I couldn't think of a title, but then I talked to Kyla, and she inspired it with: "My roommates and I call it going for a smoothie because it makes your mind smooth, your emotions smooth, and your body smooth."
I was told today that I look like a new person. I finally got the nerve up to weigh myself at the gym, and I did so with absolutely NO emotional response. I refuse to diet, but I am trying to eat like a normal person without food issues, and it's difficult. The book I'm working with, Eat, Drink, and Be Mindful - which I highly recommend, by the way - is about overcoming eating disorders, and some of the best advice that I've read exclusively in this book is that if you can't weigh yourself without an emotional response, don't weigh yourself. So the no emotional response thing is a good thing, and it's the reason why I haven't weighed myself since December.
I weighed myself out of curiosity to see if I had lost weight or maybe just carry myself differently, but apparently I've lost 16 pounds since then.. I know that those pounds started coming off before I started running due to not having as much time to eat because of stressful school stuff and a little bit of watching my habits, but still. Running has probably accelerated it somewhat, both in that I'm burning off more calories and in that I'm burning off a lot of stress. I'm not looking to lose weight, but it is one more "measuring stick" on which I can see progress being made. I tell myself it's now okay to weigh myself as long as I don't get bogged down emotionally by it and as long as it's not the ONLY measure of my success or failure.
Friday was also the last day of my running for Lent. Don't worry, though; I'm not going to quit just because Easter is here. I'm addicted now, and since the idea of Lent is repentance, I actually have to stick with it if it's going to be a real amending of my life. I'm a runner now. And in a few more months I'll be over this endurance hurdle and start working on speed for a real 5K race!
My workout was:
Week 4, Day 1
2.10 miles in 32 minutes, 2.0% incline
Average Mile Pace: 15:05
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Day 16: Sweaty and Snowy
Although it was snowy outside, I was sweating like a pig in a hot tub on the treadmill yesterday afternoon. For the first (or maybe second) time, I thought I might die on the treadmill, and envisioned my lifeless body thumping around the treadmill between 3.5 and 4.5 mph; however, that did not happen, and I am alive to tell the tale of how I COMPLETED WEEK 4! But that dying feeling was unpleasant enough that I'll probably put off week 5 for another week, especially considering the 20 minute running interval waiting for me at the end of it.
I've decided that how much I sweat at the gym depends on which treadmill I pick. Some of the treadmills are right under a fan, and I don't sweat at all on those. Some treadmills are far away from the fans, and those are the ones in which I think I'm going to die of heat stroke whilst the snow falls gently outside. The catch is that some treadmills have working TV's with working closed captioning, and those are the ONLY treadmills I will run on.
I impress myself every time I run. Seriously? The thought of me running two miles in half an hour at the beginning of this program was just out of the question. And now I can totally do it. In a few weeks I'll be doing even more. In a few months, I'll be running three miles straight with no walking.
And? And? I at thirty miles. In twenty more, I'm buying some sweet running kicks. And guess what? They will be VERY well deserved!
My workout was:
Week 4, Day 3
2.09 miles in 32 minutes, 2.0% incline
Average Mile Pace: 15:05
I've decided that how much I sweat at the gym depends on which treadmill I pick. Some of the treadmills are right under a fan, and I don't sweat at all on those. Some treadmills are far away from the fans, and those are the ones in which I think I'm going to die of heat stroke whilst the snow falls gently outside. The catch is that some treadmills have working TV's with working closed captioning, and those are the ONLY treadmills I will run on.
I impress myself every time I run. Seriously? The thought of me running two miles in half an hour at the beginning of this program was just out of the question. And now I can totally do it. In a few weeks I'll be doing even more. In a few months, I'll be running three miles straight with no walking.
And? And? I at thirty miles. In twenty more, I'm buying some sweet running kicks. And guess what? They will be VERY well deserved!
My workout was:
Week 4, Day 3
2.09 miles in 32 minutes, 2.0% incline
Average Mile Pace: 15:05
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Day 15: Feel the Burn
I went to the Jazz game last night, and we were leaving before the time I usually go to the gym, so I rearranged my schedule so I could still go. I decided that I have done really well and have never missed a day yet, and I wasn't going to start now. I also decided whilst on the treadmill that I wasn't going to turn back or back down. The decision turned out to be very necessary...
I did week 4 on Friday, and it was only mildly challenging. I could do it again on a Monday. I could do it again. I could do it again. I doubted that encouragement that I gave myself more than a few times near the end of the last jogging interval, but I made it through after all. My legs are somewhat sore today, which actually feels kind of good. It's nice to know that I stay challenged.
