First day back

Tonight, I decided that I wasn't quite ready to be running again. But rather than just sitting at home again, making my next run day even harder, I went out and power walked the run interals. My knee was still tender, but as long as I pay attention to my form, making sure I don't lock my knees (just noticed I do that), I think I'll be fine.

Short Delay

I have been trying to update my blog for days now because Week 2 has not been kind to me. Day 1 was hard, but I pushed my way through the run. Day 2 seemed a little harder for some reason. I found myself ending run intervals early in the middle of the run, but tried to make up the time at the end. I was noticing some tenderness in my right knee during that run, but nothing that I thought would become a problem. The next morning I found I was wrong. My knee was really hurting, and increased in pain over the following 36 hours. I decided not to do run #3, resting at home instead. I felt a bit better after that. Until I decided to go shopping with my mother and sister and found myself essentially power walking all day (thanks Mom). So the morning of what was supposed to be the beginning of Week 3, I could hardly bend my knee and had gotten very little sleep as it had ached all night. Obviously I decided it best to not run that day either.

Since then I've stayed of it, and today it feels pretty much back to normal. I don't know what I did, probably turned my foot funny while I was running or something and over stetched a muscle. I'm going to go back to Day 2 of Week 2 tomorrow provided I still feel well. Since it's started raining here in Seattle, I'm not looking forward to running in the rain, but at least I'll be the only one out there, LOL!

Week 2

Week Two program: 5 minute brisk walk, 6 intervals of 90 seconds running and 2 minutes walking, 5 minute walking cool down.

Saturday was a crazy day, and I almost didn't get my first run of week two done. But in the last pocket of sun, I got my butt out there and ran. I was a little worried about the increased intensity, but convinced myself it was only 30 seconds more running, and hey, I got a bonus 30 more seconds of walking too! Bull Cr@p! Don't let anyone tell you different; 30 seconds more running is A LOT more running. 50% more to be precise! And 30 seconds more walking doesn't compensate. There's only 33.3% more walking. GRRR! But I guess that's the point, to increase the amount of time running, right? RIGHT??

I did pretty good until about 75 seconds into the run, then my brain started freaking out. "Holy cow, when's this run going to be over? Will I ever get to stop running?", "ROBERT! WHERE ARE YOU?!!", "I. Need. To. Stop.", "It's okay, I can stop even though the interval's not done. Really.", "AHHHHHH!" Then I hear that magical voice telling me that this interval is done. I'm pretty sure there was more than once that I actually said out loud, "Thank Goodness!" If my neighbors didn't already think I was weird to run up and down the block (still looking like a fool when I run), talking to myself surely doesn't help. But when things got really bad during the runs, and I'd just about talked myself into stopping early, I'd hear Jen's voice telling me to just get over myself and just do it, but in much more colorful Jen language. LOL!

4 runs down, 23 left until the program is over

2 Down . . .

I just got back from my second run, and amazingly it was at least 100% easier than run #1. I was feeling pretty ambivalent about going out (it was cold, windy, and possibly a little rainy when I first looked out the door), but once I got out the door and actually started running, I found that, though it was hard, it wasn't nearly as hard as I had feared it to be. I was even able to think about something besides putting one foot in front of the other or how much my lungs burned. I have one more run in this week, and I'm sure that one will be plenty hard, but I'm excited to go. Saturday, beginning of week 2, I have to get up pretty early to run (yuck) because we have a very full morning and I don't trust myself to do it AFTER we do everything else. Oh boy. I am a bit worried about upping the run interval, but that's all part of the training to get up to 5K. I do enjoy the added Weight Watchers Points I get for doing the run. LOL!

Holy Sore Muscles Batman!

Okay, sore legs, I understand. I even understand the sore abs and back. But sore arms? Huh? It's not like I was running on my hands or anything. I've heard that runners who work on their upper body strength find that it improves their running dramatically, but I haven't a clue why. Oh well, I expected to be sore, and I'm actually not nearly as sore as I thought I'd be (or figure I'll be tomorrow) so I won't complain. Too much. =-)

And Go!

Lessons learned by first running session:
1) Thank goodness for Robert Ullrey. I almost skipped an interval and walked twice, but when he said, "It's only 60 seconds", I ran anyway. However, during the last running interval, he pops in and says something like, "Great Job!" which I interpreted as the end of the interval so I slowed to my walk. What came next, however, was, "Only 20 seconds left!" Consequently, I did not run the last 20 seconds (I just couldn't get it going again.)
2) You are always running into the wind no matter what direction you're running. This, combined with the hard surface you're running on and the intermittent hills, running outside is harder than running in the gym. But the wind on me really helped cool me off.
3) And most importantly, new undergarments are going to be a must. Pre-baby sports bra just isn't cutting it. LOL!

All in all, this first run was a good one. It was hard, but the intervals of walking really helped a lot. And like I said above, Robert Ullrey really helped. He has an encouraging way of letting you know how much time you had left and used language that made it seem not only attainable, but easy. ("It's only 60 seconds.") In the grand sceme of things, I am very happy with how things went.

So, what did you do this weekend? I became a runner!

Getting Set

I pulled out the old iPod tonight expecting to just plug it into my computer to make sure that the podcast I used previously was still on the actual iPod. I thought that if I'd taken it off, then I would at least have it on my computer still. WRONG! I had to go and find it on iTunes but I couldn't remember the name of the guy who'd made it (Robert Ulrey in case you're wondering). After an hour of dinking around with the settings of iTunes (apparently I also downloaded a new version of iTunes recently, grrr!) I finally got more than the 9th week to download. Now I'm just hoping that my iPod will hold a charge during the entire run tomorrow (I really need a new one). So I think I'm all ready. Ipod is charging, shoes are out by the door, hat is ready just in case it rains. I'm set to go!

T - 17 Hours

Tomorrow morning is the first official running day, and I keep trying to imagine what it will be like. I tried to map out a route here in the neighborhood that will minimize the number of people that will stop and stare at me, LOL! (Good excuse to run really early? NAH, I still want to sleep in.) I can't control the weather though, and true to Seattle style, it looks like it might rain. (Yea.) But I am looking forward to getting out of the house for half an hour.

Ok. Here we go.

Back in the fall of 2006, my friend Jen convinced me that it would be a great idea for me to do the Danskin triathlon with her the following August. I'm not entirely sure what I was on, but somehow I agreed with her, and began training. Having never run even a mile before, I decided I really had to start from the floor up. I found a "Couch to 5K" program that promised I would be able to run an entire 5K in ten weeks' time while only training for 30 minutes, 3 times a week. Despite a setback at about week 6, I did find myself able to run 5K (very slowly) after ten weeks. I was ecstatic!! Then I discovered that I was pregnant with my first son, Noah. Fast forward two years or so, and I had signed up for the St. Patrick's Day Dash (I was going to walk it) with the plan that I would be starting on the road to being a runner again (I'd given up the idea of being a triathlete for the moment). A week later, I found out I was pregnant with son number two, Liam. No Joke! I guess preparing for an organized event like these made me fertile. LOL!!Here we are, in March 2010, and again, I am planning to run a 5K. I think I've got the pregnancy thing locked down (oh please, please, please!), and I am going to be starting the "Couch to 5K" program again this Saturday. I'm a little nervous because I remember how hard the beginning was last time. But I know I can do it, and I'm really looking forward to crossing the finish line at the Fremont 5K June 11th!