautiful flap of bellyfat hanging below your navel. I like a nice boyshort, but those kind of inch BELOW the fat-flap as it bounces during running, which leads to wardrobe malfunctions aplenty over the course of a short run. There are a few different fixes to this problem-- Under Armour makes a compression garment (kind of like biker shorts or spanx) that you can wear to keep the bulge under control, but I found that the best solution for me was to get some good old granny-panties. Undies that come up high on the waist over the fat! This way, they don't fall down like those crazy boyshorts. Boy, life as an undie model must be one thrill after another.



There is certainly a HUGE selection of different underwear types out there, and you'll just have to experiment and find out what works best for you.

Socks... I loooooove these little Balega socks. They're thin (not big fuzzy socks) and have a big part that sticks out over the heel of your shoe to keep them from creeping down into the shoe itself, which is annoying. I purchased them at Fleet Feet... and can't find them on the internet to share with you right now.



If you like a thicker sock, Thor-lo is the way to go. I have to get the ones that are a little taller, though, because the tiny below-ankle ones slide down into my shoes during a run.

Tops: I generally opt for a tank top. Dark color. Thin cotton or microfiber. Those running tops are never a good fit on the chesty part of this pear, and a lot of them have that annoying little tiny shelf-bra that does NO ONE over the age of 10 any good during vigorous exercise.

Bottoms: I like a capri-length very fitted workout pant, preferably with a little Lycra in it and a slight flare below the knee. You can get Champion brand stuff at Target pretty inexpensively. I bought a couple of pair of Adidas pants at Academy a couple of years ago and now I can't find ANYTHING like them... I'm hoping these are immortal pants that never die. The Gap also has some good Lycra running options most of the time, in varying lengths.

I like fitted, because quite frankly my thighs touch. Shorts are OUT, because they bunch up and ride. That's totally embarassing-- and nobody needs extra reasons to be embarassed during a workout... Yoga pants and the like, well those are out too, because they kind of bunch and don't come up high enough on the waist to cover my super high granny-panties.

Maybe one day I'll suit up and take a pic for you in my running gear. To be honest, ignorance is bliss and I'd really rather not know what I look like; I'll just keep on pretending I look like the chick on the front of the Gap Athleta magazine ; )

Please share any of your great finds here... share share share!