Week 5 Day 3 Attempt 1

Date: 11/23/09
Time of Day: 10:00 PM
Location: Marriott Route

Conditions: 52 degrees F, sprinkling
Music: Running Music 2
Clothing: Under Armour shirt, Compression Shorts, Majestic Braves shorts
Shoes: Nike Air Pegasus 26+

 

Sometimes, things just don't go according to plan.

 

It took me until my 15th run...the first one past the halfway point...to finally fail a run.

 

I was supposed to run 20 minutes, but I only got to 5:36 until my body started screaming at me to stop.

 

I don't know if I started out too fast or if I need another week of week 5 or what, but it didn't happen.

 

I walked out the door last night with a new route mapped out. There is a Marriott hotel next to my apartment complex...if I run from my usual starting point to an entrance in the back, that is exactly one mile, which means I would have an exactly one mile out and back. This route I creatively call "The Marriott Route".

 

The first 3 minutes were easy...but I didn't feel quite right. Part of it was that I had a slice of pizza at the hockey game earlier...not a great pre run food. Perhaps I didn't warm up enough or didn't cool down enough on Saturday, but I hit a point where my mind was telling me to keep pushing but my body was telling me, "Yeah, no, you're going to have to stop."

 

Usually, it's the other way around. In this case, I figured I would trust my body and stop. There's nothing that says it absolutely has to be done in 9 weeks...and I was not going to make 20 minutes. So at 5:36...for the first time in the C25K program...I walked.

 

Needless to say, I was pretty dejected. I thought about turning around and going back home...but I realized...everyone has bad runs. It's okay to have a bad one every once in a while...maybe I'm not ready for the 20 yet...but I'm definitely not going to quit.

 

So...having seen that ~5 minutes of running would be my limit for the day, I set my iPod app to re-do Week 5 Day 1 - the one with three 5 minute running intervals. Granted, I had a slightly longer walk break than I'm supposed to have, but I also ran for slightly longer, so I think it evens out. What was amazing to me was that last week, Week 5 Day 1 kicked my ass. This week, it was hard...but it was never, "OhmigodI'mgonnadie" hard.

 

When I run my 5k on Thursday, I'll be trying the 20 again...but I won't be dejected if I don't make it...I'll just make sure to at least complete Week 5 Day 2 again. Since Week 5 Day 1 was easier on the second go-round, I'm fairly certain Week 5 Day 2 can't possibly be harder when I've already done it once. I just have to remember to not get dejected and not get mad at myself. I have to be patient...I'll get there.

 

I'm disappointed that I didn't finish the 20 minute run, but I'm proud of myself for not quitting.

Week 5 Day 2

Date: 11/21/09
Time of Day: 10:30 AM
Location: Nissan Route

Conditions: 56-62 degrees F, sunny, warm
Music: Running Music 2
Clothing: Under Armour shirt, Compression Shorts, Under Armour shorts
Shoes: Nike Air Pegasus 26+

Yesterday's run was different for several reasons.

First of all, it was the first day time run I had made that was not a 5k. Secondly, it was honestly the closest I have come in any of my runs to quitting.

I missed Friday night's run due to getting home at a late hour and having no energy. I made a promise to myself to run in the morning. One thing that I have learned about the C25K program is that unlike in the past, when I make promises like these to myself...I keep them. And I kept this one.

Thus, I walked outside yesterday morning for Week 5 Day 2. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, which was a plus.

Week 5 Day 2 consists of two 8 minute runs separated by a 5 minute walk. While it seems like a fairly straightforward, easy exercise compared to the past few, running 8 minutes in one stretch is extremely difficult when the longest I had run so far was 5.

I started the first run and after about 3 minutes, I could very much feel it. As I've mentioned, the Nissan Route is pretty much up a hill and then back down the hill...although there are a lot of flat portions. Anyway, it was rough, but I managed to finish it.

The second run at least started out easier...but it got harder as it went on...to the point that I very, very much wanted to quit. I was contemplating what time today I could retry it...I did not feel like I could finish it. I even contemplated how to label the blog posts if I missed it...but I didn't miss it.

