I've concluded week 2 and I'm still standing. Whoo Hoo! This week was an interesting one. Due to some "over-indulgence" on Saturday night, I was unable to eat much of anything on Sunday and therefore had to cancel my Monday's run. All was not lost though... I reshuffled my schedule and was able to get my runs in throughout the rest of the week (although having 2 days of back to back runs was NOT fun). Also, Andrew came down with a case of strep throat, so he was unable to run with me for a little bit... Mark stepped in and did a fair job as running coach.
Tuesday and Wednesday I did 3.5 mile runs, one outside and one inside. My outside run was good. I felt pretty strong throughout and my inside run was great... it almost felt easy. I was able to run a good pace without any stress or pain. Needless to say I felt like superwoman on my way into Friday's run. Well let me tell you... Friday was, in my mind, a disaster (although I was assured by Mark and Andrew that it was not a bad run). To give you a little background, it's been getting gradually warmer and warmer here in good ole NC and by the time Friday rolled around, it was well into the 80's and peaking over 90. We decided to do our run as scheduled, but shortened it to 2.5 miles because despite the fact that it was around 5:30pm, the sun was still pretty hot (I think it was around 84 outside). The run started ok... I felt the sun on my back but it wasn't too much to bear. Unfortunately, by the halfway point I was miserable and my energy was draining fast. I didn't think I would make it the last .75 miles. We ended up cutting the run down to 2 miles and I had to take a short walking break near the end. I knew the sun could be bad, but this was BRUTAL. I've never felt so exhausted. On top of that, there was no breeze whatsoever and all the sweating I did just stuck to me like a moist towel instead of evaporating and cooling me down. Yuck! On the way home, I felt very defeated as if I had failed. It seemed as though I had taken a step back after making so much progress. I've learned that these feelings are normal and you should not let them get the best of you! All runners have bad days, but at least you got out there and gave it a go. Looking back, I still have lingering feelings of disappointment, but I know that I tried my best and my body just wasn't going to get me through that time. It happens, you know...
Saturday morning came and I was ready to redeem myself for the previous day. We got started at 9:45am and ran 4 miles. Overall, it was a very good run. I was able to run solidly throughout and felt pretty good when we finished. The route we ran was challenging too, so it made me feel good that I was able to get through it. Our path took us through the Brier Creek Country Club development and there are lots of hills -- one particularly big hill at the end that kind of made me its bitch but I was able to get to the top (albeit, with a lot of pain in my thighs... a deep burn if you will). It's a picturesque run, so that made it easy to kind of zone out for a while and just focus on the lush surroundings.
In the end, this week went very well... I'm pleased that I'm still sticking with my regimen because honestly, I figured this wouldn't last too long! Not that I'm a quitter, but its hard getting into a routine and sticking with it. Usually, life happens and you start to stray and before you know it, you're back at square one. I've made lots of progress and am proud to say that in 2 weeks time, I've gone from running a 13 minute mile to running 4 miles at about an 11:00 minute pace! One side note... my knees have recently begun to get a little sore. I was told that this isn't anything to worry about, as long as the pain isn't extreme. I've begun icing my knees after runs for about 15 minutes which is helping. Again, it's not really pain, but more of a soreness.
18 more weeks to go!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Week 1
Well one thing is for sure, "they" are right when they say the first couple of weeks are the toughest. Week 1 kind of kicked my butt in the beginning, but I was able to make it through... and I haven't had any thoughts about quitting!
Monday was the official start of my training. We did some light running on the treadmill in the gym just to get my body into the whole running thing. BTW, I'm not doing this alone. A friend of mine here (Andrew) is serving as my training buddy/coach. He's run half marathons before and has been really good about keeping me motivated and on track! Anyways, Monday was pretty simple. Tuesday was a rest day from running, so I did some weight training in the gym and a little cross training on the stationary bike... again, nothing too intense. Prior to all of this, my gym workouts were mainly on the elliptical machine and some light weight lifting, so I'm not completely out of shape. But as you know, running is very different from the elliptical machine (and apparently running on the treadmill is a LOT different from running outside on the roads, which I would find out the hard way later!).
Wednesday was another day in the gym, but my run was more intense. I'm currently running at about a 12:30 to 13:00 minute mile pace. This run was only for 2 miles, but still, it was kind of kicking my butt a bit at the end. At the end of our workout, Andrew informed me that we would be taking our run outside the next day. "Ok" I'm thinking, this shouldnt be too bad... I mean, if I can run inside I can run outside, right? Well, let me tell you, running outside is a lot more demanding than running on a treadmill! Which brings us to Thursday.
