Thursday, August 5, 2010

What what...

Today I hit my biggest (and most impressive) goal with the whole running thing! Today I ran an entire 20 minutes without stopping. You might be saying to yourself (you cynic) that hey, you've been interval training so why is that such a big thing... well I'll tell you... my previous longest run (which happened to be Monday) was 8 minutes. That's right I jumped from 8 minutes to 20!!! CRAZY, right!?!

In theory (the C25K theory) was that 20 min = 2 miles. Um, yeah, pretty sure I didn't run two miles. Probably a mile and half (or a little more). I was running pretty slow... could be considered a 'jolk' (yes I made it up, it's my word and I'll use it if I want)! BUT I WAS NOT WALKING! So yeah for me.

Now about the boys... good grief, I was certain that this would be the thing... the distance... the time... that would have them winded, tired, even complaining... NOPE, still galloping and prancing like ponies... even asthma boy (Bubba) wasn't even slightly winded.

As for me around minute 11 I was starting to get tired, but I reasoned with myself that I would keep on pushing, get around that next corner, get to that big tree... DON'T look at the watch... and then I broke (sort of) I just had to look at my watch, I felt like I was fading... so I made a deal with myself, if it was under 15 minutes I would push through to the 15 minute mark and then walk the rest of the way home. If it was past the 15 minute mark I was going ALL THE WAY. The time dear friends... 16 1/2 minutes... onward Christian soldiers it was!

I re-focused my breathing (code for stopped panting like a dog), massaged my back a little, and started paying attention to the music I was listening to (Michael Buble... nice jazzy beat). The last few minutes went by pretty quickly and then we walked home. After about 3 minutes of walking my heart rate settled right down, and I could have run another 5+ minutes... but that wasn't on the schedule for today so we just walked it on home (plus Bobcat was limping and crying the whole time... had to sit on a bench at the park... so running was really out of the picture with him in-tow at that point anyway).

So what's left... well today was the completion of week 5 for me. The next round is another set of intervals for the first two workouts... and Wednesday next week will be a 25 minute solid run. And that will conclude week 6. Week 7 has all three days' runs set at 25 minutes no stopping, and then week 8 will be 3 workouts of 28 minutes solid! Week 9, the last week is 30 minutes and the intention that you will have gotten a little faster and are running somewhere in the neighborhood of a 10 minute mile! Here's hopin!

5 comments:

nicole said...

Go you! I wish I had done that program to prepare for the 5K we're doing in two weeks. But I haven't always had the chance for consistent exercise anyway. I think it is great that you and the boys are doing it, especially outside--way tougher than me!

MommaLlama said...

You will be doing the 5K at UNT on the 21st? Daddio was asking me if I felt like I would be ready for that. By that Saturday I will have done 4 - 25 minute runs, and that morning would start my week 8 series of 28 minute runs...

I'm not sure if I will be ready, but I'm considering it :-) So maybe we will see you out there.

nicole said...

We are doing that one and I know I'll be walking at least some of it. You should come and leave me in the dust! :)

Elizabeth said...

Reading that made me tired. ;-)

MommaLlama said...

Well, Nicole we were looking at the website and it would cost our family $125 to sign up for that 5K and I just don't think I'm ready... so I think we will have to plan a run with you guys few weeks down the road.

Elizabeth, it made me tired too :-).