This past Saturday I did my first 5 k run. This was an organized run, it was a fundraising event to raise money for Ethopians to have clean water.
I found that after Australia that my motivation was waning and I needed something to keep me running. I usually run anywhere from 3-4 kms during my 30min runs. So this was a stretch but not a huge stretch.
On the Monday before I got up early and did a full 5k with a big hill, just to make sure I could do it. Then I just took it easy. I was planning on doing another run but the weather wasn't the greatest and I thought my run was on a Sunday. Turns out that it was Saturday and that threw my schedule off.
I find that I have a huge mental block with running and the mental piece is now my biggest struggle. I am so used to not being a runner and believing that I can't that it takes a lot of mental preparation for me. I was terrified of the run. I can't name my fear exactly but I was afraid.
Saturday morning came and it was a perfect day for a run. The location of the run was along the Bow River in Calgary and it is quite pretty. I was really nervous and tried to focus and get in the game...which is difficult when you are also packing up 3 kids.
Mike and the girls cheered me on and I ran. I had a hard time getting my pace because there were a lot of walkers....and amazingly slower runners! The route was quite narrow at times and I would get stuck behind someone and have a hard time passing.
It still doesn't feel real that I ran in a real race! My time is now my benchmark and I can't wait to beat it during the next run.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Fair Weather Runner
I have discovered that I am a fair weather runner. I have absolutely no motivation to go for a run when it is raining and cold. This I have realized is a bit of a problem since it is now Sunday and I have not ran in a week. I am also out of routine and I am not craving in like I was before my trip.
I am hoping to remedy that today. I am going to go and buy a treadmill. I looked on kijiji and found that there are tons of cheap used treadmills! Now I just hope someone emails me back today.
The rain and children, specifically Georgia have kept me from running. Jet lag has been really hard on her, last night she woke up at 2am and wanted to play. Not cool!
Tonight I will be going for a run, no matter what and I am going to run and I am going to run 5k....and see how long it takes me. I have been running for 30 min and I do about 4 km give or take. I want to do 5k because next Sunday I have signed up for a timed run. I want to start doing timed runs to start getting a time to improve on and I like the race atmosphere.
I am hoping to remedy that today. I am going to go and buy a treadmill. I looked on kijiji and found that there are tons of cheap used treadmills! Now I just hope someone emails me back today.
The rain and children, specifically Georgia have kept me from running. Jet lag has been really hard on her, last night she woke up at 2am and wanted to play. Not cool!
Tonight I will be going for a run, no matter what and I am going to run and I am going to run 5k....and see how long it takes me. I have been running for 30 min and I do about 4 km give or take. I want to do 5k because next Sunday I have signed up for a timed run. I want to start doing timed runs to start getting a time to improve on and I like the race atmosphere.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Back on the Wagon
I have been home a week now and the jet lag is almost done. Jet lag hit Georgia and I hard! I was doing so well the first two days and then bam! The exhaustion hit me like a truck on the third.
Somehow I managed to get 3 runs in this week and I have started a new diet.
I am motivated again and it feels good!
Today I started my first long run. My Sunday runs are going to be my 'long' runs and I am going to build my runs up every week by adding 5 mins on. I am also working on my speed per mile. I have gps on my phone that tracks my route and pace.
The run tonight was wonderful because I got to run with my running partner and we got to catch up since we haven't seen eachother in a month. My time was the best yet! My goal is to get to a 12 minute mile and tonights run was 12:44 per mile!!
Somehow I managed to get 3 runs in this week and I have started a new diet.
I am motivated again and it feels good!
Today I started my first long run. My Sunday runs are going to be my 'long' runs and I am going to build my runs up every week by adding 5 mins on. I am also working on my speed per mile. I have gps on my phone that tracks my route and pace.
The run tonight was wonderful because I got to run with my running partner and we got to catch up since we haven't seen eachother in a month. My time was the best yet! My goal is to get to a 12 minute mile and tonights run was 12:44 per mile!!
Friday, August 5, 2011
I Am A Runner!!!
I have been so busy that I haven't had time to blog. I miss blogging so much....hopefully things will calm down in the fall.
I finished the Couch to 5K program about the middle of July. I can now run 30 mins straight. I am still battling with the mental aspect of running because I am still amazed that I can run, let alone run 30 minutes.
But today I realized that I can now publicly say that I am a runner and I like it!!!
I am on holidays in Australia and I have gone running twice now and the days I don't run, my legs are itching to go.
I am now starting to research different running programs and I am thinking about what the next step is. I know I want to go faster and maybe add on to the length of the run.
But for now running 3-4 times a week is wonderful.
I finished the Couch to 5K program about the middle of July. I can now run 30 mins straight. I am still battling with the mental aspect of running because I am still amazed that I can run, let alone run 30 minutes.
But today I realized that I can now publicly say that I am a runner and I like it!!!
I am on holidays in Australia and I have gone running twice now and the days I don't run, my legs are itching to go.
I am now starting to research different running programs and I am thinking about what the next step is. I know I want to go faster and maybe add on to the length of the run.
But for now running 3-4 times a week is wonderful.
