Travel, Treadmills and Tornados

That my friends is the trifecta derailing my training. I haven't gotten out there in a week. I managed one treadmill run on my week of travel, but then I started sleeping instead of running. Then when I got back... rain from 5am to midnight Monday. Today is tornado watches/warnings and 74 mph wind gusts with sideways rain I really hope it stops soon so I can get out there. I may be off to join the gym this evening if not. GRRRR!!!

1 week down

I finished week one of my ease to 10K, and today wasn't so bad. My speed increased by 45 seconds per mile just this week, which makes me not feel too horrible. But I am still sad about the 30-60 seconds slower I am since I was running regularly. Time will fix this too...right??

Overall I can say that my first week wasn't so bad. I like that it's light out while I run now, and I hate that it's light out when I run. I have an overall aversion to others when I run. I don't like people watching my laDies flop around and my thighs sing as they rub together. But at the same time I very much enjoy seeing the sunset, I like breaking a little bit of a sweat and I yearn for the day that I can run 5 miles with out realizing and when my thighs remain silent the entire run. That will be the day, but until then I am going to embrace every run...enjoyable or not, watch out people, the LaDies are coming!!

ease to 10K

OK, so today something finally clicked and I got off my duff, put on my running clothes, velcroed up my shoes and pushed myself out the door. 30 minutes later I felt almost accomplished. I don't know what comedy of errors made me stop running during the holidays. I think it was partly the fact that I had reached a spot where I had never been before...the 4 mile mark. I NEVER ran that far in my life. As I looked at the training plan it got scary for me. I talked myself right out of my desire to become a runner. Then it became easy to make the excuses. I was tired, I was lazy, I was giving up. Fast forward 3-3.5 months and here we are today. My muscles I had been grooming are wasting away I am out of breath going up the 3 flights of stairs to work. I am almost right back where I started. But I know I haven't lost all my stamina so I didn't want to start over. I went in search of an APP, cause there is always an APP for that.

I downloaded the ease to 10K app from run helper. Today was W1D1- 5 minute warm up, 3 min run/1min walk repeat 5x, 5min cool down. (Probably the perfect starting point, not to hard...and not so wimpy that I feel like a total loser)

Wish me luck on this journey...AGAIN. 10 weeks until I am a 10K runner come hell or high water.

mental preparation

I am going to officially begin training on Monday, but until then I am gearing up mentally. I have never conqured such a large physical challange and I know from my history that I am prone to getting 5 weeks in an giving up. I don't want that to happen this time.

I am a little worried that I am not going to have time to schedule my runs during my transistion to my new job. But when doesn't life intervene and try to derail us from our best laid plans, come life bring it on..I am ready.

My new mantra has been, " I am going to run a half marathon, I am going to run a half marathon" then I try to remember to smile while picturing myself running for 2 hours for more. For me the scariest part is SUMMER, today the heat index is going to be 103, the humidity 9oo% (really 68%). But inorder to make my goal I need to start training immediately.

I have made a training schedule from now until the half marathon.
For the first 10 weeks ... starting July 12 I am going to follow the Couch 2 5K training plan. You can find it here: www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml . It is technically a 9 week program, but I am giving myself one extra week to sustain the 5K distance.
From there I am going to transfer to Hal Higdons 10K Training: Novice (www.halhigdon.com/10ktraining/10knovice.htm)
and then for the half-marathon training: Hal Higdon Half Marathon Novice (www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/novice.htm)

I have also tried to find 5 and 10k races that fall into the time line of when I finish each of those training series, I have a couple in mind and will keep you posted when I commit.