Accomplishment

Today was one of those days that started out with the potential to be another day that slipped by with no exercise and no progress. I meant to get up this morning and go to the gym, but it was rainy and icky outside and I used that as an excuse not to go out. This was compounded by the fact that I didn't do my workout yesterday either. Although I did get to see an amazing victory by my Wildcat basketball team which almost made me feel not as bad. ALMOST! So this afternoon at work I decided that no matter what, rain or shine, I was going to get my workout in tonight. AND I would also do my workout from yesterday that I didn't do. So I came home from work, changed my clothes, put some shrimp in the fridge to marinate for dinner, and headed out into the rain to the gym. Total workout time was 48 minutes with a distance of three miles. Almost 2 miles in I realized that I was going to do a 5k during this workout. A 5k sounds so much scarier than 3 miles. It was a revelation of sorts, that these goals I have set for myself are not that scary. They are attainable. Now, I'm not saying when I think if running a half marathon I kind of have a heart attack, but that is a long term goal and I don't have to do that tomorrow. The immediate goal, of running a 5k in March is definitely attainable, and I feel confident about that now.

A New Week Is Upon Us

Well..a new week is upon me, anyway. Sunday nights always seem like a fresh start. It's a new week. New possibilities. And another week to stay on track and get closer to my goals. I've purposely kept the focus of this blog away from weight loss because for me that is a personal thing that I am not comfortable putting on the internet. But of course there is an aspect to working out that is helping my weight loss goals as well, which really keeps me motivated to keep up the running.

This week's workouts are longer and the time walking between the running portions is getting smaller. I feel comfortable with short bursts of running, it's the endurance to do distance running that I still am not good at. I know it's early, but I'm impatient and I feel like I should be able to run a marathon by now. Well..not really. But you know, what i mean.

So this week my goals are consistency (that means you Wednesday morning) patience and healthy eating.

I think I'm ready.

Wednesday...Not My Day

Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday...why do I hate you so? For the past 2 weeks Wednesday has rolled around and I just cannot bring myself to workout. Morning or evening. I don't know what it is about this day. There's nothing special about it...nothing extraordinarily exciting happens...but for some reason my motivation is nil. Thursday rolls around and I'm good to go again. I know it's all mental, and it is my goal for next week to not let a case of the Wednesdays stop me from doing what I need to do. But this week, it got the best of me.

Tomorrow is a new day!

Drama...Of the Runnin' Kind

Today's Workout: Walk 5 minutes, Run 3 minutes, repeat 2X, Walk 5 minutes

Today was the day. The day I felt tired, and grumpy, and sore and soooooo not in the mood to get up and go out in the cold to RUN. RUN! Ugh! Okay, that was a little dramatic, but my point is that I didn't want to do it. But I did. And that is the good part of this story. I did it, and I didn't die and it wasn't really even that bad. I've never been a big morning person, but there is definitely something to be said for getting up and getting your exercise out of the way. It's done and you don't have to worry about it anymore. It's been a good thing the last few days because it's been a crazy week at work. Usually when craziness at work hits, any exercise/diet plan I have goes out the window. So I'm proud of myself that this week that hasn't happened. (Okay, I have to confess, did I mention that on Wednesday I didn't get up and do my morning routine...? Yea, I slacked. One day! But I got back on track)

My friend Andrea and I have decided to run a 5K in march. I just want to see what the whole race thing is all about. I will be a couple weeks into the 5K program, so I don't know how good I'll do, but it will be a fun experience and I think it's a good idea to get my feet wet with an organized race. There is a 10K at the end of the summer that I have on the calender too. Small intermediate goals will help me stay motivated until the big race in December.

Another week is more than half done and I'm still goin' strong. (Minus Wednesday, but that was a small hiccup :) )

Getting Cold Feet...I Mean Fingers

Monday Workout: Walk 15 minutes, Run 1 minute, Walk 5 minutes
Tuesday Workout: Walk 5 minutes, Run 3 minutes, Repeat 1X, Walk 5 minutes

For people who think it doesn't get cold in Las Vegas, let me tell ya, IT DOES!!! For the past two mornings I've gotten up at 6:00 am from under my warm covers to go for my run/walk and about halfway through I realize I can't feel my fingers. Luckily you don't really need your fingers to run, but I will be glad when it starts to warm up a little. (Any of my KC friends that might be reading this, I know it's nowhere near as cold as it there. As you all have so kindly told me OVER and OVER and OVER again, but I'm warm blooded now from my 5+ years in Las Vegas and 35 degrees is COLD! lol)

So far week two is off to a good start. Today is the longest stretch of running I've done so far and surprisingly it wasn't too bad. So far I've been running around my condo complex and one loop is almost exactly 1 mile. Today was my longest distance so far, 1.59 miles ( A long way from that half marathon. Good thing I have a few more months...) and I felt really good when I was done. It is so true that exercising gives you so much more energy. I've barely even started and I feel so much better for the day after I've gotten my morning exercise in. That feeling is something I'm going to keep reminding myself of when I want to turn the alarm clock off and go back to bed.

Tomorrow is going to be an early morning. A lot to do at work and I need to be there by 7:30. Which means that alarm clock is going to go off half an hour earlier than usual. Off to bed for me!

Finish the First Week...CHECK!

Well I can check one week off the start of this many many many week challenge. I know completing the first week is a small step, but the fact that I did it and stuck with it, even considering the holiday and extra days off work, makes me feel really proud. Typically anything that is out of my normal routine at all just creates a good reason for an excuse. So YAY to week one being done. Week 2 is a little harder, which is the point I realize, and I'm a little nervous that it's going to be discouraging. I just have to remind myself that I don't have to be able to run a marathon tomorrow. Baby steps, and even though it is ridiculous that I am so out of shape, it is what it is and I'm taking the right steps to change the situation. You can't ask an more than that.

One thing I'm struggling with is the pain in the bottom of m feet. A year or so ago when I was working out with a personal trainer he said I had plantar faciatis (sp?) I've been stretching before and after every run, but at about the midway point my feet are hurting so bad its affecting my run and at times I even have to stop and re stretch. I'm hoping that as I continue and get stronger this will go away. It's one thing to do a fifteen minute run with pain in your feet, but it's quite another to run mile after mile like that. It won't work. I'm not exactly sure what I'll do if the pain doesn't go away but hopefully we won't have to cross that bridge.

Week 2 starts tomorrow with an 18 minute run/walk. I'm ready to go!