Week Nine, day one - THIRTY MINUTES! goal achieved!

Ok, I'm 15 days past my goal but I can finally say: I DID IT. Today I ran 30 minutes in a row without stopping. so that's

5 minutes walking
30 minutes running
5-10 minutes walking

It was a beautiful day today - around 8C, tons of sun, perfect blue skies. I couldn't fathom the concept of running inside on a treadmill, so I stuck with running outside (me and every other runner in Amsterdam had the same idea) through westerpark. I know I was slow, but without having a GPS on my ipod I don't know my pace, which is fine with me. Running outside means I'm not distracted by drinking water, checking my time/pace, or starting at myself in the mirror, and all of that is great.

It's worth mentioning that last night I had a big sushi dinner, drank a total of 5 beers, and smoked quite a lot of weed. I didn't sleep that well (gee, I wonder why?), and there was not one tiny part of me that actually wanted to go out running today. But I wanted so badly to achieve my goal, and I finally did it.

I wonder what happens next?

Week Eight, day three - treadmill

Another treadmill run today! Funny, my legs and feet always feel more sore after running on a treadmill then on the ground, but not sure if that's also because I'm running more now, so things hurt more. Anyway, here's what I did today:

5 min - walk
28 min - run (whooo!)
2:30 - walk
3 min - run
2 min - walk

And because I was on a treadmill, I have some more stats, that I'm sure anyone reading would be fascinated by (regarding speed).

First 14 minutes - ran at 8.8 kph
Next 9 minutes - ran at 8.2 kph
Final 5 minutes - ran at 7.8 kph
Extra 3 minutes at end - ran at 8.0

So that's an average pace of 8.2 kph (sorry americans, this is all going to remain mostly in metrics).

I completed 5 kilometers within 40 minutes, but at least seven of those minutes were walking (the five minute warmup plus the 2 1/2  min at the end.

My final stats were:

total distance - 5.3 km
total time - 43 min 47 seconds (including final "cool down" walk)
calories burned - 370
weight - 64.15 (141.4 lbs)

I did try, at first, to run 9.5 kph - there's no way I would have completed 28 minutes, or 14 minutes, at that speed. I could do it, but it was wearing me out too much. I was happy to see that I could run at 8.8 kph for the first half, but I think that the key to me actually finishing the 28 minutes without stopping was decreasing my speed halfway through. It really did make a difference. While I am running on a treadmill (it's still not super cold in Amsterdam yet, but winter is winter) I suppose I should make it a goal to eventually do the full thirty minutes at 9.0 kph. the metric/mile thing is messing me up whenever I google stuff about "typical 5k speeds," but I think I can aim safely for an 11-minute mile, which is uh... hmm, probably still too quick for my slow speed. because that would be about 35 minutes. well, eventually I'll try to get there.

The next time I run the goal is simple: FULL THIRTY MINUTES, non-stop. and dear god people, those last five minutes are hard. really hard. like I want to stop every second hard. I've changed the settings on my app to announce when I have 10 minutes left, 5 minutes, 2 minutes, and 1 minutes, because really, once I have five minutes left the only thing I can think about is how many more seconds I have to keep running. remarkably, I have still not learned to enjoy running. being on a treadmill sucks, it takes what little fun I had when I ran (seeing a pretty city, enjoying being outside) and puts me about 5 inches away from looking at myself in a mirror while I run. I'm not very pretty while I'm running, but the only thing I have to look at is myself, and how progressively sweaty I get as I go on.

Ok, this was super long. and I know that the goal was a 5k/30 minutes by the end of 2011 but... well, if I can do it by the end of this weekend, that's enough for me. I still have enough to work with on my time!

Week Eight, day two - first treadmill run

Even though the weather was ok today (clear, not too cold, dry), I decided to head to the gym and try a treadmill run. I was really curious about what kind of pace I run at, and exactly how far I actually go when I run for 28-ish minutes.

Here's what I did today:

lots of warmup walk - walked 10-ish mins to the gym, then walked another 5 mins or so on the treadmill
Ran about 25 minutes
slowed down to walk about 90 seconds
Ran again for another five minutes
Walked about 3 minutes
Ran 2 more minutes
Walked 1 minute
= 42 minutes total

It was weird. Being on a treadmill is as boring as I remember it to be, and I was really right in front of a mirror. Hello red face and sweaty chest and too-fat thighs! I will stare at you for 42 minutes. sounds great.

