C25K: Week 3 Day 1

C25K Week 3 Day 1 was a little tougher than last week's workouts.  The running intervals are now 3 minutes at a time and my endurance is being built up because of it.  I have upped my running speed as well so that is also helping to build endurance.  I am amazed at how much energy I have after my workouts and how I feel physically.  I have also increased my incline percent to 6% just to make the workouts a little more difficult.  After I finished C25K today I weight trained both upper and lower body for another hour.  I am trying to weight train on Mon, Wed & Fri when I do my C25K just so if I work out at home instead of going to the gym on Tues and Thurs I haven't missed a weight training session.  I am also excited to say that I have lost 8 pounds after the first 2 weeks of the C25K program!  I do not plan on finding them again either!! lol  Anyway, so far so good this week and hopefully more great workouts to come!

Take a look at the new present from my wonderful husband....  pretty excited to try it out this week too!

C25K: Week 2 Day 3

Today was Week 2 Day 3 of Couch to 5K.  I completed my run at the gym today on the treadmill... it's just too hot to run outside during the day right now.  I was starting to feel like my runs were becoming too easy so I opted to increase my running interval speed by 0.5 mph today to see if it made any difference.  Boy it did!!  The run was not nearly as easy and I felt challenged again.  I am looking forward to next week when the run times increase from 1.5 minutes to 3 minutes at a time.  I am also upping my incline on the treadmill to 3% to increase my strength and have a little more resistance training.

I also weight trained again today.  I did upper and lower body training.  Upper body training consisted of bicep curls, tricep extensions, lateral pulldowns, flys, and chest presses.  My lower body weight training was hip abduction/adduction, leg presses, leg curls/extensions, and leg/glute press.  After my session, I sat in the sauna for about 15 mins and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I can tell a definite difference in how sore my muscles get when I use the sauna verses when I skip it.  The few minutes I spend in there really help prevent aches and soreness.  Looking forward to next weeks  C25K!!

This is my new favorite dessert....  It's only 160 Calories and feels more like a splurge than just eating plain fruit (especially since I eat so much fruit everyday!) They have these in apple-cinnamon and apple-pear crisp flavors at Kroger for about $2.50!

C25K: Week 2 Day 2

Week 2 Day 2 of C25K was amazing!!  My endurance is getting so much better already...  at the end of the workout I still wanted to keep going.  I didn't feel winded or tired.  All I felt was energized and calm.  I swear running is my version of therapy.  My workouts go by so fast because it's just me, my iPod and my run and I zone out, clear my mind and just run.  There is nothing else that matters at that point in time and the workout just flies by.  Can't wait for day 3 on Friday but I am totally excited about starting week 3 next week and building my endurance up even more.

I also weight trained my arms today.  Truth is my upper body strength and tone is way worse than my lower body.  I have never enjoyed weight training my upper body but I know I need to do this to be the best runner I can be.  I need strength throughout my body not just my lower half.  So I did triceps extensions, lateral pulldowns, bicep curls, flys, and chest presses.  I didn't use much weight.... 20 lbs but did more reps... 3 sets of 10 of each.

I am loving my new issue of Runner's World Magazine right now too:

The new Simply Jif Peanut Butter is amazing... low sugar and low sodium.  I am loving Peanut Butter and Banana sandwiches as post workout/recovery fuel.

Running is real and relatively simple — but it ain’t easy.
~~Mark Will-Weber~~

C25K Week 2 Day 1 went better than expected!  The run times have started to increase... by 30 seconds this week and I am feeling the burn!  I have however noticed that my endurance is already improving and that I am not ready to quit after each run interval.  I am finding myself wishing the training session was longer than 30 minutes.  I also weight trained my legs today using the leg press, leg curl/extension, hip abductor machine, and legs-glute press.  I am trying to build up the muscles and tendons/ligaments in my legs and legs to prevent injuries.  My legs are burning in a good way now just a few hours later....  like they say, "No pain no gain."  Pretty excited to get back into the gym tomorrow and have another solid workout.  I will say that I sat in the sauna for about 15-20 minutes afterward and I believe this helps prevent my muscles from being as sore.  I may have to include this into my workout routine... even if it's only 10 minutes.

On a different note (but still dealing with health), those of you that know me, know my dad passed away my senior year of high school from a horrible disease called ALS (Lou Gherig's Disease).  We watched him suffer for almost 3 years... until he was paralyzed, couldn't talk or communicate, and was bed ridden... pretty much a perfect mind trapped in a body that wouldn't move because the muscles had frozen and deteriorated.  Just try to imagine a fully functioning mind in a non-working body.  Anyway, that is just a little background...  I read an article today about advances and a discovery in the fight against ALS and just wanted to share the information.  This makes my heart happy to know that there are some advances being made.  Hopefully fewer people will have to suffer in the future from this horrible disease.   Here's the link:

http://news.yahoo.com/researchers-theyve-found-common-cause-types-als-180606872.html

My Hero.

