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Its official, I decided to do the Couch to 5K program again! I’m sort of in shape, and I’m certainly past being a couch potato, but running requires dedicated training. I couldn’t believe how hard Week 1 was for me the other day, so I decided to challenge myself to do the whole program again. This time I plan on continuing on to the 5K to 10K program. But, unlike I did with the half marathon training, I won’t try to cram it in a few weeks. AND…. I’m finally going to make my 5K to 10K podcast! I think I need it to push myself to the next level of running. Making a good quality podcasts takes a long time. But, you guys can expect to see it this summer. I’m so excited about it! I get so many requests for it, so hopefully it will help others keep running past the 5K too. Today was Day Two of Week 1 of my 9 week training program. Week 1 consists of eight, 60 second interval runs spaced by 90 second walks….Even though I ran errands after a full day of work and didn’t make it to the gym until after 8:30 pm; today’s run was still a lot easier than Monday’s run. I finished 1.5 miles in less than 30 minutes. I felt good.
After running, I went down to the elliptical machine and did 20 solid minutes. While I was working out, I could see this dirty old man watching me in the mirror. Then he started walking towards me. I looked down, but I could only look down for so long without the blood rushing to my head as I pedaled. He grinned and said “You’re looking good!” despite the sweat pouring down my face and the sweat seeping through the funky t-shirt that sat in my basement for too long. I was polite and gave him a half fake smile. And then, he sat down and continued to watch me work out! I’m not lying y’all; I couldn’t make this stuff up if I wanted to. He pretended like he was sitting down to check his blood pressure, but he kept giving me that dirty scan looking up and down my body. I almost got off the machine, but I only had a few minutes left, so stuck with it despite the pervert. It’s ironic that Monday I was all excited about getting my confidence and my mojo back when the cute man touched my shoulder, but now I’m attracting snaggletooth old grandpas. LOL ….Anyway, it was great workout, and I’m ready for Day 3. If you’ve been thinking about starting, I hope you will run along with me and my podcasts.
This whole getting up at 6:30 in the morning and getting home at 6 pm is kicking my butt. I’m so tired all time. I’m very thankful for my new job, but my body is still adjusting to the new schedule. I slept in almost every morning for last 2 and a half months. I had not even worked out since teaching my fitness class on Monday. But anyway, enough whining, being tired is not an excuse! I knew I had to work out today, as certain body parts were starting to feel a little more squishy than usual. I decided that Me and Nyah would go to the park since is was a beautiful fall day and a rare 71 degrees outside. I invited the little sister, and she invited her best friend and her unruly dog Theo. We got in a great workout, my ipod tracker is still a little off, but I know the path and it was about 2 and a half miles. I jogged a little, walked a little. Check out the beautiful Fall pics I snapped during my run today. Gotta go, Have a great weekend!
It’s still soaking in; I lost my job today, effective today. There was a huge lay-off; co-workers who were employed for 9 years were laid off. That’s the horrible news. But, me being the person I am, I don’t want to blog about that. I want to thank God that my car will be paid off next month, and that my Mama won’t let me be homeless or starve. So what did I do? The co-worker friend helped me pack up my desk, and I fought through the tears and neatly labeled all the files to be returned to their respective attorneys. I had to leave with class; I didn’t want to kick the recycle bin on the way out as one of my co-workers suggested. I came home, put on my work out gear and went to the GYM! Can you believe it? I said “I might be broke, but I’ll be dog gone if I’ll be FAT and broke!”
I really have a great support system that keeps me laughing, my big little sister said I should sell my peach cobbler that I call “crack-cobbler” because of the way everyone craves for it all throughout the year. My other little sister said I should apply for unemployment and food stamps….geez… and My cousin’s suggestion was the best, he suggested that I sell myself on craigslist, LOL!…. I got a good laugh out of that. *shaking my head*… Well anyway, at the gym, I jogged for a little over half an hour while listening to my podcast for Week 1 training. Then I hit the workout room and got on the elliptical. Somewhere between Micheal Jackson’s Billie Jean, 
and the 15 minute marker, I started to break down, I think my little sister on the machine next to me thought it was sweat rolling down my face, and not tears. Either that, or she just didn’t want to call me out for crying. I went to the bathroom and cleaned my face up. I went back and finished my time on the elliptical. Nobody can EVER say to me they didn’t feel like working out, if I’m jobless and crying and still pedaling. After the gym, I went to my weight management meeting. I had a GREAT week I lost 4 of the 5 pounds I gained during my New York trip. I am super excited about that. I had a one-on-one with the counselor, who was certain that my positive personality and business ventures would pull me through. Since I can’t afford to attend the sessions anymore, they said I can still come and weigh-in each week for Free! More good news, my blog is taking off, I had 351 visitors yesterday! Wow! I’m going to get through this time and focus on what my pastor says “Your Setback is Only a Setup for Your Comeback.” I’m going to have a huge comeback, I’m going to be rich AND skinny…LOL…you wait and see. J
Today, I was determined to run the entire 3.1 miles to prepare for my 5K race on Sunday, although part of me felt like I couldn’t do it. Which was is totally crazy, seeing as how I did it in April. I was still hurting from yesterday’s Jump Rope
fest during boot camp class and totally unmotivated to go running. I went to Forest Park anyway, and hit my regular path that I know for sure is 3 miles since my Nike iPod tracker
still needs to be calibrated. Today’s run was hard…my left leg cramped up…that annoying pain in my right side reared it’s ugly head, but I pressed through it. Like the boot camp instructor said, once you work though the tough parts, you’ll see your break through….and low and behold I did. I was in a good groove, that is until the Mama duck and her ducklings took their time crossing from the pond over the bike/jogging trail. They were so cute, but they slowed me down as you see on the chart. Eventually, I picked back up my speed and finished in 53 minutes! Maybe I’ll be able to meet my goals after all!
“Oh only ’bout 70%” as Sam Jackson said in the movie Resurrecting the Champ. I slept under the fan for a few days and came down with a cough, a sore throat and severe nasal congestion. I missed boot camp class, and was going to work a half day until I got called in to return an important document. I took allergy medicine, cold medicine, and a couple vitamins, and prayed I wouldn’t have the same fate as Anna Nicole, although, I’m pretty sure she wasn’t taking Claritin
and vitamins….anyway, after work, I was still feeling only about 75%, but I knew I had to get in a work out. It was hot as the devil’s kitchen outside, so the gym was my only option. It was hard, but I jogged on and off, and finished about 2.2 Miles. It was nice to see that today, I crossed the 75 MILE MARK!
Today could not have been better; it started off with a free tax day massage in Keiner Plaza downtown, and ended with a 5K run! Yes you read it right, I actually did it. I can’t freaking believe it. And I did it in under an hour, 53 minutes to be exact. I never thought in million years I could jog for 3 miles. This time last year I was complaining about the walk from the parking garage to the weight management clinic. Now 52 lbs later, and working out 3 times a week. I feel a hard earned sense of accomplishment. Even Lance Armstrong had to congratulate me through my ipod on my long run yet!
I keep telling myself, It’s now or never; the race is Saturday. Today was an unpredictable April day in Saint Louis, will it rain, snow, shine, you never know. I went to gym because it’s weather proof. I went up to the track, calibrated my Nike iPod sensor, and got to jogging. I jogged for 50 minutes! That’s my longest jog yet. I’m learning how to pace myself a little better. I was still a little shy of 5K (3.1 miles), but hopefully by Saturday, I can do it.