My workout was:
Week 4, Day 2
2.10 miles in 32 minutes, 2.0% incline
Average Pace: 15:08
I did week 4 on Friday, and it was only mildly challenging. I could do it again on a Monday. I could do it again. I could do it again. I doubted that encouragement that I gave myself more than a few times near the end of the last jogging interval, but I made it through after all. My legs are somewhat sore today, which actually feels kind of good. It's nice to know that I stay challenged.
My workout was:
Week 4, Day 2
2.10 miles in 32 minutes, 2.0% incline
Average Pace: 15:08
Friday, March 26, 2010
Day 14: March Madness
It is with great joy and enthusiasm that I announce that I have successfully completed the first day of WEEK 4, and I feel GREAT!
The plan was to stay on week 3 for another week, I know, but this is what happened. March Madness got the best of me. I just hit "go" on the C25K app on my iPhone, and during the usual 5 minute warm-up walk, I got interested in the Tennessee-Ohio State game. When it dinged to start running, I ran. After I felt like it should be dinging again (week 3 starts out with a 90 second run), I looked down and saw I had already been running for nearly three minutes, at which point I had realized that since I ran week 3, day 3 on Wednesday, the program was automatically starting me on week 4, day 1. Since that first three minutes seemed so easy, I decided to just go with the flow and promised myself that if I experienced any discomfort, I would revert to week 3. The pain never came, not even the usual pain I feel in my right shoulder (that rotator cuff really isn't as healed as I thought it was).
I admit that it started to get a little challenging towards the end of the fourth running interval, but it even seemed a little easier than Wednesday's workout. I owe it all to March Madness, I guess. This brings me to the hypothesis that perhaps what I need to train for running more than my body is my mind.
Something odd happened after my workout. As I was stretching, I saw this girl step on the scale on the other side of the gym. She hopped on and hopped off, and I thought, "I could just hop on and hop off... It wouldn't be discouraging to weigh myself if I just do it on days that I advance in my running." Then approximately 30 seconds later when I finished stretching it completely slipped my mind. I'm glad my weight has been pushed so far back into the back of my mind now that I can forget about it that easily at the gym, of all places.
And one more thing. When I did something that was hard for me, I used to say, "Well, I guess I just can't do it," and other such negative things. Today what I realized is that when things become difficult, I tell myself, "You really can do this. Just push through a little longer." I'm so grateful I can run, and I'm actually even grateful that I failed at week 4 last week so that I could have the realization this week of just how fast I'm progressing!
My workout today was:
Week 4, Day 1
2.11 miles in 32 minutes, 2.0% incline
Average Pace: 15:07
The plan was to stay on week 3 for another week, I know, but this is what happened. March Madness got the best of me. I just hit "go" on the C25K app on my iPhone, and during the usual 5 minute warm-up walk, I got interested in the Tennessee-Ohio State game. When it dinged to start running, I ran. After I felt like it should be dinging again (week 3 starts out with a 90 second run), I looked down and saw I had already been running for nearly three minutes, at which point I had realized that since I ran week 3, day 3 on Wednesday, the program was automatically starting me on week 4, day 1. Since that first three minutes seemed so easy, I decided to just go with the flow and promised myself that if I experienced any discomfort, I would revert to week 3. The pain never came, not even the usual pain I feel in my right shoulder (that rotator cuff really isn't as healed as I thought it was).
I admit that it started to get a little challenging towards the end of the fourth running interval, but it even seemed a little easier than Wednesday's workout. I owe it all to March Madness, I guess. This brings me to the hypothesis that perhaps what I need to train for running more than my body is my mind.
Something odd happened after my workout. As I was stretching, I saw this girl step on the scale on the other side of the gym. She hopped on and hopped off, and I thought, "I could just hop on and hop off... It wouldn't be discouraging to weigh myself if I just do it on days that I advance in my running." Then approximately 30 seconds later when I finished stretching it completely slipped my mind. I'm glad my weight has been pushed so far back into the back of my mind now that I can forget about it that easily at the gym, of all places.
And one more thing. When I did something that was hard for me, I used to say, "Well, I guess I just can't do it," and other such negative things. Today what I realized is that when things become difficult, I tell myself, "You really can do this. Just push through a little longer." I'm so grateful I can run, and I'm actually even grateful that I failed at week 4 last week so that I could have the realization this week of just how fast I'm progressing!
