Running to Clear Creek

So far things are going well with my new plan. I have stuck with the past two days. I know that doesn't seem like much but the problem I have been having lately was trouble starting, not just following through. I would make up the schedules and then when day one rolled around, I wouldn't do it. The fact that I have done my long run and my first workouts are a good thing because at least this time I started. Tonight I did have some frustrations with TurboFire and getting the moves down. I know I will get better but when you can't seem to catch on to the first combo, it makes it tough to keep going. I didn't finish that part of the workout but I did do Insanity and my stretching. I think I may have to ease into TurboFire a little slower than I planned and make sure I have each of the moves down before I get completely into it otherwise, I will never finish a workout. I also have to get a non-slip pad to put under our new workout matting because having it slide around when you are jumping around doing the kick boxing moves is not a fun feeling. The last thing I want to do is pull or twist something because the flooring slides and end up injuring myself so that I can't run.

The big thing about these two days though was the long run Mac and I did on Sunday.  Originally on my training plan it was supposed to be 8 miles but we will be running a 10K on the day that should be 9.5 miles so we decided to up Sunday's run to 9 miles. It ended up being just over 9 miles but that's OK too. We typically run close to home. Even when we do longer runs, we just run extra "laps" on the closed gate road next to our neighborhood.(There is a road that was added for a new post gate and that gate is only open certain hours during the day on week days and closed on weekends.) We typically run there because it is an easy place to get a good run on asphalt without having to worry about any traffic. When I was thinking about our 9 mile run, I didn't want to run up and down the same road over and over and over again, so I started looking at other options. Then I thought about something I have always talked about but never had the guts to do. I could run to Clear Creek.

Clear Creek Rd is one of the main roads on post that is the other side of the post from where I live. If you drive from my house to there it seems like it is so far away. In actuality, it is about 3-4 miles depending on which road you take. I decided to take one of the less traveled roads so that we wouldn't have to deal with traffic or trying to run on a sidewalk the entire time.(Concrete= bad on joints) I mapped it out and found that if we went to one of the last drive ways on North Ave, it would take us to the 4.5 mile mark so we could turn around and head back. As I mapped it out on RunKeeper, I noticed the elevation changes and knew there was a pretty good hill but I figured it shouldn't be too bad. WRONG! It is TWO MILES up hill. It was TOUGH and it meant that I walked a lot more than I planned but I knew if I tried to run up that hill I would be DEAD and the top of the hill was only at the 3 mile mark. So we walked most of the way up and then returned to our run intervals on the way down. I checked my phone at the top of the hill and I was surprised to see that even with all of the walking, we were still under the required pace for the Princess. We were going along really well on the way down and as we got closer to the midpoint, I told Mac where we would need to turn around. He said, "Don't you just want to run all of the way and tag the Clear Creek sign." The more I thought about it, the more I really wanted to actually go all the way to Clear Creek. I knew it would put us over the 9 miles but I also knew that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. So we agreed to go to the sign. I knew I wouldn't be able to touch the sign because It is really high and I can't jump that high but Mac touched it and I got a picture.

I must admit, it was kind of cool to be able to stand there. Then we turned around and headed back and that meant back up the hill. We went back to walking because that hill was a bitch. By the time we got to the top, I was FREEZING. The temps dropped pretty drastically in TX this weekend and the 14 mph winds just cut through to the bone. My quads were like ice and running became very hard because they were so tight. So even when we crested the hill, we kept walking because my body was just too tired and cold to run. It was taking a lot of effort just to breathe so I knew I couldn't run. I kept checking my phone and I was constantly shocked that we were still doing fine when it came to our pace. I realized that even if I had to walk the entire Princess, I could do it now and not get swept. That would have been an impossibility a year ago and was obviously not possible two years ago when I was swept.  It is crazy when you have these moments where you can see how far you have come. We finally made it back to the house and Mac realized that even when walking, 9 miles is no joke. For the first time in our training, I saw some fatigue in my Army boy at the end of a training distance. Typically, since he is just going at my pace, the runs aren't that hard on him but increasing the miles has finally gotten to a point that he isn't used to yet.

The little things like realizing I can now walk faster than a 16 minute mile have given me a little confidence boost this week. I had been feeling like I was stalling out and I was wondering if I was really getting anywhere anymore. Another thing was earlier tonight when I updated my weight in the ticker below. I know that it has taken me a long time to lose those 34 lbs, but I have still lost them, and kept them off. I also realized how close I am to losing 50 lbs. and being half way to my target weight. I'm not going to say 160 is my goal weight but for now it is my target weight. If you look at BMI charts and several other methods of calculating ideal weight, they say that I should be between 135 and 165. I am targeting 160 so that once I get there, then I can decide if I really NEED to lose more weight or if that is closer to what is a healthy weight for my frame type. I am hoping to lose the next 68 pounds of this journey faster than I did the first 34 because I think I have figured out what my body needs and how things work better. I stalled out in the 240s for a long time but in the last few months I have been putting the pieces into place better and I have seen a steady change. I am hoping that now that I am working out more and focusing on nutrition better that those changes will continue at a steady and possibly increased pace. I'm not talking about anything crazy, just 2-3 pounds a week instead of 0.5-1 pound a week. I know that I will lose more in the first few weeks and then taper off and that is fine as well. I just want to reach my full potential instead of hanging back because I'm scared of what's ahead.