But I learned about my pace. I was right man, I am SLOW. I averaged 8.0 kph (5 mph). That means in 30 minutes of running, I only go four kilometers, not even close to five. That's why I stayed on the treadmill for 42 minutes, because I wanted to finish the 5k, dammit. and I did! I didn't quite get my goal of running 30 minutes without stopping, but I did actually run more than 30 minutes. I burned something like 350 calories, maybe a little more. can't quite remember.

I weighed myself, and I'm weighing in at an all-time high of 64.15 kilos (141.4 lbs). it makes sense, and it goes to prove that I don't exaggerate - when I say I've gained weight and clothes don't fit me anymore, that's because my body is used to being around 58-59 kilos (127-130 lbs).

It was good to be at the gym just to get used to being at the gym again, because I clearly need to do more than jog 3 times a week at 8.0 kph for 30 minutes if I want to actually shed weight. Today I didn't do anything else, but I did feel ok after the run was over, and I did like knowing my pace. I think it's probably about what I run in the "real world," it didn't feel too fast or too slow.

I also changed the settings on my app so that the voice will tell me when I have 5 minutes left - it kills me, I always want to check my time, and being on a treadmill made that SO easy today. it was also distracting to have my water so close by - when I go outside I don't bring water (and don't usually miss it), but having the water bottle right there made me want to drink all the time. maybe just because it's warmer in a gym?

I took the updated class schedule from my gym and I am going to try to do more spinning, pilates, and keep up with this running thing until I do actually run for 30 minutes without stopping. once I get that down, I'll work on actually being able to accomplish a REAL 5k, even if it means my version of a 5k takes 40 minutes. jeez I'm slow.

Week Eight, day one - after 10 days without running!

I believe I mentioned how shit the weather has been in my previous post. Well, today I woke up on my last week day of vacation (stay-cation) and the sun was shining brightly, the sky was blue, it wasn't windy, and there were no signs of rain. So I had to. I had to use today to go out and run outside and get back into the program.

The last time I ran was crap - it was week seven, day three, but I didn't do the whole thing. I've been a bit sick over the past week, I've been eating, drinking, and smoking more than than usual, AND just to make things even more fun I got my period. But I figured, well, might as well try to stick to the couch-to-5k schedule and just press ahead with week eight. Today called for:

5 minutes warmup walk
28 minutes non-stop running
5 minutes cooldown walk

People. I did the FULL TWENTY EIGHT MINUTES. I'm in shock. That's 3 minutes longer than my longest outside run, and my last 25-minute non-stop run was... two weeks ago? something like that.

I can't claim that I enjoyed all 28 minutes. When I had about 7 minutes left of the run, I wanted to stop. I wanted to stop with 5 minutes left. 4 minutes. and those last three minutes, I REALLY wanted to stop. but I kept going. and holy god, when I was done, it was hard to get my breathing back on track and start feeling normal again. I did the cooldown walk slowly and paused to stretch here and there. Walking up the stairs to my apartment felt like climbing a mountain. I couldn't tell my boyfriend about the run until after a glass of water and a few minutes of sitting down.

But still! I ran freakin' 28 minutes! That means I have two more minutes to add before I reach my goal. I'm still really skeptical that I'll be able to pull this off on a treadmill... even running through a beautiful city with new scenery and my own music bores me, I can't fathom staying on a treadmill for 35-40 minutes. I want to try because seriously, the weather in Amsterdam is only going to get worse in Jan/Feb. I was lucky with the late autumn.

So I'm going to be late with my goal, but goddammit, I'm going to get there. and maybe one day I'll even like running.

Week Seven, and here it starts to get messy

Ok, I was beat. The end of the year was crazy with work, holidays, friends, parties, dinners, and sooooooooo much drinking. and eating. And then I got kind of sick, and the weather turned horrible (well, even worse, let's say). I finished week seven sometime in the last week of December and haven't run since.

I mean guys, it's windy. rainy. not really cold but it just won't stop raining and the wind is seriously intense. When I tried running feeling a little bit sick, it was horrible. for the last run, I think I made it through about 14 minutes of running, then I walked about 3-4 minutes, then I ran for another 8-9 minutes. something like that, and it was hard.

I need to try going to the gym and using a treadmill, it's the only thing that's going to work to get me through the winter. Even with pretty warm January temps (about 8-9C during the day, 5C at night) the rain and wind is just too hard to work around. If I don't get lucky and grab the few hours where it's calm and dry, I'm screwed.

So sad to say, I didn't make my 5K goal by the end of 2011. :( but still, I did 25 minute runs more than once, and I think I can pick it back up. I desperately need to detox after all the celebration I've been doing and I am eager to get back into a routine. I'm still just a tiny bit sick, but it's more like winter malaise than anything else - kind of stuffy, coughing once in a while, runny nose.