It was probably the most difficult last two minutes of anything I've ever done...I had slowed down to a snail's pace...and had to look very attractive as spit formed on my lips...but I managed to pull it off.

In fact, I made it back to the starting point before the music ran out, which was the first time I had done that.

I recognize that I've accomplished quite a bit at this point. In fact, I'm past the halfway point.

However, I don't know which I'm more surprised about...that the workouts keep getting harder or that I not only keep finishing them, but keep moving onto the next harder one.

Anyway, the next run is the big 2-0. The 20 minute run. After the way I struggled through the 8 minute runs, I'm not so sure how it will go, so this week I am not considering week 6 until I finish it.

I'm not sure I will finish the 20 on the first attempt, so I've set aside this week to make 3 attempts at it - Monday night, Thursday morning and Saturday morning. If I can get it...I'll move on to week 6. If not, I'll keep trying until I get it.

This is it. If I can do the 20 minute run, I can finish the program.

So...until then.

Week 5 Day 1

Date: 11/18/09
Time of Day: 9:30 PM
Location: Nissan Route

Conditions: 43-44 degrees F, chilly
Music: Running Music 2
Clothing: Long Wicking shirt, Compression Shorts, Target-brand Shorts
Shoes: Nike Air Pegasus 26+

I say this every run, but man...last night was hard.

For those who are unaware, none of the workouts in Week 5 are the same. Day 1 (last night) consists of three 5 minute running intervals with 3 minute walks in between. Day 2 is two 8 minute runs with a 5 minute walk in between. And....Day 3 is the dreaded monster 20 minute run.

On paper, it seems that W5D1 would be easier than Week 4 because you are running for 1 minute less. However, as they say, runs aren't done on paper.

The first thing I realized was that last week, I had been using the wrong set of hedges to mark my 1 mile point, so I moved back up the sidewalk a ways to start from the correct spot. Also, earlier this week, I had updated the C25K app on my iPod...and this would be the first run with the updated version.

The first run started out easily enough...but by about the 3 minute mark, I was pushing it. Another one of those feelings of, "How am I going to keep doing this? It's so hard!" As usual, I picked a landmark that I thought would be close enough to the end of the run and ran to it...knowing that if I could make it there, I could make it to the end of the run.

It's weird how I know I can run that far - I did it 6 times last week - but something in my mind is still telling me...oh, but you haven't done it enough in your life, you might not do it now. I always do, though. Again, not a lack of confidence...a lack of prior evidence. I guess I actually have to see it to believe it. And every day, I keep proving to myself that it can be done.

The second run was a little easier, mostly because most of it was downhill. I hit the halfway point both in the run and in the program in the middle of the run here. It definitely wasn't easy...it was still one of my hardest intervals ever...but it was definitely easier than the first one.

At this point, not one inch on my body was cold. Despite it being 40 degrees and my body being covered in sweat, every single inch of my body was warm. It was a very strange experience to be standing in 40 degree weather wishing you had on short sleeves.

Finally, I hit the third run. I saw my shadow in the streetlights and realized I had to look very penguin-y running along and chuckled to myself. The fact that I was able to laugh, however, told me again that I would be able to finish...as long as my breathing isn't hurting me, I'm pretty much fine. And so I finished at approximately the same spot as Sunday, despite running one minute less and starting further up the trail. At least my pace appears to be improving.

I keep having to argue with myself on virtually every run...after every running interval, I think, "Wow...that was really hard...I don't know how I'm going to do the next one." And I have to tell myself, "Of course it's hard. That's the whole point. It's not easy. It will get easier the further you go."

And I keep telling myself that.

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Note: I also started the Hundred Pushup Challenge on Monday. Last night was W1D2. Not much to report other than...I did a lot of pushups.

Week 4 Day 3

Date: 11/15/09
Time of Day: 10:00 PM
Location: Nissan Route

Conditions: 53-54 degrees F, clear
Music: Running Music 2
Clothing: Long Wicking shirt, Compression Shorts, Adidas Shorts
Shoes: Nike Air Pegasus 26+

Sometimes life gets in the way of your runs.

