The thread in which I attempt to form a running habit [Archive]

_MrsC_

05-05-2009, 04:28 PM

You may remember me asking last week for some advice from our runners. I was given nice feedback and decided to go ahead and take the plunge. I subscribed to 3 Weeks to a 30 Minute Running Habit (http://running.about.com/c/ec/1.htm)from about.com and every day I get an email suggesting the run for the day.

Here I go...

Day 0 - I bought new running shoes!
This was a struggle for me because my desire to succeed conflicted with my desire to be frugal. In the end, I decided to shop at Dicks. I had read quite a bit about sneakers, talked briefly to the girl that was working there (with questionable knowledge) and tried on a gazillion pairs of shoes. The new shoes are very comfortable and only cost about $60, so I'm pretty happy so far.

_MrsC_

05-05-2009, 04:33 PM

Day 1

Today's run: Start with a 5-10 minute warm-up walk. Run 1/1 x 10. (Run 1 minute, walk 1 minute, ten times, for a total of 20 minutes.) Finish up with a 5-10 minute cool-down walk. Remember to take it easy and don't worry about speed. Just keep it up and you'll be fine!

I am very self conscious and didn't want to be seen running through town, but I happen to be perfectly located near the school with their wonderful track. The walk to the school is about 10 minutes, so I walked to the track and stretched when I got there. I then walked half the track and ran half five times, stretched, walked home, and stretched again. I felt pretty good, but I can tell you that I was huffing and puffing after those half-track runs

_MrsC_

05-05-2009, 05:12 PM

Day 2

How are you feeling today? Ready for Day 2, hopefully! Here's your workout for today: Start with a 5-10 minute warm-up walk. Run 1/1 x 10. Finish with a 5-10 minute cool-down walk. This is the same as what you did yesterday, so you know you can do it!

Day 2 was to repeat Day 1, since I didn't follow day 1 exactly as it had been intended; I changed things up a little. I also had an evening thing I had to be at which through a small kink in my plans. This time I drove to the track and walked 10 minutes to warm up. I then ran 1/4 and walked 1/4 completing five laps. The 1/4 laps seem to line up more with the 1 minute than the half laps did and I felt much better running it too. I actually thought about doing more laps, but when I checked the clock the 20 minutes was up (exactly!) and I don't want to push myself too much. I walked 2 laps and stretched pretty good.

I relaxed in the car for about 20 minutes and then went into the school for my meeting. By the end of the meeting I felt like I couldn't even walk

_MrsC_

05-05-2009, 05:17 PM

Today is Day 3

Well done!! Your first two runs are finished and you've reached your first rest day. That's right, there is no run today. Take a well deserved break, if you'd like. Or if you have the energy and the motivation, do some cross training. Take a walk, take a hike, or go for a swim. Just, whatever you do, take it easy.

A break day! Thank goodness. I am so sore today. I am just trying to keep from being still too long and stretching every now and then. I walked about 30 minutes at lunch time.

MMof5

05-06-2009, 01:15 PM

This is great! I'm cheering you on!

_MrsC_

05-06-2009, 07:47 PM

Thanks for following along!

Here we go with Day 4...
<link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CNICOLE%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5 Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CNICOLE%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5 Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CNICOLE%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5 Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><style>  </style>I hope you enjoyed your day off, because it's time to run again! (Hooray!) Today, you are entering new territory. Just be confident in yourself; you CAN do it! Let's get to it. Today's run: Warm up with a 5-10 minute walk. Run 2/1 x5. Then, run 1/1 x5 (Run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute for 5 times for a total of 15 minutes. Keep running, but change to running 1 minute, walking 1 minute for another 5 more times. Your overall total time for the run, not counting warm-up and cool-down is 25 minutes.) Cool down with a 5-10 minute walk. Don't worry if it is difficult to run 2 minutes at a time. It does get easier; you've just go to keep with it!

I did it! It was difficult, I almost just skipped today. There was so much to do, I had to stop at the store, pick DS up from daycare, wanted to spend time with him, and had to be to softball by 6:00. That gave me 3 hours from the end of work until I had to be at the ball field. But I did it. I finally got myself a watch and made sure I was running the recommended times. I skipped the track figuring at that time of day the kids were probably using it. Instead I walked to the end of my road and ran/walked down to the end of a quiet street, turned around and came back. It was fairly level and worked out almost perfectly to the recommended time. But that track surface is very nice to your feet...

I was ready to give up towards the end of the 2/1, but just kept telling myself that the 1/1 would be even easier and that there is a reason that I'm doing this and I will never feel better if I don't follow through. So... I did it!

My DH is laughing at me because for as long as he's known me I have been proclaiming my hatred of running. It's not so bad though...

joshsmom

05-06-2009, 07:59 PM

My DH is laughing at me because for as long as he's known me I have been proclaiming my hatred of running. It's not so bad though...

Ha! You know what is funny? When I played field hockey in college I whined and wailed at every training run, every sprint drill and every lap around the track. I had a reputation for HATING running.

Now, I run almost every day. I regulary run "competitive" 5 & 10Ks (I'm not really "competitive"). I am training for a triathlon, a half marathon and *maybe* a marathon. Many of my college teammates who I know keep up with on facebook think it is a riot.

Keep up the hard work. I love/hate running a ton!

Earthmama

05-06-2009, 08:49 PM

You're doing great!