So my new goal is this: by 15 February, I want to be able to run a confident 5K AND to have lost 3 kilos (6.6 lbs). I'm going to try treadmill running later today and see how it goes... I'm surprised at how much I'm dreading it when I compare it to running outside. But even for health reasons, going to the gym, you know, puts me at the gym which means I might do other exercises as well, which wouldn't hurt. There's also a fantastic sauna at my gym which helps immensely during these winter months.

Back to running, blogging, and trying!

Week Six, day three... 25 minute run!!!

And I did it! I ran 25 minutes without a break! It's hard to write that without using an exclamation point!

All day I wondered how I was going to do this run... I have plans with a friend for dinner, my job is pounding me with work, and getting up to run before work wasn't an option as it was pouring rain when I woke up. However, by 10-11am, the skies were perfectly blue, the sun was shining, and even though it was chilly outside (7-8C) it wasn't terribly windy or painful to actually BE outside.

Work started from the second I got out of bed, and I ended up working from home. And this is what allowed me the chance to run while it was still light! I was totally swamped until 3.30pm or so, but I could see some calm on the horizon. I put on my running clothes and headed out around 4pm. Because I barely had time to think about running, I didn't have the chance to build up anxiety about whether or not I could do this. But today's program was clearly:

Walk 5 min
Run 25 min
Walk 5 min

And I did it. And it wasn't super hard. Sure, I was breathing hard at the end and I was really tired and I wasn't particularly loving the whole thing, but running under the sunshine, in the park, etc.... I have to admit, it wasn't so bad. It feels incredible to have done this. Now that I'm someone who can actually run for 25 minutes, I have a few tips for anyone who wants to do the same but thinks they can't:

1. Always do the warmup and cooldown, always. the five minutes walk at the beginning should be brisk and get the heart rate up, and you should NOT skip it. it's the best warmup there is. I also know how tempting it can be to just simply collapse after the run is over and not do the 5 minute cool-down walk, but walking it out helps. Don't walk too slow at the end, just take it nice and easy and get your breathing back under control. Don't stop to catch your breath, if you feel like you have to do that, then just walk even slower.

2. go SLOW if you're new to this. I'm sure I am the slowest runner in the city, and I don't care. Going slow is what is enabling me to keep going forward with this program - I'm absolutely positive by the end of the 9 weeks I won't be able to fit a 5k in 30 minutes. that's fine. I just want to know that I can run 30 minutes. speed can come later. (I have no idea what my pace is)

3. Change your route, and avoid using a treadmill. Again, I hated running outside for 32 years of my life. I had attempted outside running only a handful of times. as it turns out, running outside is ten million times better than running on a treadmill. Trust me on this, I've tried before, I've tried both, and once you get used to working around the elements of weather, running outside is the best. Having stuff to look at (not TV or a countdown) is key.

anyway. wow. 25 minutes! I still can't believe it.

Week Six, day two - my first non-solo run!

Today's run was this:

5 min warmup walk
10 min running
3 min walking
10 min running
5 min cooldown.

And the important thing is I did it! And for the very first time, my boyfriend E came along with me - E is much better shape than me, he's one of those people that others look on with envy. Almost 40 years old but with a body that most 25-year old guys could be jealous of, and even if he doesn't keep up with exercise (the last time he ran was 5 months ago, and since then he's done a handful of pushups and that's pretty much it) he can pretty much get back into shape in 1-2 weeks. So despite the fact that he A) claims not to be a good runner and B) hasn't really worked out a whole lot in the past year, of course he had no problem completing the workout with me.  Do I hate him for this? A bit. but I hate him with love. :)

but let me paint a picture about why today's run was not the best - and heads up, the rest of this entry all falls under the "TMI" category, and men probably won't find much to relate to.

First of all, I got my period around noon today, along with the typical period-related cramps. Second, I had a lazy sunday breakfast of a small croissant, a piece of fresh croissant with jam and goat cheese, juice, and two cups of coffee (espresso-size). I did not have a proper "exodus" of all this (read: the sort of exodus one has in the bathroom) before I went out running. During the first run, I felt like everything in my body wanted desperately to come out. Ugh. During the second run, it was even more intense. And during that last five minute walk? My focus was very much on counting down the seconds until I could use the bathroom. All was fine after I got home, but MAN. next time, must pay more attention to what my body is dealing with.

