Wednesday, August 31, 2011

WEek 5 Day 2 - Take 2

I redid day 2 on Monday. It went much better as I enjoyed the nice a/c on the treadmill while Bailey played in the play room and tossed an occasional ball at me. Perhaps she was trying to get me moving. At this point after about 5 minutes of running I am pretty sure I may DIE! I made it through the first 8 minutes just barely! The second 8 minute run I stopped at 5 minutes, walked for a minute and then ran the last 2. I am going to restart week 5 on Thursday. I am thinking until I build my stamina to run for long periods I may be stuck in this week 5 and week 6 range for a bit. Week 5 here I come again! HA!

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Week 5 Day 2 - A complete BUST!

Cute isn't she? Ha! Let me tell you that pushing that little 17 pound girl in a jogging stroller
while trying to run is too much work for me yet! HA! Mckenzie did like every minute of it and me? Well today was quite a bust. I had a lot of cards stacked against me and I would like to say I conquered them but I did not.


The whole house was snoozin away until 7:45 this morning so I woke up figuring that I would just skip running this morning and go later on the treadmill. Trev got up and went and finished painting something he is working on in the garage. I then really wanted to go and run and wanted to do it outside so I decided to give it a go. I have been wanting to jog with the jogging stroller and figured this was a good oppurtunity while 28 pound Bailey was still sleeping and Trev was home. So, I hit the road. I immediately knew it was HOT! I tried to stay in the shadows of the houses but the sun was already too high. So, my first jog began. It was my longest one yet at 8 minutes. I felt ok at first but then my legs were killing me and I felt like I was trying to push a car instead of a stroller. HA! I have learned that for this fat momma if I do not keep shoulders back and stand pretty straight my legs start killing me and things seem harder. I realized I was sort of leaning over to hold onto the stroller with one hand. So now here I am in the middle of my first 8 minute run and I am already dieing! ARRGGHHH...The british lady told me I was half way and that I only had 4 more minutes. I ran for probably 30 more seconds and then I had to walk. I walked for a bit and then jogged and then walked agian and then jogged.


So, I was already devising a plan on how I was going to modify things and survive. This is how I operate. When I decide I can't do something I start thinking of ways to cheat! Anyway, the next run started and I felt pretty good for the first little bit and then MY PHONE BATTERY DIED! Seriously? I didn't learn my lesson the first time? I was so annoyed and walked the rest of the way. I know. Total disappointment. Anyway, at least I still wasn't in my bed but I wasn't exactly jogging. I was pretty far from home at this point so I walked the rest of the way home. When I got home Bailey was awake and outside with Trev and wanted me to take her for a ride too so I circled the block with her. So at least I got some good walking in.


So, I think that on Monday I am going to repeat today and then on Thursday next week I am going to redo week 5. I had really already planned on repeating week 5 in my mind. So, with all of this walking I devised a plan. ONce this freakin' weather is cooler on the days I am not doing the C25k then I am going to take a brisk walk with the kids in the stroller up to the park or something. I really like the program but I feel like on the off days I am sort of a couch potato because the weather is so hot. Anyway, that is my plan. Now, if the weather would just get COOLER! PLEASE!

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Start of week 5, dead phone and Snoop dog

I started week 5 tonight and it suprisingly wasn't that bad! HA! The only part I didn't like is that I knew my phone was likely to die so I would look at treadmill to see the time when I started a run and then it was very tempting to keep looking at it. Normally I just ignore the time or put it on miles or calories or something. Today's run was 3 five minute runs. The first run felt great and I kept a really good pace and my breathing and legs felt good. The middle of the second run my legs were really burning and I slowed my pace a bit. The middle of the last run I could hardly move my legs and slowed my pace again. Then when she said I had 10 seconds left I ran as fast as I can. I have no idea if you are suppose to do that but I like to do it on my last run. I do it most of the time. Seems like a good finish. Anyway, then my phone died during the cool down walk so I am not sure of my final mileage or pace but it seeems that I was keeping a pretty good pace. Next workout is 2 8 minute runs. Oh dear lord help me! HA!

