Moving along

Hey, I'm fickle, so I moved my blog. Eventually I'll redirect the right way and this page will be gone, but for now, click here or wait a few seconds to be redirected!

First 5K race

I'm terrible at regular updates.  

Last week (wait, I actually have to go back and read my last post).  Oh yea, ok.  So last week I was thinking about how I'm wrapping up the C25K and it's been great and I actually kinda consider myself a runner now.  So woo that.

But while I can run fairly consistently for 25 min, my 25 min runs were generally only about 1.9 miles, which is a far cry from a 5K, a whole 1/3 of the way away in fact (math skills, I has them!).  

But since I am at the end of the program, I did want to register for a 'real' 5k, so I starting thinking about the when and wheres and decided to sign up for one at the end of Sept when I'm visiting my parents in FL.  It'll be nice because it's a smaller town and I know my way around and I'll have a guaranteed supportive audience. Truthfully, one word finally sold me on the idea, and that word was "flat".   The hills around here are my biggest struggles.

Once the idea was firmly planted in my brain, I knew I had to run 3 miles.  So last Thursday I hit the treadmill and did it!  My only real goal was to just finish without walking, in hopefully under 45 min.  I finished in 41 and felt soooo great once I was done.

I still haven't actually registered for the 5k, but I'm planning to do that by the end of the week.  It's nice to have an event to work towards, though I'm slightly worried about feeling aimless when I'm done.  

But I'll just keep tackling it one day at a time.  For now, it's time to get excited for my first race!

I'd rather be running

Work's been busy, which is great for passing the time, but not so great for updating my blog - heh.

Last week, my running was pretty steady. I wimped out on my Sat morning run (for the second time in a row). I think the heat difference and the crappier food I tend to eat on Friday night is partially to blame. But I redeemed myself on the treadmill on Sat evening and ran my fastest ever, 12:41 avg over 2.13 miles.

I'm nearing the end of C25K training, where every run day for the next 2 week is "run 25 - 30 min" and it's not remotely feasible I'll be running actual 5K in that timeframe. And that's okay! But I want to start mixing it up a little. Maybe do some intervals once a week and run 3 miles once a week (no matter the time).

I'm also want to work on getting some more activities scheduled for my non-run days. Pushups and abs and arm exercises and otherwise awesoming my body :)

Today's non-run activity was putting together Ikea furniture and moving stuff from room to room. The end result is worth it and it's looking much nicer in here, but frankly my dears, I'd rather be running.

Weekend WrapUp

Friday was my birthday, so we started off the day with our usual walk, then I did an extra loop and sprinted the hill that I've grown to dread. We had a nice, romantic lunch and a nice long nap, and an overall lazy, but nice day.

On Saturday, I got up feeling ready to tackle the 25 min run for C25K. I've done the 20 min straight previously by running through/around an office building and out to the road, so I knew timewise I should be okay - but this time I took my normal, more hilly route. And somehow, pretty early on, it just got all 'off'. I hit the hill and walked the very end, then picked up a running pace, and hit a red light, then my waist pack kept riding up and I never could get my groove back. Though I did run some after all that, it just felt hard and weird, so I turned back toward the house, knowing I'd be a few minutes short of the 25 min.

This morning I wanted to fix the issues I had with Saturday's run, so I decided to hit the treadmill. The treadmill, I must say, is a completely different beast. I kept the pace pretty slow only picking it up a bit towards the end. Keeping a steady pace was pretty cool actually, since usually my runs are much more jagged. I managed the 25 min and felt really good at the end. I think with the ability to control my pace and the air-conditioning, I'm going to make one of my run days a treadmill day and see if that helps my overall endurance.

C25K W6 D2

C25K W6 D2
2.0 miles
23 minutes

The second half of my run was hard this morning, but thanks to my BFF who lives 8 quadzillion miles away, I made it through.

Even before I started, I gave myself permission to walk the evil hill as long as I at least attempted it. I got farther up it than I thought I would, but it's still a little disheartening. And it's not a huge hill, but it's enough that I dread it every run. I dream of one day thinking nothing of it, so I'll just keep at it.

Shortly after that, when I felt like just giving it up and walking the last bit - ADT by Fake Problems came on the mix my BFF made, and it was so awesome that I cried and I kept running.

Armadillo tail

Most mornings, my husband and I go out for a walk around 6am. I don't think either of us has ever seen a live armadillo (though sadly there's a dead one on my running route). We were actually closer to him and he was facing us for a few seconds, but by the time I got my phone out, unlocked, and whispered a few curse words, all I caught was his tail scurrying into a bush.

Hello

I can't really call myself a runner yet, but I'm aspiring. I'm working my way through Couch to 5K - at slower paces than I would like, but I'm sticking to it through the hills and the TX heat (even though I run before 6am most mornings).

I used to be a blogger - many moons ago, when you knew everyone on the "just updated" list, but it's been a long long while since I've blogged regularly. I've been so inspired by reading some running blogs though, I hope I find even more motivation and inspiration in keeping my own.