Week Five, day three - I DID IT!

I made it through week five, day three on December 2nd! I haven't posted about it due to lack of time, but it did happen. The schedule was this:

5 minute warmup walk
20 minutes running without stopping (!)
5 minute cool down

In order to fit this run into my schedule (which has been jam-packed with work), I ran from my house to a work-related meeting (fortunately this meeting was with someone who is also a friend and didn't mind that I showed up sweaty and wearing running clothes). it was a totally new route for me, to go from my apartment (near central station in amsterdam) to my friend's studio in the oud west, a neighborhood that I never thought of being reachable on foot before. I had no idea if the distance would work, or if my run through the city center was a good idea, but at the end it turned out to be perfect. When the 20 minute run was done, I was almost at the studio - so I took another 10 minutes to walk around, cool down, and streach.

The weather was good - clear, about 8C, no rain. the run - the twenty minute run, which I haven't done in at least 8-9 years - was hard, of course. I did get bored (this is why I always hated running, I find it boring) but the city scenery and taking a new route did help immensely. When I heard the app guy tell me "you are halfway done" I felt relieved, but I also felt like "are you kidding me, that means I have halfway to go." I did look at my ipod when I was nearing the end of the run even though I know that's a bad idea, but luckily I only had about 2:30 left to go at that time, so it didn't discourage.

The best part is, I felt perfectly fine when I was done. Tired, yes. Breathing hard, yes. but I didn't feel like I would throw up and I didn't feel horrible - I felt good. I felt SUPER proud of myself. I kept thinking about it for the rest of the night.

Now the unfortunate thing is, it's December 8th and I haven't run again. I should have. But I spent the weekend in Antwerp, and this week was insane again with work... and weather. the weather has really taken a turn for proper amsterdam winter, which means sporadic rain throughout the day (along with hail every so often) and WIND. crazy, strong, horrible wind. I can't imagine running outside like this.

I'm super worried that I'll be able to start with week six after taking off for about five days. if I don't go today ... I know. I know I have to, but... man, this weather.

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!