Day 9

I am still on track with my 100 crunches a day. I've actually done more than 100 most days! Strangely enough, I think I see a bit of change already. Talk about motivation!

I ran with Chad Friday night and it was absolutely the best run I've ever done. I managed to maintain a 10:33 pace, which is the fastest ever (although still VERY slow for the rest of the world). That means I've taken over 6 minutes off my 5K time. See, I am making progress! Baby steps... The most exciting thing for me was that I finished pain free! It seems as though when my stride is longer it puts less pressure on my knee, therefore giving me an easier run. Last night, I ran with a friend and we had a generally slow pace and my knee hurt most of the time. We only ran a little over a mile! Thankfully, we walked a LOT and talked a LOT, which is what was needed :)

Still going... day 5

I did my run Wednesday night, but I wasn't able to get out of the house until after 9. It was super dark, and I was alone, which made me very nervous. I decided to to just go around my block. Even that was a bit intimidating, so I only made it 1.5 miles. I stayed in front of my house and did 4 20 second sprints to finish it off. I've never been able to do more than 2, so this was a noticeable improvement.

I am on day 5 of my 30 day crunch plan. I did 120 yesterday simply because I am doing sets of 30. I am going to take measurements today to see if I will see a difference there as well. Who knows what tons of old fashioned crunches combined with running can do for me? :) I was doing my crunches today and had a bit of an issue. My 22 month old decided it would be fun to sit behind and grab my hair each time I laid back. The worst part was I wouldn't notice until I lifted up and lost about 4 strands. I did 115 crunches, and 50 leg raises. I am hoping to get in a 4 mile run this evening.

Previous running posts from other blog :)

I want to keep all my exercise information in one place/one blog, so these are some posts from another blog -

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

I finally feel back on track with my running. After doing a ton of research and speaking with some knowledgeable friends I've come to the conclusion that the pain I am experiencing in my knee is the IT band. I splurged and bought a foam roller to help stretch and massage that area and it has helped immensely. I also try to run on dirt roads, which is softer impact and therefore more manageable. So far, so good!

This week I've done my workouts in the mornings, and let me just say it has taken me 30+ years to get motivated and actually do this. I am NOT a morning person. I always thought people that saw the sun rise were just naturally morning people and I couldn't understand why you would want to be up that early when your warm, cozy bed was still available. I have fought to wake up by 8 am for years. The last few weeks I decided to start my day with a morning devotion on my back porch while the kids were still sleeping. Considering they wake up at 6:30 that means I have to be out there at least by 6. It has been hard, but worth the effort. I now feel such joy at hearing the birds singing their praise. Add my workout in to the routine and I start the day ahead. Who would of ever thought I would be up to watch the sun rise? Do you know how much you can accomplish before 9am?!

I am going to be posting my workouts on here as a way to keep accountable and to keep a log of my activities.

Monday - 3 mile run, 1 mile bike ride
Tuesday - 3 mile bike ride pulling heavy bike trailer
Wednesday - 3 mile run

Sunday, March 20, 2011

I finished my first 5K race. I think calling it a race for me is a bit of a stretch, although I did jog for 3.2 miles. :) I even beat a couple of 70 year olds - although one did beat me, too. I finished in 38:02, my goal was to be under 40 and to run the entire time. It was a wonderful feeling crossing that finish line. Not because I was exhausted, but rather because I had set a goal for myself and actually followed through on it. It was bittersweet, almost like the letdown after Christmas. I had been so excited about this race, and once it was over I felt somewhat depressed that it had come and gone so quickly. I have enjoyed training so much, and loved seeing the distances increase with each run. It's a heady feeling to know what you are actually capable of doing with the body God has given you! To that end, I've decided to keep training and hope to better my times and distances. I will be doing another 5K at the end of May, and I am starting to train for a half marathon in October. I feel almost crazy even considering a half marathon, but if I can run this far in just 3 short months of training, then I should be able to do that much further in 7 months. We shall see. I am so excited!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

I ran 5 miles last night. Without stopping. It took me an hour. I actually ran for an entire hour. I would never EVER have imagined myself as a runner, and especially not capable of running that distance or time. When I embarked on the c25K journey my goal was to survive running the 5K without stopping. The other night I had Chad check the distance of our laps (I run with a dear friend that makes the run much more enjoyable), and it's .6 of a mile each lap. My plan last night was to run 3 miles in prep for the 5K on Saturday. I finished the 3 miles right about the time my running buddy started her laps and wanted to keep running with her, so I just kept going and ended up doing the 5 full miles with a sprint at the end. I literally felt like crying with joy at the end because it was so unbelievable that God would give me the strength and determination to do something so completely out of my league. Now, I am loving my running. Anyone out there that thinks they can't do it - just get out there. You'll be amazed at what just a few months of training will do for your body (and mind!).

Monday, February 21, 2011

If you have known me for any length of time you would know that I am not a runner. I have tried for years to make a habit of exercise, but I typically fizzle out after 3 weeks. I take a few months to motivate myself, then try again for 3 weeks. I think I subconsciously know that it takes 3 weeks to form a habit and I didn't want to make a habit of it. This is the longest I have ever stuck with an exercise plan. I actually wake up excited that I get to run that day. The treadmill has been a huge blessing to strengthen my knees in preparation of running outside. I used to try to run outside and come home to immediately put ice on them they hurt so bad. I've been exclusively on the treadmill for the first few weeks and now my knees feel great! Another excuse down the drain!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

We finally made it through the flu. The only ones that avoided it were Chad and the babies. The little girls had flu shots. Chad was simply blessed. Honestly, I think I am just now starting to feel like myself again. The biggest upset from the ordeal (other than watching my babies so sick), was that it completely ruined my training for the 5K. I had made it to 25 minutes of straight running the day before the flu hit me. Since then, I've only made it 10 minutes straight once, and I felt terrible afterward. I am hoping to start back slowly today. The 5K is March 19th, and I only have about a month to prepare.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Let me start off by saying I am on week 7 of the couch to 5K running plan. That means I am currently running 25 minutes straight! I signed up to run a 5K on March 19 with a few of my friends and I am finally realizing that I may actually be able to do it. It's amazing what training can do for your body. It's also amazing how badly out of shape I was - when I began I could barely run a full 2 minutes, now I actually enjoy my runs!

Day 3

The first day of 100 crunches was completely easy. Honestly, I thought about upping the crunches and told myself that 100 was the bare minimum I would do. On day 2, I reconsidered since it was much harder to complete them. Today, my third day, was SO hard. Wow, my abs haven't hurt like this in forever! I do hope to eventually up my number per day, but for the moment, 100 is enough!

Today is my short run day - going between 3 and 4 miles tonight.

100 crunches a day

I resolved yesterday to do 100 crunches a day for the next month. I am wondering if I will actually see any results. I am an exercise junkie - at least for a few days. I tend to get really involved in something for a few weeks and then it fades away when I don't see results. I have actually stuck with running. I have been running since December. I started with the couch to 5K program and ran my first 5K March 19. On the way home from the race I decided I needed to set another goal, and I am registered to run a half marathon in November. I've suffered horrible knee pain, which I've discovered is my IT band, but I've persevered and I am hooked. Let's hope the crunches work out too :)