I listen to Pandora while I exercise. The dance stations and hip hop stations seem to be the best ones with a good fast beat. Pandora of course plays unedited versions of songs so occasionally you get some pretty foul language. I figure a few F bombs from time to time are fine but I guess tonight was Snoop Dog night. HOLY FREAKING COW! Snoop Dog I am ashamed! I must be getting old.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Week 4 complete. I survived

I finished up week 4 last night. I am just now posting because when I got home last night Mckenzie had woken up and was NOT happy! Nothing like nursing a baby with sweat dripping off of you. Anyway, it was tough run for me and I felt rather tired but I did survive without walking. I had to slow my speed quite a bit in the last 5 minute run. I am TERRIFIED of week 5 but BRING IT!

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Week 4 Day 2 - Hitting the Street



Mckenzie was trying to help me out and woke up bright eyed at 6:45. So I figured I better get dressed and hit the pavement before it was 107 degrees. The sun was not too high yet and I was able to stay in the shadows of the houses for part of the way. A benefit of living in cementville! HA! Anyway, I was quite worried about today's run because running on the pavement seems a little more difficult than running on the treadmill to me at this point. However, today I was pleasantly surprised to find that being off the treadmill was quite nice and I was able to make it through all of the runs. Now don't get me wrong it wasn't easy and I wanted to stop running several times but I just pushed through. Also the last 5 minute run I may have been running slower than I could have walked but I was not STOPPING! HA! Anyway, I was happy that I was able to keep about the same pace and distance that I have on the treadmill and I couldn't exactly cheat other than to stop running and that was NOT a option! HA! Anyway, it was a nice little workout and I was home by 7:45! I was hoping to see my route and pace on my route but it said that it lost its GPS signal somewhere and couldn't post the map. Not sure what happened but guess I will check it out next time. Can't wait until Monday....

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Week 4 Day 1

I was pretty nervous about this run but it turned out not to be too bad. I didn't walk on any of the runs but at the end of each 5 minute run I had to hold onto the treadmill. CHEATING! Looking back on it I probably should have just slowed my speed and kept jogging. I did the run on the treadmill around 8:30. I actually love to jog at this time of night but it makes getting to sleep difficult to me. :) I am hoping to hit the street on my run for Saturday!

Monday, August 15, 2011

Week 3 - Day 3

I survived week 3 and I am moving on to week 4 which I am VERY afraid of. Today was a good day but not as easy as the other 2. I thinking going in the evening and having a pretty busy day with the kids has part to do with it. I also did not drink enough water today. Week 4 starts on Thursday!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Week 3 - Day 2 and thoughts about treadmill

I actually was going to try running on the pavement this day since Trev would be home and I could go early enough in the day while it was cool. I woke up and it was raining! It hasn't rained in like 2 months but it was raining this day. Anyway, I decided to head up to the treadmill instead. It felt really good and I was able to get through all the runs! I was super excited when it was over. Why they are short 3 minute runs that is 3 times longer than the first week! A 1 minute jog seems easy now!

My thoughts on the treadmill: So I have heard some friends say they hate the treadmill and some friends say that they love the treadmill and I have read the debates online. Anyway, here are my thoughts. I think for me and maybe for the beginner fat runner the treadmill is probably a good place to start. It is the middle of summer and over 100 degrees everyday right now so I must say that I have not done a lot of running on the pavement. I think it is harder on my body right now on the pavement. Obviously I am not going to be able to run a 5k in a climate controlled room on a treadmill but I think if you are trying to get into the program and it helps you then it is what you should do. I am going to try to run from time to time in the morning to get used to the idea but once the weather is better I am going to try and always hit the pavement. I think that I might have to backtrack a few weeks but at least maybe I have conditioned myself to stand a better chance of being successful.!

Week 3 - Day 1

I was a little nervous about this week because it has a couple of 3 mintue runs in there. Might not sound like a lot to some of you but to this big mama I was quite worried! I was actually pleasently suprised that I was able to handle it pretty well. I felt really good at the end of the runs and hoped that I wouldn't crash and burn the next days of week 3 like I had on my first attempt of week 2.