I had originally planned to run W4D3 on Saturday night, but by the time I got home from the Predators game, it was already past 11, which - by the time I got out on the road - would have put my run past midnight. To me, this didn't seem like the world's safest idea...so I delayed my run until Sunday.

So...Sunday night, I put on my new shoes and headed out the door. After driving around and measuring distances, I found the exact (or at least close to exact) 1 mile marker for my run. Therefore, that's where I started. My first 3 minutes of running weren't easy, but my feet weren't bugging me. More importantly, I kept my eyes off of my iPod and focused on running for the entire interval.

The first 5 minute run was even rougher. And I chalk up the problems that I began to encounter here to eating less than an hour before heading out the door. I started to get serious side stitches...and my breathing was definitely more erratic than usual. My legs felt okay, at least...it was the side stitch that was getting to me. But again, did not look down at my iPod, which means I was not as worried about continuing as usual.

I hit the 1 mile marker at exactly halfway, turned around and headed back up the "halfway hill" as I call it (I guess to myself). I still had side stitches when the second 3 minute run started. In fact, this was the hardest one of all...my breathing was funky, I had side stitches and I was running up a hill. I practically felt every ounce of my 304.2 pounds during this one. I picked a landmark that I would get to and then look at my iPod to see how much time was left...luckily, it was only :08...and I got my 90 second walk.

As per the rest of the week, the last 5 minute interval was the easiest one of the day...while I still had side stitch issues, I think the fact that I know that it's my last run must do something mentally to get me through it easier. I finished that one with no problems (and almost at the exact same point as Thursday, despite starting further back). When the cooldown ended, I was only about 20 feet from where I started, which means that I made 2 miles in 32 minutes (counting the 16 minutes of walking). Not bad when you factor in the leisurely pace of my cool down.

So...here we are. Week 5. The big one looming at the end of the week...a 20 minute run. But first, I have three 5 minute runs on Tuesday and two 8 minute runs on Thursday. I know it's there, but I have to take it one step at a time...like I have the whole way so far.

One step at a time.

New(er) Shoes

Well, it only took a month...I had to go shoe shopping again on Friday night....I took the Five Fingers out for a nice leisurely walk the other day...on the way back, I looked down at my feet...and where there should have been shoe, there was skin. My new Five Fingers are already falling apart. There is a very large hole in the side of them, as you can see:

I haven't had a chance yet to see if the store I purchased them from will return them (it's on the other side of town from anywhere that I usually go, so I'm going to have to set aside a special trip just to see if they will take them back. Of course, the bigger issue here is that I'm back to needing a new pair of running shoes. Needless to say, I don't have much faith in a product that falls apart in less than 20 miles. While I understand that sometimes companies will accidentally put out a faulty product, a google search revealed that this seems to be pretty common. Thus, it was time for me to seek out a new pair of running shoes?

First, as I explained earlier, the reason I have to get new shoes is that the Puma Sierra Trails that I am running in cause blistering on the side of my feet due to the elastic that holds the tongue to the base of the shoe. I have been wearing Band Aids over the hotspot, but they are still occurring, as you can see.

The way I figure it, the sooner I get in to a better pair of shoes, the sooner I can quit worrying about the blisters popping up on the side of my foot in a longer run. And...since I'm a week away from the 20 minute run...I figured it was probably the best time to go ahead and snag a pair of shoes that will last me a while.

So, on Friday night, I went looking at a few stores...I'm sure I looked very silly running up and down the aisles of the stores trying on shoes...and I know a lot of people recommend going to a running store to get your proper shoes, but I wasn't going to spend a ton of money on shoes and felt guilty putting them through the motions and then going somewhere else for a better deal.

Anyway, after some searching, I succumbed to the lure of the mighty Swoosh. I purchased a pair of very Nike Air Pegasus 26's for $65. Also, it's Nike+ compatible. There's a small slot under the left insole for the Nike+ sensor.

My first run on them will be later this evening...and I will report on them first thing tomorrow morning.

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Note: Due to the lateness of last night's Nashville Predators game, W4D3 has been delayed until this evening.