I'm just ready to be a new person and I know that this is the time to do it.

Making plans and Following through

Tonight I created yet another Excel sheet containing training and workouts until the Princess. It is really sad how many versions there have been since mid-December when I created the first one. Granted, the holidays got in the way more than I expected but since being back, I have created two more versions that I have not followed through with at all(other than training runs). I've been wanting to start Insanity again and do it with my husband. Well that has not happened. Whether it was my lack of motivation or him not being around, we just haven't gotten going like we should.

I think I have been overwhelmed by the task ahead of me. I want to make significant progress by my birthday and that gives me a shorter time frame than I had hoped. I am not going to be unrealistic and things that I want are completely within reach, it is just overwhelming at times.  I have been letting fear and doubt get the best of me the last few weeks. I know I can do this, I just have to give myself a swift kick and get moving.

Even though I haven't been doing the extra workouts that I wanted, I have been getting my training runs in and I have managed to lose a few pounds. Which tells me I haven't been completely failing, I have just been letting myself down by not reaching my full potential.

So Monday I will be kicking off a 6 week plan that is an Insanity/TurboFire hybrid. I'm going to give it a try for a little while and if it doesn't feel right, I will change it up and probably go back to just Insanity. I am really trying to focus on building more strength and lean muscle to help with my running. I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that the Princess is getting so close. I know I can do it but I feel like it is sneaking up on us. I need to just start focusing on the day to day because looking down the road is freaking me out.

So tonight I printed my newest excel worksheet and Monday I WILL begin to follow through with it. It's going to be tough but I CAN do it. I just have to get over the fear and get it done. I'll try to check in a little more often to let you know how it is going.

A little time off

One thing I have learned over the last two years and especially during last year's training is that a little time off every now and then isn't always a bad thing. Right after Mac deployed last year I had a really hard time finding the motivation to run. It ended up meaning that I skipped a chunk of my training. No short runs, no long runs, nothing for a little over two weeks. By the time I got to my parent's house, I was facing a 7 mile run and I was terrified. I had not done the 6 miles before and 5 miles was the longest(and last run) that I had done. I decided to take it easy and walk as much as I needed too but I knew I had to try or I was never going to start running again. The craziest thing happened. The run went GREAT. I felt good, had a good pace and even felt like I could have continued. It was crazy. It didn't take me long to recover and I was very encouraged by the run. A similar thing happened later in my training just before my 11 mile run and it went great as well.

Sometimes your body just needs some time off and giving it a little rest will make a world of difference. I've been in a slump lately, mainly due to the time of year but I haven't let it get to me the way it has in the past. On the 15th, I "ran" the Trail of Lights 5K and it was the first time I had run in a while. It felt great and I had a really great pace until a little after the 1 mile mark where I hit the crazy traffic during the Christmas lights portion of the race. It made it nearly impossible to run so Mac and I ended up giving up and just walking most of that mile and then took it easy for the last. We decided to come home and run again since I was technically supposed to do 6 miles that day and I had only done three. We ran 3 more once we were home but thanks to eating supper and having a headache, it wasn't as great as the first attempt that night. We haven't really done much this week either. We had plans to start Insanity and sort of did but with the holidays and other craziness going on(I had another allergic reaction) we didn't get in all of our workouts. At first it bugged me but then I sat down with our training calendar, made a few adjustments and now we have a plan again. Now instead of finishing the weekend before the race we will finish the week of but that is fine with me. If it improves my running as much as it did in July/August than I am all for it.

For now the hardest part is going to be dealing with workouts and travel this weekend as we go home to do Christmas with the families. Getting in the long run won't be too hard, it will just take a chunk of time out of our time with family. I find it a little funny that I will once again be doing my 7 mile run in GA instead of TX but I like doing long runs there so I am looking forward to it in a way.

I'm trying to make a few small changes to help me focus more now that things are calming down and we are getting closer to the race. Also we are only 5 months away from my 30th birthday and for me to reach some of the goals I have set for myself I need to "buckle down." We are finally getting through the "honeymoon" period after Mac's return from the deployment and settling back into a semi normal daily life. That will be even more true once we get back from visiting family and he is back to a normal schedule at work. Once things start falling back into a regular groove and we see what the schedule is really going to be, I think it will be easier to make sure we are getting our workouts in each day and eating better.

The holidays always make sticking to your routine hard and falling off the wagon can make you feel discouraged about your journey. Just know it's never to late to get back at it and that if you stay focused and determined and don't get too down on your self, anything is possible.

