Running!

For the first time in a long time I feel like I have accomplished something. I never in my life thought that I would be able to be a runner. Much less run for 25 minutes straight! Yesterday proved that it can be done and I can do it! As anyone who reads this blog already knows I have been doing the C25K program and preparing for a 5K in July. Well I am meeting my goals!

My main goal was to be able to run a mile in 15 minutes. Yesterday my time not including when I was walking for my cool down stayed around 13.40 minutes per mile! I have exceeded my goal! I ran 2.68 miles yesterday and did it in 38 minutes.. I am confident that I will be able to run my 5K in less than 45 minutes and that makes me very happy.. even more happy that I believe I will be able to run the entire time!

I will have a bit of a set back next month as I am having elective surgery on May 12th.. but I should only be out of commission for 2 weeks.. No strenuous workouts are allowed for 10 days after the surgery.. so I will be taking it easy and just doing some walking..

I will still have almost 2 months to train before my July 17th run. So I am more than confident that I will be able to keep up with my training and make my goals if not exceed them!

So that is where I am today.. I had been running Mon, Tues, & Wed, but now that I am running for longer I need a recuperation day. So I have changed my schedule to Mon, Wed, & Friday.. gotta give my legs a day of rest to get used to all ... my legs are sore today, but not as sore as they were after my very first 20 minute straight run.. it is different doing intervals than straight runs.

I find that when I am running in an area with a lot of hills that it is better for me to do intervals. I can run faster doing intervals in areas like that. If I am on flat land I can get better time running constantly.. So here is hoping that the 5K that I am going to run does not have any hills to run up.. haha.. I am not so good at those.

See Jane Run Training

In case you don't remember I am training for the See Jane Run 5K..I have been doing my running to get ready for the 5K in July 3 times a week.. My walk/jog usually takes about 35 minutes and I do a little over two miles each day.

I even went down to a running store at the advice of Photina @One Guy in a house of girls to get fitted for an actual running shoe.. since my sketchers were making my arches hurt..

The people at Poulsbo Running were very nice and extremely helpful.. the guy there helped me try on a few pairs of shoes and watched how I walk and run to give me the best fit. I left feeling confident in the type of shoes I wanted to purchase.
I decided on the Asics 2160.. which gave me the most comfortable fit.

However, they shoes are $99 .. which is more than I have EVER spent on shoes before.. so I didn't buy any that day. For the next few days I discussed getting the shoes with Kris and scanned the internet for deals.. Finally I was able to find a coupon and get the same shoes shipped to me for only $75.. not bad.. $25 less is definitely a good amount of savings! I suppose it would actually be more like a savings of $32 after you include tax on the regular price.. so YAY! In case you are wondering I got the coupon codes on Retail Me Not! It is a great site to check out if you are ever purchasing anything online before you hit the buy now button!

So come this tuesday I should have a brand new nice pair of running shoes... I have to say that I never imagined myself as a runner.. but it feels good to get out and accomplish something. To be able to say YEAH! I can walk/run 2 miles without passing out.. haha.. I can now run for 8 minutes straight.. I think I may be able to do more but that is all the C25K program has required me to do up until now.. but I have a 20 minute jog coming up.. and I have to admit I am a little apprehensive.. I hope I can do it without stopping..

The hardest part for me has been that around my neighborhood where I run.. there are a lot of hills.. a lot of STEEP hills..haha.. those make me want to stop.. and walk up them.. they make my calves ache and my breathing harder.. but I am working on it.

I was going to the gym for my runs in the beginning.. but that fizzled out when I had to go by myself and got bored with it.. but I can run around my neighborhood without having to get in my car and go anywhere.. so i like that. Plus I feel like I am doing something instead of just running in place. I imagine I could do much more running in place than I could actual running outside. Smooth flat surfaces are good for that.

Well that is pretty much it on my running update. I am keeping up with my program and doing it slowly, but I am doing it none the less. :)