My workout today was:
Week 4, Day 1
2.11 miles in 32 minutes, 2.0% incline
Average Pace: 15:07
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Day 13: Happy Monthiversary!
A month ago today was Day 1, Week 1. Forget about the fact that I have moved past week 1 and am in fact holding my own at week 3. The fact that I am still here at all is amazing. Now, I've enjoyed this a lot, and that's why I'm still doing it, so I guess it's not much of a sacrifice yet for me to keep going to the gym. But if you consider that I don't normally like exercising, it's amazing.
Unfortunately, it looks like I'll be on week 3 another week. It's still challenging, so I think it's okay to stay on it. Next Friday I'm going to try to move on to week 4, daunting though those five minute running intervals may seem right now. Again, I may have a long way left to go, but man, look how far I've come ALREADY!
Since starting this program ONLY a month ago:
My resting pulse rate has dropped (by quite a bit, actually).
My waistline has shrunk.
I no longer consider the walk up that hill to class a workout.
I can run for three full continuous minutes.
I am more flexible.
I have greater confidence.
I deal with stress in healthier ways.
I respect and take (better) care of my body.
I sleep better at night.
My life has become more satisfying.
Those are the most noticeable unanticipated benefits from the program. I honestly started this just so I would have something on which to focus my attention that didn't have to do with Chemistry or dating, and now it has become its own thing.
I have said this before, I know, but it's true: this truly is what was missing in my life, and although I really struggle with it sometimes, I am glad I do it.
My workout today was:
Week 3:
1.80 miles in 28 minutes, 2.0% incline
Walk Speed: 3.5 mph
Jog Speed: 4.5 mph
Total Distance So Far: 24.23 miles
Unfortunately, it looks like I'll be on week 3 another week. It's still challenging, so I think it's okay to stay on it. Next Friday I'm going to try to move on to week 4, daunting though those five minute running intervals may seem right now. Again, I may have a long way left to go, but man, look how far I've come ALREADY!
Since starting this program ONLY a month ago:
My resting pulse rate has dropped (by quite a bit, actually).
My waistline has shrunk.
I no longer consider the walk up that hill to class a workout.
I can run for three full continuous minutes.
I am more flexible.
I have greater confidence.
I deal with stress in healthier ways.
I respect and take (better) care of my body.
I sleep better at night.
My life has become more satisfying.
Those are the most noticeable unanticipated benefits from the program. I honestly started this just so I would have something on which to focus my attention that didn't have to do with Chemistry or dating, and now it has become its own thing.
I have said this before, I know, but it's true: this truly is what was missing in my life, and although I really struggle with it sometimes, I am glad I do it.
My workout today was:
Week 3:
1.80 miles in 28 minutes, 2.0% incline
Walk Speed: 3.5 mph
Jog Speed: 4.5 mph
Total Distance So Far: 24.23 miles
Monday, March 22, 2010
Day 12: Numbers
Isn't it strange how we as women use numbers to measure ourselves? A little while back, I participated in Operation Beautiful, and one of the notes I posted said, "Your greatness cannot be measured," and had a ruler on the bottom edge of the page. I feel like maybe I should post one of those proverbially or literally for myself. I am always trying to measure myself, no matter what it is I am doing. I seek approval from myself and others based on a number, or sometimes many numbers.
Today I was asked what speed I run at, and that shouldn't have made me upset, but it definitely did. I felt embarrassed that I run so slow. Then I talked to my extremely tall friend Nicole who told me that she still runs slow for her height even after running for years, and I felt better.
In unrelated-to-running workout news, I did AM Yoga yesterday morning for ten minutes to wake me up for church, just on a lark, and it was fun. I couldn't quite get into all the poses, but I see promise there, and the stretches felt good. Little did I know it, but I was REALLY getting a workout. I woke up this morning almost too sore to get out of bed. After ten minutes of yoga. Seriously?
As far as running goes, week 3 is getting easier, for sure. I am going to do week 3 again on Wednesday, and then I will attempt to move ahead to week 4 on Friday, even if it is hard. I really think I probably COULD do week 4 right now, I just don't think I SHOULD. A lot of people on the C25K discussion groups say that they were stuck for several weeks on week 3, so I am at least in good company. It's a tough week to get through, but I'm determined to stick it out. I've only been running for four weeks (as Sean the saintly workout buddy reminded me today), and instead of focusing on how very far I have left to go, I should look at how far I have COME. A month ago I could jog about a block. Now I jog at least several blocks three times a week.
