From January, the road I have traveled has taken me to a bit of a graduation. This is the weekend I participate in an 8k run. A personal journal I have kept has shown my progress in endurance, overall fitness and 5" smaller waistline.
Excerpts:
January 3 - Today I have a lot of unrealized hopes. I am striving to bring back a more healthy way of life and adding more exercise has always been helpful.
January 4 - I found a guideline that might suit my needs,
Couch to 5K. It is in line with a goal that I have never dared set for myself but always though it might feel very satisfying to achieve, to run in a 5k race maybe even in Puxsutawney. I will at least be moving toward running 5k and I hope I can keep in mind that even if I fail I am still getting some exercise.
January 5 - Man, I have looked at all of the 5k races and I am so not any of those people. I can't go that fast even though I know I have just started. All I can hope is that general fitness will be a strong enough goal for me, it's so nebulous.
January 7 - Nothing feels too good on a morning where the cats force you to get up hours before you are ready. I am a little stiff and sore.
January 8 - My run in the snow was a slow and tricky, terrible unsatisfying. I may have kept up a better pace for parts of the run but it was snowing and footing was slick almost everywhere. About halfway, my right groin muscle started to hurt. That slowed me down for the rest of the trip.
January 15 - I am totally chuffed to have done so much better on my run today. I was a little exerted but didn't have the same feeling of having pushed way too hard.
January 17 - I suppose I did my best yesterday going out to a restaurant for the first in a while. We had a lovely sit down Indian meal with Tim & JJ. The best part was reconnecting with two very good souls who nourished me in ways that not many friends can do. Tim and JJ are good people with positive attitudes who keep things in perspective.
January 20 - My right ankle had been feeling just a little sore so I tried to keep aware of it. It was when I was trying to make certain that I was running on my toes instead of flat footed that I rolled over on it a bit and fell.
January 21 - Thinking back on yesterday, I am really pleased with the groove I got into for my last mile or so. It's pretty cool to know I can be moving at a slow jog for a couple 5 minute stretches. This program may be building endurance and I like that.
January 29 - This winter has just been brutally cold. How do people with no resources for gym memberships or workout equipment stay in shape in such cold and long winters? I know that isn't why old folks move to Florida or they would all be fit. This apartment is just too small to run around in (no internal steps) and I can never see spending money on a huge treadmill.
February 5 - My breathing was good and I joked with a woman taking a smoke break about the impending snow. That took me to 23:00 before I started away from Walmart and across the lots. The program was complete after the 20 minutes but I had gotten into my head that I think 10 minute intervals if paced properly might be the best for me. I kept the pace really controlled and 30 minutes found me at College Gardens, proof that I was going much slower.
February 12 - The roads are icy and it's bitter cold so I decided to check out the Rec Hall indoor track. All went pretty well and I got my 30 minutes in a day early. I also got a blister on my small toe but it will heal.
February 18 - I tried on some running shoes at Dick's and have a better idea of what type of shoe suits my running style. I supinate (or underpronate) by running on the outside of my foot. I have always had a certain amount of natural turnout which was encouraged by dancing. Because of this I tend to run on the outside of my foot and do not roll into it's center.
February 19 - I decided to run 5k to try out some shoes I have been breaking in around the house. I even peeped in at the guys doing construction on the new location of Nature's Pantry to finish off the 5k with a little hill out of their lot. Who would have EVER thought I would just run 5k to try out some shoes. I am shocked, thrilled and in slight awe of myself. What I have accomplished and at the ease is nothing short of amazing to me.
February 25 - January 4th I started the C25K 9 week program and today I ran 8k (over an hour) nonstop. My pace wasn't fast nor was my 5k split time but I am proud of how far I have come.
March 5 - Not a good morning. Cats were as terrible as always all night and I never got back to sleep. I only made it 5k before deciding that my hurt foot/ankle/calf was only going to get worse. I hope a weekend of rest will allow it to get back to longer distances on Monday.
March 10 - I think I am going to try the 3.3 mile loop of Big Hollow Rd near Services Rd today just before meeting Jim for lunch. The small band of rain will have cleared by then and it should be a little warmer. I will be warmed from biking in so hopefully that will build up my stamina too. I am not certain if I should try to go any farther than that or not. I have to bike home too and don't want to hurt my ankle.
March 12 - It was breezy and drizzly but the temperature was above 45° so it wasn't too bad. My pace was really slow but I still made 8k in about an hour. I made it home (almost 10k) in an hour and 23 minutes.
March 19 - Last day of winter and I mixed it up a little. I had Jim leave my bike at my 8k mark to transition to about 3 miles of biking afterward. It would push the cardio but not the muscular skeletal as much.
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I let out a little whoop and drew the attention of big ol' goofy Curt who came over to talk while I got ready to bike. I took some water and Vitamin Drink and stretched a bit before heading to Trout Road and home via Gerald St. I was more fatigued on the hills than I would have expected so it's a good thing to practice now and then.
March 25 - Did a late morning final 8k before I start backing off my distance this coming week. It was my personal best. It got warm when the sun came out. I can't imagine running when it's 70° - ugh!
March 27 - I geared back my run this morning to roughly 5k - 36-ish minutes. I ran the gravel road at Fisherman's Paradise out and back with Jim doing his W6D1 program.
Cold morning but beautiful. No loose dogs. I started with my left shoe too tightly tied and stopped about 2:30 minutes into my run to retie it. I stopped and restarted my watch. That foot was crampy again for the whole first mile and the ankle hurt after the 5k. I am icing it now.
April 1 - My final 5k and workout before race day on Saturday landed me a good personal best.
Unfortunately I started off way too fast and had to back off the whole run. I need to remember to calm down and pace myself better if I want to make it 8k.
April 2 - I am up early and have a headache from being excited about the coming weekend. I chose the all women's run for it's dynamic and the fact it is a walk/run. No shame if I have to walk any part of the way although I haven't walked any 8k I have done in quite a while.
I am a little worried about not having a goal to work toward after this weekend. I will do my best to try to look back and see what I have accomplished, enjoy continued better health and hope to maintain a good balance.
My review for the event organizers (after about 20 other reviews, many complaining about the small sizes of the t-shirts):
totally changes a group's dynamic. Imagine advertising an Athena only race and allowing tiny, speedy women in also. Not every fellow that ran was there to support someone. Yes, their entrance fee supported the Women's Giving Circle but so would have a flat out donation. The organizers dealt with it in such a friendly way that (in another review) men are recommending the race next year. 
Be careful and clearly define things next year (one way or another).
