Run for your life!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alright, so it's been a minute since my last post but I'm still here. Just not feeling in the typing mood I guess. I've moved on to week 2 of the c25k program and pretty much feel like I'm going to die trying to do it! I did fine with week one but this week 2 is kicking my ass! The program this week is run for 90 seconds and walk for 2 minutes. On the first day I did fine for the first 2 running segments. Then utter failure happened! Ok maybe not quite that bad. I did manage to make my way through it kicking and screaming. On the first run I did ok. I could tell it was a little longer but nothing crazy. The second run I felt really good! During the first week I was feeling like my legs were kinda crampy because my stride is very short cause I'm very slow. So I lengthened my stride a little which meant I had to up the speed a bit but it felt great (on the second run). My legs didn't get the crampy feeling and I was better able to make sure I was landing with my forefoot. I was actually thinking "hey this is pretty cool! I can see how people get hooked on this!" Oh boy but all that changed!

During the third run I started noticing my breathing was......not good. I was having trouble getting enough air and even though I was trying to take slow deep breaths instead I was getting short gasps. I tried inhaling for 4 or 5 steps then exhaling for 2 which I read somewhere was good. What I ended up with was short breaths in and the exhale was just as short. I kept having to yawn (a sure sign my body wasn't getting enough oxygen) but I was trying to yawn so deeply that I couldn't get my mouth open wide enough to take in as much air as I needed! What an unpleasant feeling that was! Luckily the run segments would end and I caught my breath a bit on the walks. Not completely but enough to let me do the next run. The program is for 30 minutes and I usually walk for another 30 minutes to make sure I get an hour of exercise but I just couldn't do it. I did the program then got off the treadmill. I ended up with a headache and looked not so good according to hubby. It took a couple of hours to get my breathing back to normal. It wasn't as bad as when I was running or walking of course but I still had to keep yawning. It was not a good feeling.

I almost decided to go back and redo week one but figured that I did make it (barely) through the first day of week 2 so I would just go ahead and finish out the week. I did day 2 today and it was much better. I still got winded and had to really concentrate on my breathing but it was nothing like day 1! I will do day 3 Friday and then I think I'm going to redo week 2 instead of moving on to week 3. My body needs the time to adjust a little more and the last thing I want to do is set myself up for failure by pushing too hard.

I'm also having a little problem with my left foot. Walking and running and even just standing around doesn't bother it but when I first stand up from sitting or when getting out of bed it hurts like crazy on the bottom of my foot in the heel area. The first few steps I take are very painful and I look like a zombie but a after a few minutes it subsides. I have done some reading and I think it has something to do with calf muscles being too tight. I need to stretch them more and often! I started using a towel to stretch them while I'm still laying in bed before getting up in the morning and that seems to help a lot! At first I thought it was my old shoes I originally started walking in before I started the running thing. So I bought nice new running shoes but then when things didn't improve is when I started looking things up on the internet. Ahhhhh, the internet. How did I ever live without it!! Its kinda strange cause when I tough the bottom of my foot it doesn't hurt but if I grab the sides of my heel its like someone jabbing me with an ice pick!!

I'm going to look up some calf stretches and start really working on those and if it isn't showing signs of improvement in a week or so I'll have to bite the bullet and go see the doctor about it.


Thats it for me tonight! See you soon!

What the....

OMG OMG OMG OMG!!! I have been soooooo hungry all day! I don't know what is going on! Is it tom? No there is like over a week before thats due. I don't know whats going on. It hasn't just been that I'm bored or just want to eat. I have really been hungry! My tummy was grumbly and it was just a gnawing hunger so I ate. A lot. Ok well not some great extraordinary amount but more than normal. So I figured maybe my body just needed extra food today and I ate. Ugh who knows why but I feel I did the right thing. I listened to my body and gave it what it was telling me it needed. I could have eaten better foods but I ate what I had available. On top of that I haven't felt well today. Around noon I started feeling sick and achy. I'm pretty sure its just allergies. I get them really bad and it feels like the freaking flu or something. So that started around noon and when I got home from work I wasn't sure I would be able to exercise today (its the last day of week 1 for the c25k program). I really felt like I couldn't walk, let alone run, that long!

I took some allergy medicine and watched a movie with the boys and hubby. After that I felt a little better so I decided I was just going to get on the treadmill and go for it either I would be able to do it or I would keel over and fall off! But I did it without dying!! I got W1D1 finished and did the extra 30 minutes for a total of 2.9 miles. Yes I am still slower than Christmas but I've gotten a little faster so any progress is good progress!
I'm glad I got the exercise done but even with those extra calories I'm still over my limit for the day and I'm ok with it. I thought I would be upset but I really feel that I needed it. I didn't eat for any emotional reason or because of stress or boredom. I ate because I needed it. Maybe I needed the extra fuel to help my immune system deal with whatever it was dealing with today.

I made it though the program today but the running time goes up next week-well, the amount of running doesn't go up but the interval times changes. Instead of running for 60 seconds it goes up to 90 seconds. Might not sound like a lot to someone else but it does to me! But I'm not going to sell myself out. I'm going to try it and see if I can make it through and deal with it as it comes. I have the next two days off from running but I'll still do my walking tomorrow. Then Monday we move onto week 2!!!

From a few days ago....

November 30, 2010
I started a walking program the end of October. Not really much of a program-just walking for at least 30 minutes, most days on the treadmill and some days me and the boys walked around the neighborhood. One day hubby and I took our dog for a walk for about an hour. And one day we spent about 3 hours on a hiking trail. After about a week or so I moved it up to walking an hour 5 days a week, 1.5 hours the 6th day and rest the 7th day. Also trying to get 8 glasses of water everyday and logging calories @myfitness.com. I've lost 10 pounds so far!!! Yaayyy me!

Monday the 29th I started the c25k running program. I made it through all the intervals of the day one. I'm slower than molasses in January but I'm doing it. My new running shoes (Brooks) seem really nice so far but at some point I'l like to try the Vibramms 5 Fingers or something similar. The daily run/walk for c25k lasts about 30 minutes so after that time is up I just keep walking to finish out an hour. My oldest son was nice enough to let me download an app on his iTouch that lets me pick the music to listen to and it just gives verbal cues over the music. Thats very nice cause my taste in music is....eclectic.

I'm really happy I went ahead and started this program. I'm feeling better than I have in a long time. My next run day is Tuesday and I'm excited. I've been reading and watching some videos on posture and forefoot striking so I'm trying to remain conscience of those things while running-ha! Me! Running!?!!

I can't believe I waited so long to do this. I first saw the program a couple of years ago and kept saying "when I get below 200 I'll try it." What a moron. I even found the thread on Active.com for the 200+ pound people that were doing it but that still didn't get me going. Oh well, I've heard the saying "there will be no wine before its time" and I guess it just wasn't my time. But it is now! And I'm taking by the horns...nope-screw that horn crap. I AM THE BULL!!!!!!!!!!!!!