Silent Goal

While I've been hoping to be able to actually RUN in this half marathon I keep talking about, they way I felt at about 2:15 into one of my 3 minute jogs on my training made me skeptical that I would ever achieve it.

Last night at the gym, on an ordinary treadmill, I hit one of my silent goals. Week 4, Day 1 of my training called for not one but TWO 5 minute long jogs, each after a 3 minute jog and some rest. And I did it without giving up.  I didn't rest my hands on the treadmill.  I didn't jump off to catch my breath.  In fact, I was pretty impressed with my breathing overall!   This is the same person who could barely breathe after a minute of running 4 weeks ago!

I finally got to that level of feeling that I keep reading about on the motivational signs on Pinterest.  Like running was exactly what I needed to conquer my bad day, release all my stress, and get me to the kind of healthy I want to be.  It was incredible!

Between 50 minutes of Zumba and 2.0 miles of run/walking {16 minutes total of running!!}, I ended the day with 13,342 steps and 13 earned activity points!  And today, I still feel amazing, even if I was up at 6am with my 3 year old needing to use the potty.

My reward for my silent goal is going to be fit for a purchase a new pair of running shoes!  Brand spanking new, clean ones!  {The ones I run in now are 5 year old Asics that I was professionally fit for at Roadrunner when we lived in San Diego!}

Can't wait!

Training

I'm happy to report that since Thursday, I've logged 6 miles on the treadmill.  For three different days at the gym, 6 miles seems a little laughable.   But it's 6 more miles than I've ran -- well, almost ever, I guess.  And I'm pretty proud of it.

I had it in mind to go for my run outside today.  I thought surely if everyone else could do it in 38 degree weather when the sun was shining, so could I. 

I was wrong. 

See, you need gear to run in the winter.  Gear I don't have, and probably won't ever get.  So, I drove the 8 mile round trip to run 2 miles on the treadmill.  Economical?  No.  Warm?  Yes.

Today's run was just a little bit easier than the last two, too.  I didn't huff and puff as much, and when my Couch to 5k App told me to switch to "a brisk walk" after my run interval, I actually couldn't believe a whole minute of running had gone by.  Right now I'm running at a 5.2mph pace, which isn't marathon material, I'm sure, but it's better than sitting on the couch.  My "brisk walk" is at 3.8mph right now and I'm hoping to up both numbers in the coming weeks.

I'm not exactly racking up the activity points with this interval training right now, but I'm sure it will get me the results I want in order to succeed in reaching my goal -- to make it through the Half Marathon without being picked up by the "pace bus". 

The Hardest Part

Is just getting out the door.

Once I get to the gym and get on the treadmill I feel invincible.  I am still not good at running, and I don't know if I ever will be good at it, but I started and that's all that matters.

Couch to 5k Week 1, Day 1 -- DONE