Now I had been kind of dreading Thursday. I knew it would be at this point that I would start to want to give up. So I pretty much spent all day worrying about the Thursday run and if it would be too tough for me. Once we started though, I felt pretty good... until about 3/4's of the way through. Then my legs tightened up on me and every step was a fight. Unlike the treadmill, the road outside doesn't help you along by moving for you :o) Although I was supposed to run the whole thing, I ended up having to walk at a brisk pace for about a minute just to give my calves a break (sad face). After that, I was able to press on and finish up the run. We were supposed to go 2 miles and by the time I reached the end, I thought my calves were going to fall off!!! As I'm nearing the finish, Andrew pulls out a piece of folded paper and tells me to open it up once I stop. I get to the flag pole, open it and it reads "Congratulations! You just ran 3 miles!". That sneaky little bastard! He'd upped the mileage on me! Oh well, I'd finished and I felt great about it... but I did learn one very important lesson. NEVER underestimate the need for stretching! My calves seized up becuase I hadn't adequately stretched them! You really need to take your time and get in a good LOOOOONG stretching session before you run and you need to stretch after as well. It can make or break your run, seriously.
Friday was a much needed day of rest before heading into the first "long run" of my training. Saturday at 9am Andrew, Mark and I met up to stretch and get going. Prior to this, I spent about 25 minutes stretching in my apartment, paying particular attention to my problem spots (calves, shins and ankles). I don't have any arches in my feet and as a result, my foot pretty much slaps the ground with full force, creating a lot of impact on my ankles and knees. I wear inserts in my running shoes, which helps a lot. I also over-pronate, which means that my ankles roll inward when I walk or run. Most people's feet aren't perfect so I highly suggest that before you start a training program, you go to a running specialty store (and no, not like a Foot Locker, but a place where the staff are runners and have an in depth knowledge of running shoes) and get a good pair of sneakers that address your specific needs. I have a great pair of shoes that I purchased about a year ago, but clearly never ran in them! They help keep my ankle stable and drastically reduce my chances of injury. You need a good running shoe if you're going to put in this kind of mileage every week... DON'T SKIMP!
Anyways, back to the run! So, we head out and my only goal for this run was to not stop running! I was going to get through the whole thing! Well, I felt really good... surprisingly good and strong! I wasn't going to let those hills kick my ass today! My legs felt good, my calves didn't turn on me and I was able to get through the run! I even felt like I could have run some more! I don't know if I was experiencing the runner's high or if I were just really excited about finishing, but I felt giddy as we came to a stop outside of our complex. I'd gotten out there and put in a pretty damn good performance! Ha! And it felt great. Afterwards, I rewarded myself by hanging out at the pool with friends and enjoying the beautiful day.
Sunday was a day for rest and reflection. I'd completed week 1 of my training... and for the first time, I actually felt like I could do this. I mean, up until this point, I was still telling myself that this was borderline crazy. But after Saturday, I really started to believe that doing this was possible! I'm hoping that will carry me through week 2 (which I'm sure willbe tough) and onward to my goal.
Monday was the official start of my training. We did some light running on the treadmill in the gym just to get my body into the whole running thing. BTW, I'm not doing this alone. A friend of mine here (Andrew) is serving as my training buddy/coach. He's run half marathons before and has been really good about keeping me motivated and on track! Anyways, Monday was pretty simple. Tuesday was a rest day from running, so I did some weight training in the gym and a little cross training on the stationary bike... again, nothing too intense. Prior to all of this, my gym workouts were mainly on the elliptical machine and some light weight lifting, so I'm not completely out of shape. But as you know, running is very different from the elliptical machine (and apparently running on the treadmill is a LOT different from running outside on the roads, which I would find out the hard way later!).
Wednesday was another day in the gym, but my run was more intense. I'm currently running at about a 12:30 to 13:00 minute mile pace. This run was only for 2 miles, but still, it was kind of kicking my butt a bit at the end. At the end of our workout, Andrew informed me that we would be taking our run outside the next day. "Ok" I'm thinking, this shouldnt be too bad... I mean, if I can run inside I can run outside, right? Well, let me tell you, running outside is a lot more demanding than running on a treadmill! Which brings us to Thursday.
Now I had been kind of dreading Thursday. I knew it would be at this point that I would start to want to give up. So I pretty much spent all day worrying about the Thursday run and if it would be too tough for me. Once we started though, I felt pretty good... until about 3/4's of the way through. Then my legs tightened up on me and every step was a fight. Unlike the treadmill, the road outside doesn't help you along by moving for you :o) Although I was supposed to run the whole thing, I ended up having to walk at a brisk pace for about a minute just to give my calves a break (sad face). After that, I was able to press on and finish up the run. We were supposed to go 2 miles and by the time I reached the end, I thought my calves were going to fall off!!! As I'm nearing the finish, Andrew pulls out a piece of folded paper and tells me to open it up once I stop. I get to the flag pole, open it and it reads "Congratulations! You just ran 3 miles!". That sneaky little bastard! He'd upped the mileage on me! Oh well, I'd finished and I felt great about it... but I did learn one very important lesson. NEVER underestimate the need for stretching! My calves seized up becuase I hadn't adequately stretched them! You really need to take your time and get in a good LOOOOONG stretching session before you run and you need to stretch after as well. It can make or break your run, seriously.