C25K: Week 1 Day 3

Quick update...  Today was Week 1 Day 3 of my C25K program and I am starting to feel a little more comfortable with it...  which I am sure means next week will be even harder and make me push myself a little further.  Ask me Monday if I regret saying it's starting to feel easier and I'm not as sore lol.  Anyway, today I tried the treadmill again because I was waiting on someone to come by the house and I didn't want to be out of pocket.  I still like being outdoors more.  It's more natural to me to be surrounded by nature instead of being stuck in a room on a treadmill.  But hey...  the treadmill has it's perks... I didn't have to skip my workout completely!  Anyway, I can tell my legs are stronger already and I can't wait to see how this program changes my mindset as well as my body and makes me a stronger person overall.  I'm sure by the time I am ready to run a 5K, I will be completely addicted again and will just want to shoot for a 10K the next go around, then a 1/2 marathon and of course eventually a marathon.  I'm starting to enjoy the comfort of a daily running routine.  I may hurt the entire time right now, but afterwards, I feel like a million bucks.  The only thing that I am not fond of about this program is the fact it's only a 3 day a week training program.  I am just filling in the other days with some strength training and a mile or two of intervals.  I think I will end up doing the program more than the 3 days a week it calls for.  So, to all of my fellow runners out there... what can I expect out of a real 5K.... I am nervous and excited to sign up for my first one in the next several months....

C25K: Week 1 Day 2

Tonight was Week 1 Day 2 of the C25K plan and it went well.  Unlike day 1, I decided to take my run outdoors instead of at the gym.  I enjoyed it much more too.  Being outside in nature instead of stuck on a treadmill is much more calming...natural... and enjoyable to me.  The only issue is how hot it is in Texas right now.  I either have to go early mornings or at night and me being a night owl... that is the only option for me.  I am not waking up early to exercise.  I know me and I will not stick to a morning routine.

The first few minutes were rough, but I stuck it out and now I feel amazing!!  I think I enjoyed it more even without the A/C like in the gym  lol which is a first for me for sure!  I am pretty excited to see how this 5K training program progresses from week to week and am so ready to see my progress and my endurance get stronger as I go.  I am hoping to actually enter my first 5K by the end of this year or early 2012.  

I also have started a new book that I am enjoying so far...  seems like a good and informative read too

I am also really enjoying my new arm band for my iPhone.  It keeps it from getting wet and it's fitted so the phone doesn't fall out.

Quote of the day:

"If you want to become the best runner you can be, start now.  Don't spend the rest of your life wondering if you can do it."
~~Priscilla Welch~~

Syked for Change :)

Well, this is my first "real" blog in awhile...  facebook doesn't count as a "real" blog in my book. :)  I will try my best to get into the habit of writing in here often and updating.

Those of you that know me, know that I used to be a huge runner, some might even say addicted and in love with it.  It truly was my "drug" of choice.  Everyday after work I would go to my favorite little park and pound out 7-10 miles (6 days a week) and then head home for the night.  I logged a minimum of 42 miles a week.  I remember how amazing I always felt during and after my runs.  I felt untouchable, stress free, calm, happy, and most importantly...healthy.  It was just me, the pavement, and my iPod which suited me perfectly fine, because truth is, I enjoy running alone.  My mind would be clear and the adrenaline rush was unbelievable.

The past 3 years, life happened and I ultimately stopped running.  I got married to the love of my life and began nesting and doing all of the things newlyweds do... eating out, cooking delicious but bad for you food and watching too much TV.  I have missed it so much though.  I go for awhile and not think about it and then I start realizing just how much i truly miss it.  So, I decided to recapture my love of running and my health for myself and my husband and eventually my future children.  I need to know that when I have kids a few years down the road, they will see a healthy, happy, strong and supportive mother who can really enjoy running after them!

So, this brings me to my training.  I just started Couch to 5K (C25K) this week and will be on Week 1 Day 2 tomorrow!  Day 1 went as expected.  I felt every ache and pain that beginning runners feel.  I also felt like I wanted to quit before I really started, but hey it takes at least 28 days to form a habit.  My entire body is sore, but it is the good soreness... the healthy soreness.  I remember the beginner aches, pains and mindset from my early 20s when I decided running was a part of my soul.  Now in my late 20s I will recapture that part of my life and keep it front and center.  I look forward to the challenge and know that it will get easier with time, just like everything else does.  Any support from other runners is welcomed :)