Month: August 2016

I started this running program to “earn” a pair of shoes. But after having someone who is an actual runner point out the beat up runners I’ve been using weigh about 15lbs each, I bought new shoes.

Fancy-schmansy, light-weight runners that the sales guy said would make me run super fast.

It didn’t, of course, but it was nice to have new shoes.  And I actually ran farther and faster than I have yet – 3.3 km that added to the walking, made a total of 4.3km – closer and closer to my 5km goal! And those other shoes.

It’s been a long, hot summer and I’ve spent 3 months going from trying not to puke after jogging 90 seconds to running over 3km in one go.   And although I spent a lot of time writing about the Vogs, the real motivation was to be able to do something different. Something I didn’t think I could.  Something that made me channel all the stubbornness into one goal.

I found the log books from when I went to Weight Watchers while in University – over 20 years ago.  The good news is I weigh about the same as when I was in University.  The bad news is it was enough to send me to Weight Watchers. Now I’ve lost lots of pounds with this program, but 20 years later, I’m back where I began.  So this time, I thought instead of paying $20 a week to a company that makes millions from people just like me, I could spend the same amount on shoes.  Beautiful shoes. Good shoes that will last if not 20 years, at least longer than the temporary gain (or rather loss) that might see me looking back at the log books 20 years from now. And a sense of accomplishment of doing something I didn’t think I ever would even attempt.

My beloved, the one who encouraged me to start this in the first place cracked 5 km last week. I’ve started week 8 of a 9 week program.  The summer of running is coming to a close.  I will wear my new runners with pride, and soon I will wear that other pair.

It will be a much nicer picture!

 

 

 

 

I just finished week 7 of the the couch to 5K program, and it was the hardest one yet. 5 minute walking warm up…run 25 minutes…5 minute cool down.

I really tried.  I planned routes with few hills.  I started walking at the top of the big hill at the beginning. I put all the best music on the play list.  The weather even cooperated and cooled off a bit.

But each time, when I got to the 15 minute mark, I just couldn’t do it – I needed to walk for a couple of minutes, before I could go on.

On the plus side, I did crack the 3k mark – as in I ran 3 whole kilometres!  However…

So I’ve decided I need to just do this week over.  Repeat the 3-25 minute runs until I can get past that 15 minute block. Maybe I’ll switch up the route, too and try a different neighbourhood.

Well, at least I managed  7 weeks before hitting the wall.  And I’m still on track to debut those beautiful shoes in September.

Week 7, here I come. Again.

I just finished week 6 of the 9 week couch to 5k program and I actually ran 2.55K. I’ve hit the part of the program where you don’t have any more walking intervals – it’s just “go out for a 22 minute run”, which I’m not so sure I like.

I didn’t want to run at all today.  We just got back from 2 weeks holiday.  We brought our running shoes etc. with us and while up north were faithfully jogging – especially when friends who can actually run 5K came and joined us. That was fun because for a while I was in the front of the group – because the others had looped back since they all run much faster than I ever will and instead of abandoning me, ran a few circles.  But it was enough for me. Plus we all went for a swim in the lake to cool off, which is so much nicer than just a shower at home.

Then we were kind of prisoners at summer camp for a week.  Not actual prisoners, but there was intense negotiation with the 21 year old director when we needed to go off-site to buy diapers for our littlest one. I didn’t want to explain the importance of Fluevogs to him.

So we had a week off from running and I had this “go for a 22 minute run” day today and I really didn’t feel like going for an any minute run, but it was cooler this morning than it has been in weeks, and I knew that if I didn’t go today, it would be even harder to convince myself tomorrow…so off I went.

It started out rough.  I didn’t think I’d last the first 5 minutes and had to do some serious visualization of exactly what outfit I would would wear for the ‘Vogs debut…and there was that minute or so of walking at the 13 minute mark when I hit yet another really big hill…

…but then it was over.  All done. I even ran for a minute of the cool down to make up for the walking.

The app doesn’t tell you how far or fast you’ve run until the end, so I was thrilled to see it was 2.55K. Half way.

I’m just not sure if I get to wear the shoes when I complete the program or if I actually have to run 5k. I’ll make that decision when I see how far I’ve gone at the end of the 9 weeks.  Next micro-goal is 3K.