Week 2 C210K

Week 2 of the C210K Plan is down in the history books. I've finished this week and Week 3 has started off wonderfully. Remember how I complained about these past 2 weeks being "too easy" well my fitness is being tested in week 3. 

My runs for the week...

I had a big gap between day 2 and day 3 only because the bed feels so good and its surprisingly still chilly outside. That is really more of a challenge than actually running. Just putting my feet on the floor and throwing on my clothes. How do people do it when it's actually snowing out?? 

Week 2 consisted of .20 miles running and .25 walking, repeating 6 times. It felt good and "easy" but I still reminded myself that I am building my base. I ran/walked a total of 5.67 miles. No long run this time but I see it in my sights.  

Week 3 has me huffing it but I welcome the excitement! 

Until Next Time,

BE BLESSED

Week 1 C210K

Screenshot of my first week of training....

Week One went pretty good. I completed all 3 runs this week which is awesome!! I didn't get in a "long run" (3+ miles) this week but that's OK. My husband and I were out and about Saturday walking around and by the end of the day my legs were done!! D O N E!! So Sunday I let them rest.

The one downside I see to going back to my old app is that it cheats me for my .01... I'm not the best mathematician so please correct me if I am wrong but .25 times 8 is 2 miles. I don't do the last walk interval because it just flows into the cool down (so it is 1.85 miles) but if you are adding .10 and .15 there is no way that my ending distance should have end with a 4... I'm just sayin....... 

 This week I plan on incorporating strength training on the alternate days. Week Two Day 1 has started off on the good foot. Its still almost too easy but I keep reminding myself that I am rebuilding. I do feel good with each run interval and with the build up with each week I am confident that I will be able to consistently run each interval without stopping. I am really trying to work on my form during this time as well. Making sure that my arms aren't crossing my body and keeping my body up so I don't "run into the ground" if that makes sense. 

What are you doing this week? Until next time,

BE BLESSED

Starting From the Ground Up

I have started over... I accessed where I was and where I want to go and decided to just start completely over.

I opened up my 1st C25K running app and looked at the Zero to 10K program and here I am. It is a 10 week plan and I'm going by the distance instead of time. I chose distance because my goal is getting my mileage back up. Yes, I could run for 30 minutes but if I'm only making it 1.5 miles that's not helping me. With the distance method you run until that set is complete however far that may be.

Week 1 Day 1 was run 175 yards (.10 miles) walk 260 yards (.15 miles) repeat 8 times for a total of 1.84 miles.

The only downside to this method is I don't know how to convert yards to miles so I'm clueless as to how far I'm running until after the 1st set. LOL! It wasn't bad today. Actually it felt a little too easy but I'm trying to build back up so easy is good for now.

I really want to get back to running 5-7 miles like I did back when  I trained for my half. After the first 3 miles everything felt great! I want to get back to that feeling and fitness level. So I'm starting all over.

In addition to running I plan on incorporating strength workouts as well. Although I've picked up in size I like how my lower body is looking. So I want to keep that and the only way to do so is strength training. I can get fairly slim if I just run a lot and I don't want to go there again. I need balance.

So there you have it.  I know I am all over the place with my fitness plans these past few weeks but I feel like I'm on a solid path now.

What are some of your fitness goals? Check in below!

BE BLESSED!

THE SLOWEST MILES EVAAAA!!!!!!

This morning I ran thee (yes thee, it's monumental) slowest 2 miles of my life! It was literally slower than when I first started running. LITERALLY!

I was running along (or so I thought, it was more like shuffling along but I digress) made it to the half mile mark and I had not taken a walk break... Surprise surprise!! I'm like go me, you're really doing it today girl!! Hit the one mile mark and my app said 1 mile completed time 15 minutes and however many seconds... GASP! I thought this thing must surly be broken... No way could I have take that long. Looked at the actual time, yep 15 whole minutes had passed.

Mile 2 was better. 14 and some change but ummm yea, who's really pumped up about that? It took 29 minutes to run 2 miles... TWENTY NINE MINUTES!!

PROOF that I am not being overly dramatic!! LOL!!

On the bright side of it I did push past not wanting to get out of bed and going out there and doing it. So kudos to me and a pat on the back. The feeling of accomplishment was achieved and I truly know where I am at. You have to start where you're at and I now know WHERE I am at.

Tomorrow is a new day, another day to improve... Until next time,

BE BLESSED

Getting Back In The Swing...

Yes, I ran today! It was great but not great all at the same time.  

I only ran 2 miles as you can see from the picture below but it was 2 miles more than I did yesterday! It was way colder than I thought it was going to be outside too and my hands turned into icicles but by HIS GRACE I made it!

That 2nd mile was a struggle.... A LOT OF WALKING happened!!!

Look at that pace!!! What a difference a mile makes LOL

All in all I felt good about it. I've really missed getting out there, sweating, basking in the day's beauty, and my dog baby really enjoyed herself. She didn't want to come back in the house. I've already decided that I will run again tomorrow morning and do 3 miles. AND my BFF has agreed to go out there with me!! RUNNING DATE!

Tomorrow holds a new day with a new adventure. Needless to say I am excited about it. I cannot wait to get back to being able to do 6+ miles and feel like a Champ afterwards.... Yup I'm a completely changed woman from who I used to be.

Be Blessed

OPERATION #HALFMARATHON COMPLETE!

I did it! I completed a goal that I set out to accomplish! The thrill of victory is upon me and you know what?.... I am PRETTY FREAKIN' AWESOME!!! BUT IF IT WASN'T FOR THE GRACE OF GOD I COULDN'T HAVE FINISHED!!!