Week 2 - Second attempt

It was back in the right frame of mind to start week 2 again and was hoping that it would be so much better than it had been. Good news is that it totally was. I wouldn't say that it was easy but I was able to make it through all of the runs without stopping to walk! It felt so good that I was making progress and really bought back into the program again and by the end of it I was ready to start week 3!

Week 2 - First attempt

Day 1 of the second week went great and I felt wonderful. I noticed if I paid attention to my posture and made sure to transition better from walking to running on the treadmill made my knee pretty much not hurt at all! I was feeling on cloud 9!

Day 2: I still don't know quite what was wrong but I felt like I could hardly walk briskly much less jog. I couldn't get through any of the runs and I came home feeling VERY defeated. I told my husband that I was pretty sure that this program was for skinny people on the couch not fat people on the couch! Friends encouraged me to keep moving so I hoped for better luck on Day 3.

Day 3: This day was a little better than day 2 but I still could not complete the runs and I felt like my legs were lead weights. I still felt very discouraged but you rest for 2 days after completing each week so I hoped that 2 days of rest would give me the energy I needed to start again.

The program suggests that if you can not complete a week then you should redo that week. Since I could not get through the runs on Day 2 and 3 I decided to repeat it. At first I felt a little defeated but then also remembered that at least I was moving! This is sort of when I came up with the C25k4FP program in my mind. I figure that with all this extra weight that I might need to repeat some weeks. I actually have since read some blogs of some people who are overweight and one girl spent a whole month on week 6 but at least she was sticking to the program and trying to finish it even if it wasn't in 9 weeks!

Week 1

Every week in the program is 3 days. WEek 1 has you warm-up for 5 mintues, then run 1 minute and walk 1 1/2 mintues, and then repeat that 8 times and then have a 5 minute cool down run. I felt really good this week except that my right knee seemed to bother me a bit and I struggled a big with day 3 but pushed forward to week 2.

C25k program and the fun little apps

So, what is the Couch to 5k program? Well basically it is a program that does what it says....gets you from the couch to doing a 5k in 9 weeks. It is a walking and jogging program and there are a million apps that help you acomplish your goals. This website describes the program in detail. I like the program so far because it has structure on when I need to walk and when I need to run. When I tried to run before I would try to alternate jogging and walking but would never have a goal so it seemed to hard.

What is so much fun to me with this program are the cool little apps you can put on your iphone to help you attain your goals. These are the 2 that I am using:

Get Running - A little british lady prompts you when to walk and when to jog. It also keeps track of which days you need to be running. It can run at the same time as your music so the music just gets quieter and the Brit says, "Ok start running now!"

Nike+ GPS - This app keeps track of your distance, speed, calories burned etc. If you are on the street it maps your path as well. If you are indoors on a treadmill it still keeps track of your distance and you can set it up how you like to give you feedback as you are running. I have mine set at 1/4 mile marks. I think it is helpful while I am on the road as well because I find when I am not on the treadmill I don't set an even pace.

I got both of the apps for about 2 buck a piece.

The beginning!

I really don't mean the title of my blog to be offensive. It really is the truth. Well at least it is the truth for me right now. I have been needing to get back in the exercise groove for a while now so was looking for a good program. I had been walking quite a bit for exercise back in the spring and pushing the girls to the park but every since it got so hot I just have been pretty much being a couch potato. I have never liked running but have always been a pretty big walker. My sister and I even did the breast cancer 3 day, 60 mile walk many years ago. However, I was frankly bored with just walking and it seems like to get good exercise in it takes a long time and until the weather gets nice to exercise with kids in the stroller I don't have the time. A few of my friends had begun doing the C25K program and I kept seeing their updates on facebook so I finally got motivated to give it a try! I joke with a friend that I am doing the C25k4FP, couch to 5k for fat people! Ha! Anyway, I really wanted to start this blog to keep track of my progress and to also encourage other people that they to can get off the couch and off to exercising. I figure if I can survive natural, unmedicated childbirth then surely I can survive this!