I'm sure a lot of other women don't feel particularly enthusiastic about running three hours after they start their period, and there's nothing much to do about it except go running anyway. At the end of the day, it does actually make me feel better to work out on day #1 of my period - getting everything moving and helping gravity along tends to make my cramps (which aren't horrible, but they do exist) much, much less intense. But yes, it's hard to remember that when I'm outside running and my uterus is trying to destroy my body from the inside.

I quite enjoyed having my boyfriend with me, even though I wouldn't talk to him during the running portions (talking while jogging is still too advanced for me, and I rely on music to help keep me motivated), and he was also quite pleased that he went out. I can't believe the next run is 25 minutes non-stop, and that from here on out all the run will be straight runs without walking. and the weather isn't looking particularly great this week. well, good luck to me. :)

week six, day one... yup, that's what I get for taking a week off!

Ooof. it's been seven days since I last ran, which happened for a variety of reasons - work, work-related parties (that time of year...), terrible weather, etc. Last night (Friday) I had 2 glasses of wine with work people, then 2 strong beers with my boyfriend, and then a nice serving of (homemade) mushroom risotto. so it wasn't what I would call a "light" kind of night. I came home around 11pm and smoked almost an entire hash joint by myself (remember folks, it's legal in the Netherlands).

I woke up today (Saturday) feeling fine. My boyfriend and I slept in, and then he made a super nice saturday brunch - eggs with green salsa, beans, and a few slices of fresh-from-the-bakery bread. Super yummy, but again, not what I would call a "light" start to the day.

Today was great. SUNNY!! Clear! not terribly cold! (8C-ish or so) and I knew I had to run. So I put on my pants and two long sleeve shirts and started to stretch a bit. ouch, I felt my body very un-streached. but ok, I just had to get into it, right? I took a look at my ipod to see the program for the day, and was surprised to see:

5 min warmup walk
5 min jogging
3 min walking
8 min jogging
3 min walking
5 min jogging
5 min cool down

That's... easier! It's easier than week five, day 3. it's 18 minutes total jogging, with breaks. I was SO relieved to see that I didn't have to run for 20 straight minutes again. ok, I thought. I know I've been off a week, and I know I haven't had the healthiest lifestyle lately, but ok. I decided I could do it. And I did! but it was hard. as I kept running I was starting to feel the effects of the booze and/or hash and/or all the food I had eaten recently. I felt not great. Not really in danger of throwing up, but I felt very anxious to drink water (which I never do when I jog) and just be done with the whole thing. Thank god it was nice and sunny out, and I guess it's a sign that the program is working when I know that I can actually push myself and get through the last five minute run, even though i wanted to lay down and sleep. so good news is, I was able to do it. bad news is, I really did feel like crap throughout most of the run and for about 30-45 minutes after it was over.

I promise, no more week-long breaks.

If I want to do the 5k by the end of the year, that means eleven more runs in the next 3 weeks. that means I must go running tomorrow, and then every other day (on average) in order to meet my goal. Luckily I stop working on Dec 20th or 21st so I can get my runs in while it's light outside.

Week Five, day two, starting to feel it!

I still feel like I deserve a round of applause every time I do actually go running after work, when it's all dark and chilly outside.

Tonight was about 9C and not terribly windy, humid, or wet (when I started). I stretched, put on a pair of running pants, teeshirt, and hooded sweatshit (my layers are starting to become a bit less!). I was, I admit, nervous about the 8 minute jogs. the pattern today was:

5 min warmup walk
8 min jogging
5 min walking
8 min jogging
5 min cool down

and let me tell you, 8 minutes FEELS more than five minutes. more songs go by on my ipod, I covered more distance, and it was harder. but still, not as terribly hard as I thought it would be! I did find myself waiting trying to count down how much time I had left by the songs that were playing, but I didn't actually struggle. I also know that I ran very slowly, and I'm still absolutely fine with that. way, way more important for me to actually jog the time I'm supposed to jog rather than go fast.

During my second jog it started to rain just a tiny bit - between a mist and a drizzle - but it didn't get in my way. On my second 8 minute jog I tacked on an extra minute! That means almost 17 minutes of jogging this time around, in two sets. I still do not feel mentally prepared at all for jogging 20 minutes in a row (which is day three). Physically I admit, I suppose it's possible. but ... really? what am I going to do for 20 minutes? I need to enter some sort of zone that I still haven't entered yet. Changing my music will probably help, and maybe changing my route .... more than anything I just wish I was able to do all this during the daytime. Maybe I'll do my next run in the morning and try to head for the park, i think that will help.

