Visible Potential

I'm really starting to feel good about my running. now that I am running with my natural gait it feels great and I am seeing a lot of potential. Back in my post Tools of the Trade I talked about one of my tools being the Handy Runner app on my Droid. It is a companion app for the site RunningAhead.com. I love Running Ahead.(It's free, go join!) It uses the app on my phone to track my course and time and then it uploads to my free account on Running Ahead and tells me my average pace, distance covered and time of the workout. It shows you a map of where you ran that you can save as a course and it graphs your pace so you can see how you speed up and slow down.

Since I am running intervals my pace graph is always staggered between my walk pace and run pace. I averaged a 14:55 min mile tonight during my 21 minute workout while I was running one minute and walking 1 minute. As you can see from my graph(the image link kept breaking), I actually stick pretty close to a 10 or 11 min. mile. That makes me feel great about my potential as a runner.

Of course I am tired and a little out of breath when I finish my run intervals but that is why I am doing the 1/1 workout a few extra times before I start the program for real(Sunday night). That way I will have 4 nights of running 1/1 to get me ready before I have to increase my run time to 2 minutes. Plus it gave me a little time to get back in the swing of things since I took a few days off after the 5K last Saturday. If things continue in this fashion, I am going to have to find another 5K to run even if it is 2 million degrees outside. I guess we'll see when that time comes.

It just amazes me how much better I feel now that I am running with my natural gait. I don't have any of the pain that I normally feel in my calves when I jog. The pain wasn't just when I started, it was every workout all the way until and during the 5K. But now that I am running more naturally, I feel GREAT. My back has been a little sore because I actually keep it straight while I run instead of hunching forward like I do when I jog. I really hope things keep going this well.

I think I may also start adding water aerobics into my weekly routine. I just found out that the local boys and girls club has an indoor pool and offers water aerobics 5 days a week. I have been wanting to add something but I was afraid I may end up injuring my self if I chose the wrong thing. I grew up in the water and having a break from the weight on my joints would be really nice. I need to look into it a little more but if it works out, I think it would be really good for me.

'Til next time...





PS - My engagement ring fits again!!! It was my grandmothers and the band is very old and I didn't want to have it sized so I haven't worn it for the past two years.