The last day and a half have been a blur of hormonally-charged bad health decisions. But alas, I am under control again. I weighed in at over 200.2 today. NOT! OKAY! That is a huge wake-up call already. Yes maybe I'm gaining some muscle from the running, but there's no way its that much. I'm obviously screwing up the eating habits.
Since I've decided to make running a regular part of my schedule and get training for that half-marathon in October, I have decided to attack my fitness as follows:
Mon & Wed: Run before work, walk during lunch, low-intensity cardio after work
Tuesdays: Weights before work, walk during lunch, low-intensity cardio after work, Biggest Loser
Thursdays: Low-intensity cardio before work, walk during lunch, more LIC after work plus a training session
Fridays: Run before work, low-intensity cardio after work (Fris will be done work at noon!) or some active/outdoor activity!
Saturdays: Low-intensity cardio or active/outdoor activity
Sundays: "Rest" day which will still include at least a walk around in the sun or shopping/errands if raining
If I'm on a schedule, I can manage this fine. All lunch-time walks are weather pending but the goal is to do them at least 3 times a week. Obviously if there's a whole week of rain I won't be going for a walk so I'll do what I can before and after work. However I don't mind running in the rain before work. And once my training sessions are done (i only have a few left on my contract) then I'll do weights before work like Tuesdays.
This is manageable. It's a lot but it'll kickstart me back into the habit. I don't think I'll burn out from it. Not to mention there are days that I wont' be able to do my low-intensity cardio after work because I'll have the second job in the evening but with a schedule like this, a night job thrown in isn't going to hinder my progress too greatly. And of course coupled with better eating habits I'll be good to go.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
MADdash 5k
Today I ran my second 5k. But funny enough, it feels like my first. Because I actually ran the WHOLE thing this time!!!
My goal was to either get a better time than I did on my first 5k at JFK, or to run the whole thing since I didn't last time. I realize that because you lose steam that I'd probably have a longer time but if I ran the whole thing it's a whole new sense of accomplishment. AND I DID IT!!!! I ran the whole 3.1 miles of the MADdash 5k!!!
I started off the race prepared to pace myself better than I did last time. Last time I didn't pay attention to my stride and pace that I set from the starting line. But I wanted to have more stamina this time so I paid close attention. And yknow what? It paid off! Because last time, after mile 1 I HAD to stop. I was so beat already. This time, even in 90 degree weather, I felt great at the first mile marker. The course was a little stranger. We ran through the streets of a corporate park and the starting line was where the finish line was. So you basically wind up running 1.5 miles out, turning around at a median and coming back the direction you came from on the opposite side of traffic. I saw where the second mile marker was across the street and thought to myself "Okay. I can manage this!" The stretch of road down to the turnaround point just kept going and going and going. Finally I saw the turnaround point and was like "okay. I can do this." At mile marker two I still felt pretty good. The sun was really beating down adn there was less shade on this side of the street so I was really finally starting to feel the effects of the heat. But I just kept going. I kept telling myself "C'mon. Just push a little farther." For the most part I just tried to zone out and stop thinking about the fact that I was running so I wouldn't psyche myself out. Then, just as I thought I was getting too tired and would have to walk soon, I recognized the turn in the road that meant we were close to the end. And I thought "Oh my god. I could do this! I could run the whole thing!" And so I went a little farther and then turned the last corner and all of a sudden I saw the flag hanging. "Just a little farther." I really thought I was going to have to walk soon. It was so hot. The shade wasn't doing anything to help. And then I saw it....the big red flag reading "FINISH". I couldn't actually see the line across the street, but I saw the flag. "I CAN DO THIS! I CAN DO THIS!" I literally said it out loud to myself. I passed by some old high school friends manning the fire truck as I neared the end and one of them got a picture of me on his Droid. I'm wearing a pink shirt with a face to match at this point! I wanted to really bring it home and run as hard as I could for the last leg of the race, but I just couldn't push myself any harder apparently. But I did it! I finished! And I ran the whole thing!
I wound up doing 35 minutes and 17 seconds. It's exactly 1 minute and 12 seconds slower than my original 5k time. But you know what? I'm prouder of this 5k than I am of the first one. The first one I was so ashamed of myself for needing to walk, especially so early on. Today was the first day I really felt like I could be a runner. I know I'll never be faster, but I have the endurance to at least finish the race. And I couldn't be more prouder of myself for it. I couldn't stop smiling.
A few days ago I decided I wanted to run a half marathon for my birthday. And now? I feel like that's a very attainable goal. :)
My goal was to either get a better time than I did on my first 5k at JFK, or to run the whole thing since I didn't last time. I realize that because you lose steam that I'd probably have a longer time but if I ran the whole thing it's a whole new sense of accomplishment. AND I DID IT!!!! I ran the whole 3.1 miles of the MADdash 5k!!!
I started off the race prepared to pace myself better than I did last time. Last time I didn't pay attention to my stride and pace that I set from the starting line. But I wanted to have more stamina this time so I paid close attention. And yknow what? It paid off! Because last time, after mile 1 I HAD to stop. I was so beat already. This time, even in 90 degree weather, I felt great at the first mile marker. The course was a little stranger. We ran through the streets of a corporate park and the starting line was where the finish line was. So you basically wind up running 1.5 miles out, turning around at a median and coming back the direction you came from on the opposite side of traffic. I saw where the second mile marker was across the street and thought to myself "Okay. I can manage this!" The stretch of road down to the turnaround point just kept going and going and going. Finally I saw the turnaround point and was like "okay. I can do this." At mile marker two I still felt pretty good. The sun was really beating down adn there was less shade on this side of the street so I was really finally starting to feel the effects of the heat. But I just kept going. I kept telling myself "C'mon. Just push a little farther." For the most part I just tried to zone out and stop thinking about the fact that I was running so I wouldn't psyche myself out. Then, just as I thought I was getting too tired and would have to walk soon, I recognized the turn in the road that meant we were close to the end. And I thought "Oh my god. I could do this! I could run the whole thing!" And so I went a little farther and then turned the last corner and all of a sudden I saw the flag hanging. "Just a little farther." I really thought I was going to have to walk soon. It was so hot. The shade wasn't doing anything to help. And then I saw it....the big red flag reading "FINISH". I couldn't actually see the line across the street, but I saw the flag. "I CAN DO THIS! I CAN DO THIS!" I literally said it out loud to myself. I passed by some old high school friends manning the fire truck as I neared the end and one of them got a picture of me on his Droid. I'm wearing a pink shirt with a face to match at this point! I wanted to really bring it home and run as hard as I could for the last leg of the race, but I just couldn't push myself any harder apparently. But I did it! I finished! And I ran the whole thing!
I wound up doing 35 minutes and 17 seconds. It's exactly 1 minute and 12 seconds slower than my original 5k time. But you know what? I'm prouder of this 5k than I am of the first one. The first one I was so ashamed of myself for needing to walk, especially so early on. Today was the first day I really felt like I could be a runner. I know I'll never be faster, but I have the endurance to at least finish the race. And I couldn't be more prouder of myself for it. I couldn't stop smiling.
A few days ago I decided I wanted to run a half marathon for my birthday. And now? I feel like that's a very attainable goal. :)
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