I am still astounded that I've made it halfway through the program! It has been totally worth it so far, to follow the plan slowly and regularly. let's see what happens when I go out for day three...

Week Five, day one

I forgot to update after my last run, but I'm still on schedule! This past weekend was absolutely insanity - I fed thanksgiving to about 35 people over a course of two days. But while the turkey was in the oven and everything was more or less on schedule, I escaped the kitchen for 31 minutes to do my run.

I did:
Five-minute warmup walk
jog 5 minutes
walk 3 minutes
jog 5 minutes
walk 3 minutes
jog 5 minutes
five-minute cooldown walk

Everything went pretty ok. I was running in a new location (I was cooking at a friend's house) so there was different stuff to look at, and I got to go outside while it was still light out and warmish (probably about 10C). I was able to wear only a long sleeved shirt and pants and not feel cold! the challenge during this particular run was the wind. holy god it was really really windy (not uncommon for amsterdam). But I made it through, managed to tack on an extra 45-60 seconds of running to my last five minutes, and made it back to the house feeling fine.


On Sunday and Monday I was so painfully tired from the weekend of cooking, cleaning, and serving food that there was no conceivable way I could have gone out jogging. Today is Tuesday, and that means I have to go out - I know if I miss more than two days in a row it's going to be too hard. I am nervous... week five is the halfway point, the point where there becomes more jogging than walking.


Let's see what happens!

Week Four, day three

I did my last day of week four last night! I know this doesn't seem like a big deal, but the fact that I've managed to be committed to this program for four weeks is already longer than any other running phase I've been through in the past 8-9 years. I've done all my runs outside, and by a ridiculous stroke of luck it has not rained once when I've wanted to run.

Last night was the perfect temperature - maybe about 8-9C or so, and I wore a tank top, teeshirt, 3-quarter sleeve shirt, and a very light zip-up. I could have gone without one of those layers and been fine, but again, I'd rather be overdressed then cold. I made it through the run without any major issues, and during the last run I even tacked on an extra 30-60 seconds, so I should be ready for week five. I'm getting paranoid about my knees and ankles and my running "form" as I'm sure my form is not correct, and I sometimes have a little knee pain, cramps in my feet, or something like that. Nothing too major, and I always stretch before and after, but I wonder if I should look for more specific warmup/cooldown techniques. This really is the first time I've ever run on uneven pavement - which includes a lot of old brick and cobblestone roads - and I don't want to end up slowly hurting myself. I should really start doing pilates or yoga on a regular basis.

My feelings about running after four weeks are:

-- I still don't really LIKE the actual act of running
-- I do like that I'm forced to go outside and run around for thirty minutes a day
-- I have a new sense of appreciation for how beautiful Amsterdam is and I love discovering new routes to take myself on
-- I am always happy once the workout is over; I've certainly never regretted my jogs
-- I like that this is something I can do in 30 minutes
-- I would never be doing this if it weren't for the app
-- I do think I'm sleeping better and becoming more tired at night because of the exercise, which is great


So far I've spent roughly €175 on new shoes, pants, and sweatshirts to wear while running outside. Jeez. It looks like week five is when this is supposed to be harder, but I haven't looked at my app to find out what's coming up. I think I'm supposed to be jogging 20 minutes without stopping by week five, day three. Hmmm. Wonder if that's going to happen.

This is also thanksgiving weekend, and even though I'm in Europe I'm celebrating by making a giant feast for 20 people on Saturday, and then hosting a giant lunch on Sunday. I just have to make sure to get my runs in there on Friday (I have no idea where it's going to fit on Friday) and maybe somehow on Saturday, once the turkey is in the oven. And I really, really must update my running playlists, because if I hear "American Music" by the Violent Femmes one more time, I'm going to lose my mind.

Week Four, day two

Ooof! I was not in the mood to go running today. I got home from work around 7.30pm or so, the city was cold, foggy, and wet, and I wasn't particularly in the mood. but I did it, and I made it through - certainly didn't add even an extra ten seconds at the end, I was literally standing in front of my door when the ipod touch said "workout complete." But still, I did it, and that means something. It was about 3C, but with so much humidity that it didn't feel super cold. I wore pants, sneakers, tank top, long sleeve shirt, and hooded sweatshirt. I was quite warm and sweaty at the end, but still, I'd rather overdress than under-dress.

The fog made the city look beautiful and mysterious, but I also had to be really careful about where I was stepping - the ground was wet, wet leaves were all around, and I could barely see more than 5 meters in front of me.