5 miles

So as per the Galloway training schedule, I did 5 miles tonight. I feel good. Better than I expected. They weren't great but my pace was better than I thought. The whole point was to finish them, and though I want to be faster by the race, if I end up at that same pace, I will more than likely finish if I have a good starting corral.

I also started something new this week. I want to talk about it more but I actually need to learn more about it first. Today was our first meeting and it was more of an orientation. Next week things will really kick off and I can better explain all of it. But as part of this program, I can purchase discounted food from a company that makes fresh refrigerated meals that are all natural and mostly gluten free. We were given coupons for free samples today and Mac and I went to pick some up. I was a little skeptical at first but they are DELICIOUS. I am really looking forward to trying more things from there and having a way to have good healthy meals while Mac is deployed, because cooking for one sucks.

And on that note. I am going to do my best to keep my training going but I can't guarantee many posts in the coming weeks. Things are about to get really tough and I always need some time to process before I can get back to normal so please bear with me. 

Starting Fresh

Tonight I started the Galloway training. I will finish it in time for the Tinkerbell in January. I skipped week one but I think it will be ok since I have been running for a while now. I am definitely taking a step back and not pushing as hard because I was starting to hurt myself by doing too much too quickly. I have to keep reminding myself that even though I have been running since March, I have only been running since March. That probably sounds stupid but what I mean is I am still a new runner. I am still a beginner. I still need to take it slow.

Tonight was a short run of just 30 minutes. I love that with his plan, I am only doing three runs a week, two of which are just short 30 minute runs. Doing so many long runs, like I was with the 10K plan, made me feel like my legs never had time to recover and I didn't progress as much as I could. I'm excited about it all but it is hard to believe the Tink is only 20 weeks away.  Anyway, back to tonight's run. It went well. I had to stop after 20 minutes but in my eyes, it really wasn't a bad thing and was the result of a conscious decision. I realized about half way into the workout that my pace was faster than I expected. I knew that I couldn't keep it up for the entire workout so instead of slowing down and running longer, I decided to keep pushing and just run the faster pace for 20 minutes instead of 30. I was a full 2 minutes faster than I have been. It was very encouraging. My plan is to slow myself down on Thursday to make sure I get the entire 30 minutes in but I was still happy with my run tonight.

I'm playing around with my run/walk ratios right now. I have definitely found that doing the shorter intervals definitely helps my pace. Now I just need to find what fits me best. Right now I am doing an even ratio but we'll see if I keep that or change it up.

I really have to get my routine figured out. With Mac leaving soon, I know I can get very thrown off if I don't have it all figured out already. I have my training schedule all mapped out with the dates and everything and the funny thing is I have a workout scheduled for both Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. I thought about moving them but I think having time away from people to just center myself on those days will actually be best. It will be hard enough having Mac gone, I would feel guilty if he was gone and I didn't get my workouts in. Plus, like I said, it will be nice to have a minute to myself away from everything, a way to forget that it is a holiday and just treat it like any other day.

I'm excited about what is to come and trying to focus on my training now. There are still lots of things that can make me very discouraged but I am trying to ignore them at the moment. I just need to keep pushing forward and working towards my goals.

Changes

So since my husband gets home early from PT or has PT on his own on MWF, I am going to start running with him in the morning on those days. I'm not really looking forward to it AT ALL. I hate getting up early but I would rather run at 0630 when it is 70-75 degrees instead of 2300 when is it still 90 degrees outside. It's just getting WAY TOO HOT.

Since I am planning to get up on those days I figure why not get up on Tuesdays and Thursdays and go to the free water aerobics on post. I may still end up going to the daily water aerobics class I found off post but I'll give the free one a chance first.

I am used to doing something on Tuesday nights though so I finally tried the Biggest Loser Last Chance Workout DVD that I have had for a while. It wasn't as bad as I expected it to be but I was definitely working hard. It is a little hard on my joints so I don't know if I will be able to stick with it for now. I may need to wait until I have lost a little more weight to really be able to do everything on there.

I really want to increase my weight-loss if I can so that I can shed as much as possible before this fall thanks to two events that I have coming up. Plus I really need to lose a few more inches so I can buy some damn shorts. I am between sizes at the moment so I am dying because I only have jeans to wear. It's getting old fast.

Couch to 5K vs Weight Watchers Run a 5K plan

I just wanted to let everyone know that I love both of these programs and what the main differences really are. They are both great for working up to running a 5K.

I recently switched to the WW plan because it was given out at a meeting and the time used to complete it fits perfectly with my current goal. I needed a change due to frustrations that had nothing to do with C25K but with myself. I felt stuck on week 2(thanks to travel and a few pain issues) and doing the exact same run over and over was starting to wear on me. I knew I needed a change if I was going to stick with it.

I want to show you both plans so if there is anyone out there looking for one, you can compare and decide if either of these is right for you.

So here they are.

Couch to 5k
and

Weight Watchers