I am becoming a runner. Spud to stud is fortunately faster than the other way around, but still, it took me years to develop the destructive habits I had up until a month ago, so it will take me definitely more than a few weeks to break free from them.
My workout today was:
Week 3:
1.80 miles in 28 minutes, 2.0% incline
Walk Speed: 3.5 mph
Jog Speed: 4.5 mph
Total Distance So Far: 22.43 miles
Today I was asked what speed I run at, and that shouldn't have made me upset, but it definitely did. I felt embarrassed that I run so slow. Then I talked to my extremely tall friend Nicole who told me that she still runs slow for her height even after running for years, and I felt better.
In unrelated-to-running workout news, I did AM Yoga yesterday morning for ten minutes to wake me up for church, just on a lark, and it was fun. I couldn't quite get into all the poses, but I see promise there, and the stretches felt good. Little did I know it, but I was REALLY getting a workout. I woke up this morning almost too sore to get out of bed. After ten minutes of yoga. Seriously?
As far as running goes, week 3 is getting easier, for sure. I am going to do week 3 again on Wednesday, and then I will attempt to move ahead to week 4 on Friday, even if it is hard. I really think I probably COULD do week 4 right now, I just don't think I SHOULD. A lot of people on the C25K discussion groups say that they were stuck for several weeks on week 3, so I am at least in good company. It's a tough week to get through, but I'm determined to stick it out. I've only been running for four weeks (as Sean the saintly workout buddy reminded me today), and instead of focusing on how very far I have left to go, I should look at how far I have COME. A month ago I could jog about a block. Now I jog at least several blocks three times a week.
I am becoming a runner. Spud to stud is fortunately faster than the other way around, but still, it took me years to develop the destructive habits I had up until a month ago, so it will take me definitely more than a few weeks to break free from them.
My workout today was:
Week 3:
1.80 miles in 28 minutes, 2.0% incline
Walk Speed: 3.5 mph
Jog Speed: 4.5 mph
Total Distance So Far: 22.43 miles
Friday, March 19, 2010
Day 11: Stranded in Week 3.25
I wanted to start week 4 today because well, I technically finished week 3; however, that did not happen. Actually, I started week 4, but then I thought I might die with crazy tightness in my calves, so after the first run/walk cycle I switched back to week 3 intervals. Overall, the workout WAS a little more intense than your usual week 3 because I went further in the same amount of time, but it was definitely closer to week 3 intensity than week 4. Plan: Stay on week 3 one more week, then re-try week 4.
I hereby give myself permission to stay back where I know I can be successful for as long as it takes me to get strong enough to challenge myself even further.
It took me years and years to get as out of shape as I am. I can't expect to reverse it overnight. I must NOT get discouraged.
I'm doing yoga every now and then, and it's a lot harder than it looks. I thought running was hard! I already see benefits from yoga, though, and the instructor in the videos I have always says ways to alter the poses if you're just starting and continually says, "it's okay if you can't quite get there yet." Also, between the running and the yoga I sleep like a baby.
To end on a positive note, I had an awfully stressful and intense week, but this training has given me something to look forward to at the end of the day and helped me to cope with it much better than I ordinarily would. I no longer feel like my life is go to work, go home, go to work, go home. All I needed was something to work towards and look forward to. Who knew it would ever be a physical activity?
My workout today was:
Week 3.25 ish
1.78 miles in 28 minutes, 2.0% incline
Walk Speed: 3.5 mph
Jog Speed: 4.5 mphTotal Distance: 20.63 miles
I hereby give myself permission to stay back where I know I can be successful for as long as it takes me to get strong enough to challenge myself even further.
It took me years and years to get as out of shape as I am. I can't expect to reverse it overnight. I must NOT get discouraged.
I'm doing yoga every now and then, and it's a lot harder than it looks. I thought running was hard! I already see benefits from yoga, though, and the instructor in the videos I have always says ways to alter the poses if you're just starting and continually says, "it's okay if you can't quite get there yet." Also, between the running and the yoga I sleep like a baby.
To end on a positive note, I had an awfully stressful and intense week, but this training has given me something to look forward to at the end of the day and helped me to cope with it much better than I ordinarily would. I no longer feel like my life is go to work, go home, go to work, go home. All I needed was something to work towards and look forward to. Who knew it would ever be a physical activity?
My workout today was:
Week 3.25 ish
1.78 miles in 28 minutes, 2.0% incline
Walk Speed: 3.5 mph
Jog Speed: 4.5 mphTotal Distance: 20.63 miles
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