And my reward in the end: wonderful dinner cooked by my boyfriend and beer. and yes, I was happy I went out to do the run in the end even though I was really, really, really not feeling like it. and honestly during the run itself I wasn't really loving it. but I wasn't hating it either, which is probably enough progress for now.

Week Four, day one

I've entered week four. In an ideal world I would have taken today off (as yesterday was an "on" day) but today I A) had the time B) the weather was nice C) I could go out during daylight hours. I think tomorrow will be too busy work-wise to try and cram a run in, and I wanted to make sure to do it. I left the house around 4.45pm and by the end of my run it was practically black outside... I did get to enjoy the sunset, and the park looked absolutely beautiful with a bit of fog - but man I hate how it gets dark so early.

It was about 7C (low 40sF) and humid, which is a great temperature. I wore running pants, sport bra, tank top, cotton long sleeve shirt, and hoodie. And I'm already noticing that I'm becoming less of a  wuss with the weather - when I started I would have thought this was freezing. Now that I'm, you know, actually moving a bit more I realize I could actually lose a layer and still probably be fine. I'd still rather overdress than underdress.

Anyway, this was today's workout:

5 min walking warmup
3 min jogging
90 sec walking
5 min jogging
2.5 min walking
3 min jogging
90 seconds walking
5 minutes jogging
5 min cool-down walking

Everything was pretty much ok, except for two small things. #1, I'm already sick of most of the music I have on my playlist. I went to skip ahead a Violent Femmes song and instead skipped ahead on my program! I was in that last 90 seconds of walking and then the app dude was saying "run" and I was like "wait no I have 40 more seconds to walk ahhh!" I quickly fixed it, but still, distracting. #2, my left ankle started to hurt just a bit during the last five minute run. not enough to stop, but it was weird. when I got home my little toe was numb - I think I was curling up my toes inside the shoe. Anyway, when I got home I stretched out and felt pretty good.

the total is fifteen minutes of real jogging. It's starting to seem a bit more real now, that maaaaaaybe I will actually get to the point that I can do a 5K. maybe.

Week Three, day three - my first morning run (EVER)

Ok, I think I maybe went running five or six times in my life in the "morning." by "morning" I mean 11.30am after I had slept 10 hours and it was a beautiful spring day and I wasn't working (that was about 3.5 years ago). it doesn't count.

Today I woke up, had a glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice (thanks to my boyfriend - the night before I made him promise over and over that he would help push me out of bed and he agreed), put on my running clothes and my new sneakers, and left. Before coffee. Before breakfast.

I understand this does not make me the most hardcore person on earth, but holy god. I don't even enjoy running that much. I'm not a morning person. And I am insanely, fully addicted to coffee. I also hate running/excercising on an empty stomach - I need a bit of fuel, even if it's half a banana. Oh, and by the way, I make it sound like i woke up at the crack of dawn but really I got out of bed at 8.30am and was out the door a little before 9am. this is early to me. seriously early. Around 9am I am usually drinking coffee in bed, cuddled up with my boyfriend, trying to convince myself to get up and get ready for the day. (I'll emphasize that this is possible only because my commute to work is a 10 minute bike ride)

so there I was, going outside my house without coffee or breakfast, dressed in running pants, sneakers, a long-sleeve shirt and a sweatshirt. the weather was great today - maybe about 8 degrees but sunny and quite humid, which made it feel warm. I didn't need gloves or any more layers. And I used my new sneakers - purchased yesterday for €100. I wasn't looking forward to spending money for shoes that aren't super cute, but I have to say I could feel the difference, and it was really significant. money well spent, I suppose.

The run was fine - felt harder to lift my legs because of the lack-of-coffee thing, but I made it through. and just like previous runs, it was much easier toward the end, and I tacked on two extra minutes. so I did:

5 min warmup walk
90 sec jogging
90 sec walking
3 min jogging
3 min walking
90 sec jogging
90 sec walking
3 min jogging
+2 extra minutes jogging
6 minute walking/cooldown

and that's it for week three! next time I go out I'll be in week four.

I'll say this - I didn't particularly love the morning run, and I'm much much more of a night person. but it's good to know that it is at least possible, and it gives me room to relax about the rest of the day and not worry about where I'll fit it in. .. maybe I'll do this once a week or so. the hardest part is just giving up extra cuddle time!

Week Three, day two

I did it! I went out running last night.

