Week 8

Last week was awesome!! I went to the gym 6 days and feel great. Monday and Wednesday mornings I used the elliptical and did strength trainging, Tuesday and Thursday nights I ran 30 minutes each, Sunday I used the stationary bike for 40 minutes and Saturday I did my long run- 5 miles!! It took me 65 minutes to finish and I ran the entire time. It feels great being able to run for an hour no matter the pace. I am definitely getting excited for my 10K. I have more experience this time so I'm really hoping I can beat my previous time which is 1:06:45 (10:45 min/mile). I went to the gym already today- ran for 25 minutes and did strength training. My runs are finally getting a little easier and I'm able to go a little faster. This Sunday I plan on running 6 miles and then next week 7. Woah!! I don't think I'll do more than 7 before the race. I'll continue to run afterwards though and hopefully I'll run a 10-miler later in the year. I'm enjoying running again and it's awesome!!

Week 7

I'm half way there- the 10K is about 6 weeks away. The last 2 weeks weren't so great. I only got in 2 runs each week. But I'm committed and really want to do well. Yesterday I did my 4 mile long run. I thought I might need to stop half way to take a walking break, but I didn't need to. I ran a 13-minute mile so it took about 50 minutes to complete, but I did it! This Sunday I'll go for 5 miles. After running the 4 yesterday I feel really good. It had been way too long since I've run that far. I even got up and went to the gym this morning. I'm supposed to rest after a long or hard run or do cross training (any activity that isn't running) so I did the elliptical for 15 minutes and then did some weight training. I never do anything other than running but 2 days a week I should be cross training with only 1 (maybe 2) rest day(s) a week. With my work schedule that isn't an easy task to accomplish, but I'm trying and I'm always finding new ways to stay motivated which helps. I know this is going to be a great week! Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Week 5

In case you're wondering, my weeks begin on Monday making today the first day of week 5. Last week was much better. I got in my 4 days of running that I was aiming for and even a little bit of weight training. Yesterday I ran 3 miles in 37 minutes (my long run is done on Sunday) and this week I'm going for 4 miles. I'm still not excited to go to the gym, but I know I'll feel great afterwards and crappy if I don't go so that motivates me some. I don't have a scale at home so I'm not keeping track of weight loss, but I think I'm losing inches which is great. That's all I've got for now but I'll continue to keep you updated!

Week 4

I guess it's time for a confession. Week 3 didn't go so well. I only ran 1 day the whole week. :( The first 2 weeks were good so I don't know what happened last week. It's a learning process and I'm moving on to week 4 which will be much better! I am sticking with the healthy eating habits though and have been buying more fruits and veggies. I'm aware of what I'm putting into my body now and to all of you Chicken Out lovers- take a look at their nutrition menu online before going back. They're definitely not as healthy as they make themselves seem. 1 slice of their carrot cake is an entire days worth of calories- over 1500!! Even their side items have a ridiculous amount of calories for their size. 1 8oz. side of mashed sweet potatoes is 423 calories! If you're going to have a salad and share the side with someone, then it's doable. Just be aware of what you're eating and don't let yourself be fooled! My coworkers tell me I shouldn't look at the nurtitional info because it makes me not want to eat it (and they don't want me telling them what it is they're eating), but I feel better knowing that what I'm eating is healthy and well-balanced. And even when it's not, at least I know it's not. I think it's much better to be informed.

30 minutes!

I'm officially signed up for the Pike's Peak 10K on April 27. I have 10 weeks of training ahead of me and I'm actually really excited! Today I ran for 30 minutes, about 2.5 miles. I feel like I'm getting my endurance back quicker than expected which is really great. I'm not going to do too much too soon, but I do have a 6 mile race to prepare for. There's a 5-mile race in May I might sign up for as well. Knowing I have a race coming up that I've already paid for keeps me motivated. Whatever works, right?