Friday was a much needed day of rest before heading into the first "long run" of my training. Saturday at 9am Andrew, Mark and I met up to stretch and get going. Prior to this, I spent about 25 minutes stretching in my apartment, paying particular attention to my problem spots (calves, shins and ankles). I don't have any arches in my feet and as a result, my foot pretty much slaps the ground with full force, creating a lot of impact on my ankles and knees. I wear inserts in my running shoes, which helps a lot. I also over-pronate, which means that my ankles roll inward when I walk or run. Most people's feet aren't perfect so I highly suggest that before you start a training program, you go to a running specialty store (and no, not like a Foot Locker, but a place where the staff are runners and have an in depth knowledge of running shoes) and get a good pair of sneakers that address your specific needs. I have a great pair of shoes that I purchased about a year ago, but clearly never ran in them! They help keep my ankle stable and drastically reduce my chances of injury. You need a good running shoe if you're going to put in this kind of mileage every week... DON'T SKIMP!
Anyways, back to the run! So, we head out and my only goal for this run was to not stop running! I was going to get through the whole thing! Well, I felt really good... surprisingly good and strong! I wasn't going to let those hills kick my ass today! My legs felt good, my calves didn't turn on me and I was able to get through the run! I even felt like I could have run some more! I don't know if I was experiencing the runner's high or if I were just really excited about finishing, but I felt giddy as we came to a stop outside of our complex. I'd gotten out there and put in a pretty damn good performance! Ha! And it felt great. Afterwards, I rewarded myself by hanging out at the pool with friends and enjoying the beautiful day.
Sunday was a day for rest and reflection. I'd completed week 1 of my training... and for the first time, I actually felt like I could do this. I mean, up until this point, I was still telling myself that this was borderline crazy. But after Saturday, I really started to believe that doing this was possible! I'm hoping that will carry me through week 2 (which I'm sure willbe tough) and onward to my goal.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Quick Update
I'm going to give a full Week One report on Sunday evening, but I just want to say... I had my first outdoor run yesterday (the first few days I was inside on the treadmill) and my legs are crazy sore! Damn North Carolina hills!
More to come...
More to come...
Monday, April 13, 2009
Pre-Training Stats
Weight Loss - N/A
Waist Measurement -37.0"
Thigh Measurement - 24.25"
Bicep Measurement -11.5"
Longest Run - N/A
Mile Pace - N/A
"The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare." -Juma Ikangaa, 1989 NYC Marathon winner
Waist Measurement -37.0"
Thigh Measurement - 24.25"
Bicep Measurement -11.5"
Longest Run - N/A
Mile Pace - N/A
"The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare." -Juma Ikangaa, 1989 NYC Marathon winner
In The Beginning...
I'm doing it... I'm taking the plunge and along the way, fulfilling one of my "ultimate life goals". For years I've talked about running a marathon - and the closest I've gotten was volunteering at the New York Marathon for the past 2 years. Well, this past year, as I was standing there handing out cups of water to the runners, I had a sudden realization... I'm a complete SLUG! I mean really, here were 80 year olds bustin' it out for 26.2 miles and the best I could do was hand them a half cup of watered down Gatorade and yell "ONE MORE MILE" as they streaked past me to the finish. Yeah, way to dig in and accomplish something. So I've decided, it's time... I'm going to take the first step in accomplishing my goal! I am signing up to run a half marathon this September (Labor Day weekend to be exact). Yeah, I'm not crazy and won't be jumping right into the full marathon, but the half should be a nice way to ease myself into competitive road racing (and by ease I mean SHOCK my body and by competitive I mean I just want to finish with a semi-respectable time).
This blog will be my journal as I take on the challenge of building my body up from lowly invertebrate to lean muscle, ass-busting road racer! Along the way I'll be keeping track of my stats, both on the road and physically. That's right I'm putting it ALL out there -weight, waist line, everything! So come along and join me on my ride... or should I say run, because if I can do it, so can you!
Here I go...
This blog will be my journal as I take on the challenge of building my body up from lowly invertebrate to lean muscle, ass-busting road racer! Along the way I'll be keeping track of my stats, both on the road and physically. That's right I'm putting it ALL out there -weight, waist line, everything! So come along and join me on my ride... or should I say run, because if I can do it, so can you!
Here I go...
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