I finished this milestone October 18, 2015. It took me 2 hours 18 minutes and 25 seconds to complete. But the funny thing is it wasn't my planned race day... Let me paint the picture for you. Picture it, Sicily, 1952 (you know where I got that from? LOL) I woke up that Sunday morning knowing that I would be running 12 miles as per my running plan dictated. Really it should have been 11 but I was moving my "Race Day" up a week early because I wanted to run some place other than my usual town. SO, I already changed the whole game around by moving the day. I did my usual warm up walk, told my app how many miles we were doing, annnddd off I went.

Mile 6, the halfway point, I actually made it all the way to my place of employment. I felt great! In my mind I'm always trying to figure out where I am going to turn around and head back home and this was no different. My conversation kind of went like this... "You could just turn around and head back", "Yea, but you always run that way, how about going thru the campus way?" "But what if it's not the same distance?" "It's close enough to the same, maybe" "OK let's go!" <<< Yes, I talk to myself just like that #Don'tJudgeMe

Miles 7-9... Still feeling pretty good. The wind was whipping a bit but I pressed on. A littler slower because of it but hey, it's been a lot of miles. Some where in here I stopped at my Granny-In-Law's house for some much needed water and good surprise to her!

Miles 10-11... They were tough but I still had some energy. All during this time was when the idea of just going the whole 13.1 came up. That crazy question runners have of "What's one more mile?" Yup, I asked myself this question several times during those 20 or so minutes. The conclusion? You got it! WHAT'S ONE MORE MILE!!! I checked the time and instead of turning left to head home to complete the last of 12 miles I went straight. I went over the route in my head, making sure that I would reach the 13.1 mark and I kept it moving, still going off of my philosophy of if you run far enough away from home you have to finish. It works every time.....

THIS IS WHERE THE REAL CHALLENGE CAME IN......... Seriously, why do people do this? And by people I am talking about myself. Oh my word! I reached mile 12 and I was like what was I thinking? I could be home right now but nooooo I decided to keep going..... You need to be back to get ready for church.... Your husband just checked on you cause you've been gone too long.... But you will be done with it if you keep going and no more early mornings when it's still night time outside although the clock says otherwise. Maybe I should have waited until next week like I planned. YOU'RE GOING TO BE DONE! Keep moving.

And I kept going. Then going some more. Until finally 13.1 miles displayed on my running app. I. AM. FINISHED! I let out the loudest scream of joy that I could muster! Man, I am the WOMAN!

What will I do next? What level of insanity will I put my body thru? I really can't say. I've thought about training for a triathlon maybe, or just biking. I do not see myself training for a Full Marathon just yet but I will never say never. I said that once before and now I run Half Marathons for fun! If I did decide to train for it, I would sign up for an official Marathon. They have aid stations and medical people on standby for just in case and for goodness sake that is 26.2 MILES O_O! I need an audience, witnesses, a medal, t-shirt and pictures!! LOL!  Until next time...

BE BLESSED!

OPERATION #HALFMARTHON HALF WAY MARK

OPERATION #HALFMARATHON HALF WAY MARK

Yes, I am half way to completing a Half Marathon! I am too pumped about it... At the tail end of Week 6 in my training I look back and see how far I have come, I cannot help but to recognize that all Glory goes to God. I know its not just me out there running these miles, helping me push pass my own limitations and even frustrations while I'm on the road. Jesus is truly there with me, protecting me during the darkest of mornings while the roosters are crowing and God knows what is rumbling in the bushes. Everyday He shows me just how awesome He is by showing me each new sunrise is never the same as the day before.

5:48 am in the morning... Reminds me of Gotham City

6:30 am... Vastly different view and less than an hour difference. BEAUTIFUL!

I've finally reached the level of running insanity when you get up in miles and you say things like, "it's only X amount of more miles", or "what's another 3 miles?" O_o. Last week I had to run 7 miles for my long run and I have 8 coming up this weekend. So at my turn around point to make it back home I looked at my app and said, "OK its only 3 more miles to make it back home... What's 3 more miles!" And laughed! Hysterically! My dog baby, needless to say, was not looking too thrilled at my enjoyment but we both made it back, she more exhausted than I was. I conked out by the end of the day though. We've found that 7 miles is her max and she won't be out for long runs with me anymore. :-( I know she is gonna be sad and I'm going to miss her company, but its for her own good and safety. She still gets to run the other 4 days.

This week has me running 4 miles each scheduled day and 8 miles on Sunday. Well, how about this girl right here ran under 40 minutes!!!! Grease Lightening is my name! And I know that there are people who can run 6 and 7  minute miles but for me... THAT WAS FAST and I am getting faster with each passing week! I realized that if I actually use my full stride I cover more distance even if it "feels" like my pace is slower. It's not. God didn't give me these long legs for nothing! Ha! If I can get my pace to 9 minute miles..... I would probably do a back flip if I could but a cartwheel would be in order! LOL

I have low key been thinking about what I will do next in terms of fitness goals. I do not think a full marathon will be the very next thing but I will never say never. I can finish my half and crazily proclaim, "hey, what's 13.1 more miles?!?!?" and there you go.  -_-  I have been googling Triathlon training plans or bike-a-thon joints so we shall see. I know it will be something but the first thing is taking a break and letting my body heal. I am not torn up or broken down but my feet and knees be talking to me! 5 days a week is no joke when you start out being used to only 3 days a week.

That is all for now...

Be Blessed