Couch to 5K Redux

Bah...I should be showering or cleaning or menu planning/grocery shopping for the week.  Instead, I'm sitting at my computer doing a whole bunch of nothing. Seems how I can't quite convince my legs that they want to get up yet, I figured I'd stop by the old blog which I have been woefully neglecting.

I've been feeling pretty good about things lately.  Before I left for vacation I was struggling. I was eating out far too often and not eating as well as I should have been when I was eating in. I was getting maybe three workouts in each week and I wasn't really pushing myself like I need to if I want to keep losing weight. I put 6 pounds on when I hurt my back and I just couldn't shake them (mostly because I was being a slacker).

I decided that when I got back from vacation and had seen how great Jessica was looking I needed to get back to work. I can't let her get all skinny without me! Vacation was was just what I needed and when I got home and I had a renewed vigor for this weight loss thing! My first decision was to start Couch to 5K again. I know that I want to increase my running speed and just doing short intervals wasn't getting me where I wanted to go. I figured C25K worked for me last summer, it couldn't hurt to give it a try again.  Last year, my run pace was 4.5 mph, this time through I'm running at 6 mph which is where I would really like to live for a standard pace.  It will be really nice to crank out a 3 mile run in 30 minutes.  It's perfect for early morning workouts! I skipped the first week seems how I was already doing 1 minute intervals.  So far, so good.  I just completed week 4 yesterday.  I know myself well enough to know that I need structure and I really love checking off my workouts.  It gives me a sense of accomplishment.  Next week is a bit scary because I have a pretty good idea of how unpleasant that 20 minute run at 6 mph on Friday is going to be. Oh well, I know I can do it so I'm just not going to think about it until then.

Saturday morning happy dance...I just did my first continuous 5K since March.  After coming back from a 6-week physical therapist induced hiatus I had lost a lot of my endurance. I have done multiple 5K distances over the course of a workout but it usually resulted in either three individual miles with walks between or 2 miles-walk-finish the 5K.  Around the 2 mile mark this morning I was hoping to get closer to 3.5-4 miles but I was exhausted by the time I got the 5K finished.  I'm not going to be too hard on myself, I feel a 5K is a pretty decent workout regardless.

OK, I have so much more to share (like a few reviews and a recipe) but I am so distracted right now I should go do something that doesn't involve my brain...like showering or cleaning.  Anyway, happy weekend!!