After I spent €100 on running-outside-clothes. Because I only used to work out in a gym, I have plenty of sports bras/tank tops/shorts. but I only have one real pair of workout-type pants, and I'm not the biggest fan of doing laundry alll the the time. So yesterday I purchased:

1. "Running Outside" pants. They're like warm leggings, with a special little pocket in the back for a key or something like that. fancy! And they cost about €45. I figure... well, even if the whole running thing is only a phase, I can still use them to cycle or just work out normally in a gym.

2. Sweatpants. They're warm and probably just fine for running outside, right? Again, even if the whole running thing is just a phase, I figure sweatpants are always handy for... actually I hate sweatpants but I'm sure they'll have some purpose in my life.

3. Hoodie. I needed a new hoodie anyway, and I doubt I actually use this one for running, but it's there.

4. Ear warmer headband thing. Turns out this doesn't work for me as I wear headphones when I run - the big kind that go over my head (ear buds don't work for me - my earnings knock them out). But that headband thing cost €5.00 and I'll probably put it to use when I'm riding my bike this winter.

I was super intimated looking at all the running accessories. I didn't buy gloves or a hat, I just wore my normal gloves and that was fine.

Okay, so I bundled up in my new fancy running pants, long sleeve shirt (just some normal cotton shirt), and a northface jacket liner. it's the thing I usually wear under my waterproof jacket - it's not heavy but not light. I didn't wear a hat or scarf.  It was probably about 2-3(C) degrees (about 35-37 F). it was cold. I hate cold. I went out.

my "brisk five minutes warmup" was indeed BRISK. I was cold. my jacket does zip halfway up my neck, but it's not snug. I held it closer around my neck while I was walking. When the first 90 second run came on I was happy to move more just to get warm. I noticed two thing. 1. I was definitely running slower than I had before 2. it was hard! when the 90 seconds was over, I went back to walking but felt REALLY out of breath. I know the same thing happens when I'm biking - even though I bike slowly on my old clunky bike and ride down flat streets, in the winter somehow it just seems harder. but I was surprised to find myself unable to really catch my breath and get my breathing back to normal. On the next three minute run, I made it through, but it was the same - harder, slower, not breathing well. on the following 90 second run I started to get cramps and knew I just wasn't breathing properly, but I didn't want to stop.

When I heard the "last run coming up" message from my app, I focused. I was warmer. I was still out of breath. But I started running, probably even slower than I had before. I was only focusing on my breathing - not how fast or slow i was going or what song was on, just breathe in-breathe out. it worked. I felt better. I finished the three minutes and then added on an additional 1 min 30 seconds, which means my last run was a total of 4min30 seconds. I walked for another 3 minutes or so, and then during the "cool down" I did a sprint! just wanted to see how it felt. it felt hard, by the way.

When I got to my house and took the headphones off, I heard myself breathing for the first time and noticed how raspy I was. When I got up the stairs and inside, I didn't go immediately for a glass of water like I normally do, I went for the couch. I laid down for a couple minutes, then decided that laying down was probably bad and counter-productive. I got up, sat on the floor with my back straight, and focused on breathing. in, out, yoga style. it took at least five minutes before I felt like I was breathing normally again, and while I was doing that I was also coughing just a bit.

I attribute all the breathing issues to the cold, not the run. my ears were fine, my nose and hands were fine, but my chest and throat need to be warmer. I could have worn another shirt, but my real question is what to do about my neck. a normal scarf would be itchy. turtleneck maybe? something else to investigate.

I also determined that I really should get a new pair of sneakers. mine are not running-outside sneakers, they're very much gym-sneakers. my knees and legs feel ok, but not perfect. and I don't want to mess anything up. so this little 5k goal is becoming kinda pricey all of a sudden...

... but if I'm going to make my goal of a 5k by the end of 2011, I need to really stay on schedule. I have exactly enough time to make my goal, but no extra time. oh, and by the way, because I don't have the GPS function working on my ipod touch, I don't actually know if I'll be able to do the five kilometers exactly - but to be honest that's not the important part. I just want to be able to run 30 minutes without stopping, and I can always work on improving my pace whenever I figure out what my pace actually is (it's slow).

I will run tonight I will run tonight I will run tonight

I'm psyching myself up right now. it's a nice sunny day, but the days are getting colder. 6 degrees Celsius and sun looks great from inside my nice warm office, but by the time I get out of work I know it's going to be 1-2 degrees. And that is fucking cold. I was just randomly googling "how to run in the the cold" articles, all of which say the same thing: to dress properly. but then again, most people are writing those articles for people who really RUN, not people who walk/run/walk/run.