I Am A Runner!!!
I have been so busy that I haven't had time to blog. I miss blogging so much....hopefully things will calm down in the fall.
I finished the Couch to 5K program about the middle of July. I can now run 30 mins straight. I am still battling with the mental aspect of running because I am still amazed that I can run, let alone run 30 minutes.
But today I realized that I can now publicly say that I am a runner and I like it!!!
I am on holidays in Australia and I have gone running twice now and the days I don't run, my legs are itching to go.
I am now starting to research different running programs and I am thinking about what the next step is. I know I want to go faster and maybe add on to the length of the run.
But for now running 3-4 times a week is wonderful.
I finished the Couch to 5K program about the middle of July. I can now run 30 mins straight. I am still battling with the mental aspect of running because I am still amazed that I can run, let alone run 30 minutes.
But today I realized that I can now publicly say that I am a runner and I like it!!!
I am on holidays in Australia and I have gone running twice now and the days I don't run, my legs are itching to go.
I am now starting to research different running programs and I am thinking about what the next step is. I know I want to go faster and maybe add on to the length of the run.
But for now running 3-4 times a week is wonderful.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
20 Minutes!!
Yesterday I ran successfully 20 minutes straight!
It actually wasn't too bad either! After the first 5 minutes it was really a mental thing. I had to be like the Little Engine That Could and keep telling myself I could do it. I knew I had ran 8 minutes before with no problems and this time I wasn't even pushing 40+ lbs in a stroller.
After 10 minutes, I knew I could do it and I got into the music. I felt great afterwards too!
This next week will be fairly doable but...the week after I am terrified about. It isn't just the running but the kids. I also lose my running buddy too. Mike is going to help me and I am hoping to do the runs in the mornings before Mike leaves for work.
By the end of this week I will be running 25 minutes straight....wow!
It actually wasn't too bad either! After the first 5 minutes it was really a mental thing. I had to be like the Little Engine That Could and keep telling myself I could do it. I knew I had ran 8 minutes before with no problems and this time I wasn't even pushing 40+ lbs in a stroller.
After 10 minutes, I knew I could do it and I got into the music. I felt great afterwards too!
This next week will be fairly doable but...the week after I am terrified about. It isn't just the running but the kids. I also lose my running buddy too. Mike is going to help me and I am hoping to do the runs in the mornings before Mike leaves for work.
By the end of this week I will be running 25 minutes straight....wow!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Guilty
There seems to be a fine line in my head where exercising is taking care of myself and therefore a good thing to do or selfish and therefore neglectful of my children.
On a positive note I have started week 5 of the running program and it is going well. There has been a few hiccups but I ran for 5 minutes, 3 times today and....drum roll...it wasn't that hard! This week is where the program really ramps up and on Friday I run 20 minutes straight. Eeeek!
I am really enjoying running and I really couldn't do it with out my running buddy. It really helps having that person who you have made a commitment to.
I am enjoying the runs but I am having a hard time balancing everything else. I feel like I am sacrificing Georgia's sleep routine and my household duties. The program is basically 30 minutes or so of running 3 times a week. That really isn't much but since I try and do it during preschool, and I loathe taking kids in and out of the vehicle too many times. The runs turn into a 2.5 hour outing.
I am only feeling guilty about Georgia's sleep schedule because part of me really wishes she would go to sleep at 7pm (or so) and sleep until 11pm (of course I would love for more but....I am a wise mother of 3 and none of my kids have slept through the night before a year.) I love my evenings to myself because I can get chores down and get around to my hobbies like knitting and blogging. I guess, you could say it is a selfish reason too... But I am also a firm believer that good sleep is just as important as proper nutrition.
For those of you that know me in real life, you know that I can be guilty about anything so at this point I am going to just deal with the guilt and continue running....maybe learning to fall asleep anywhere will be beneficial to Georgia.
On a positive note I have started week 5 of the running program and it is going well. There has been a few hiccups but I ran for 5 minutes, 3 times today and....drum roll...it wasn't that hard! This week is where the program really ramps up and on Friday I run 20 minutes straight. Eeeek!
I am really enjoying running and I really couldn't do it with out my running buddy. It really helps having that person who you have made a commitment to.
I am enjoying the runs but I am having a hard time balancing everything else. I feel like I am sacrificing Georgia's sleep routine and my household duties. The program is basically 30 minutes or so of running 3 times a week. That really isn't much but since I try and do it during preschool, and I loathe taking kids in and out of the vehicle too many times. The runs turn into a 2.5 hour outing.
I am only feeling guilty about Georgia's sleep schedule because part of me really wishes she would go to sleep at 7pm (or so) and sleep until 11pm (of course I would love for more but....I am a wise mother of 3 and none of my kids have slept through the night before a year.) I love my evenings to myself because I can get chores down and get around to my hobbies like knitting and blogging. I guess, you could say it is a selfish reason too... But I am also a firm believer that good sleep is just as important as proper nutrition.
For those of you that know me in real life, you know that I can be guilty about anything so at this point I am going to just deal with the guilt and continue running....maybe learning to fall asleep anywhere will be beneficial to Georgia.
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