I'm also reading a lot of blogs from people who have gotten through the program and trying to get inspired. Posts like this: http://scarletwords.com/2009/11/08/couch-to-5k-here-comes-week-7/ really help. all the people who start by saying "I hate running" are the people that I want to talk to (or at least read).

after a couple of manic work days, the last time I ran was on Sunday. Today is Wednesday, so I have to do it today. have to. have to. and I really want to do this outside - I only want to go to the gym if it's raining (which is not in the forcecast). the whole point of learning how to be a runner is to be able to take my workouts with me everywhere, which means not becoming dependent on the gym.

So I think I'm going to wander into a sporting goods store and buy some more workout clothes. as it stands I only have one pair of workout-type pants (the rest are shorts) so I'd need more of those anyway. and maybe a headband. and special gloves? that one I might wait on. One thing I might need to do soon is also investigate new sneakers - I like mine, they're a few years old (new balance) but they feel good... however my knees were feeling a little achy for a day following my last run and I really don't want to be accidentally hurting myself because it turns out that my sneakers are not at all what you're supposed to wear when running outside.

hmmm. ok. I will run tonight. I will run tonight. in the dark cold city. I will do this.

Week Three, day one

Another sunny weekend day, and I managed to squeeze my run in during the mid-afternoon. I felt good! This time I did two sets of:

run 90 seconds
walk 90 seconds
run 3 minutes
walk 3 minutes

etc. I think it was something like that. everything went fine - I still lack any kind of real I-run-outside-in-the-cold clothes, but to be honest, I guess 10-12 C still doesn't really count as "cold." I don't feel the need to wear gloves or anything like that yet.

nothing major to say about today, just worried about the week up ahead. work is going to be insanity. In a moment of what can only be described as love, my boyfriend offered to get up "early" in the morning to run with me so that leaving bed isn't quite so hard. I predict we will do this once and then never again. :) but still, maybe if we manage to do this once or twice a week, it could actually work. he's in better shape than me and a better runner than me, so hard to say if he would really keep my pace or if he would go off on his own - but I think just having him get up and go out the door with me is the motivation I need.

Week Two, day three

Today is Saturday, and my last run was on Tuesday. Work has been too crazy to even think about exercise, unless I became the kind of person who could wake up early in the morning and go then. I get to work between 9.30am-10m, and my "commute" is a ten minute bike ride. so if I was running from say, 8.15am-8.45am, I would still have plenty of time to shower, drink coffee, and get to work. It seems like such a good idea in theory, and I guess I'd feel really good about myself all day long, but let me tell you - the first thing I do when my alarm goes off is turn it off and snuggle with my boyfriend for as long as humanly possible. Then he gets out of bed, makes coffee, and brings it to me (still in bed), and we snuggle a bit more while drinking coffee together. why on earth would I replace that with jogging??

If there's any chance at all of me doing a 5K before the end of the year, I'll just need to get the runs in whenever possible, even if that means three days in a row with three days off. Today's run was quite nice - it was about 12C, sunny and clear skies,  and tons of people were out on the street. I ran through Prisen Island, which is one of the most beautiful parts of the city, and quite enjoyed myself. No problem to follow the program, and I added on maybe an extra 1-2 minutes of running at the end. The nice thing about this is the simple fact that it gets me outside, and I'm lucky to live in such a beautiful city. when I approach my street, all the smells of coffee shops and fast food seem very unappealing, but it only takes me 30 seconds to get away from all that.

When I got home I stretched out a bit and did 100 crunches in three sets - 50/30/20. I remember the days when i could do hundreds of crunches without stopping...

Tomorrow I'll start week 3, which is run 90 seconds/walk 90 seconds/run 3 minutes/walk 3 minutes.

Week two, day two - can I run outside, in the dark/cold?

It's 10C outside right now (about 50F), which to me is cold. hmm. maybe not that cold. but it's DARK. it's NIGHT. it's almost 7pm and I'm just about to leave work, and the goal is to go home, change clothes, stretch, and then go out for a job. in the cold dark night.

Up until now, all my jogging-outside activity has been in daylight, during beautiful warmish autumn weather. As I despise getting up earlier than I have to, I don't think it's realistic to do my jogs in the morning. But can I really do this now? God, daylight savings time sucks. and I really don't have any kind of proper running clothes, nevermind running-in-the-dark clothes.

but I have to do it! if I don't my whole schedule will be thrown off. so... go!

UPDATE: the weather was actually fine! and running on a weekday around 8.30pm came with an advantage that I didn't have when I was running on nice, sunny days or weekends... there were MUCH less people out and about, so the streets were all mine.