New Plan

I am really working out now! On Saturday, I went to a strength and running class at BALM fitness just to meet one of the ladies who I hear on one of my podcasts (Another Mother Runner). It was very rewarding and run and hard all at the same time. I have never done that many planks, squats, and crunches in one day, especially not with weights. When we were done with all of that, we went on a run. I fell so far behind that I couldn't see which direction everyone went. I ended up just turning around and going back to the studio and waiting for the rest of the group to come back. The good news is that they got there only about 5 or 10 minutes after I got there. The bad new was that I felt so slow that the negative self talk started. I knew at that moment that I needed to do something real to make sure this never happens to me again.
I went home and looked up the Many Happy Miles program through Another Mother Runner. I looked at our bank account, and texted Chad to see what he thought of me signing up for the program. He agreed that if I was actually willing to follow the plan for the entire 12 months, it was a good deal once I told him that one of the reasons I wanted to do this plan was to have accountability. Now, not only do I have a written out plan, I am checking in every day with a Facebook group. The added pressure of making sure we are not wasting out money helps, too.
So far I have completed my first 2 days, and I am really liking it. Today, I was dreading doing hill repeats with Chad, but I got to pick the hill, and we had a lot of fun doing it! I am excited to see how I grow as a runner throughout the next 12 months!

Slowest 5K Ever

Last night, the husband and I went to the gym to run a 5K on the treadmill. I figured that if we are going to be running a 10K in less than 2 months, we needed to get serious and start at half the distance. This was a good idea and a bad idea at the same time. I was so SLOW. It took me 73 minutes to finish it. I was only able to run for a minute and a half at a time. How embarrassing is that? Last September I finished a 10K where I only slowed down for a drink. I had told myself that I was going to run faster than Chad the next time we did a race together. Well, that is not going to happen at the rate I am going. He has an active job, and I sit at a desk all day. He is not quite up to the fitness level we were at last year, and I am not even up to the fitness level I was this time last year. UGH!
I will not give up, though. First of all, we have already paid for the race on Memorial Day. Second of all, we have also already paid for a half-marathon in September. Third, I love running. I only stopped because it was so cold and going to the gym is not as convenient as I would like it to be (really it is 10 minutes away, and I am a baby about going out once I get home from work).  It is time to stop making excuses. I want to finish the 10k with dignity. I, also, want to finish the half marathon. Honestly, I am secretly hoping that I will have some kind of cheering section while I run or at least at the end. (Is that a bit vain...probably.)

Starting Back Slowly

It has been so cold this winter that I got away from running. I am trying to get back now that it is spring. It has been a slow start, but I know I need to do this for my physical and mental health. I love running. It is so frustrating that only a few months of not running, it is like being back to square one.
This week was an interesting one for sure. I took Monday off to get some stuff done. Before the first appointment of the day, Chad and I went to the gym and walk/ran 3 miles on the treadmill. It took a lot out of both of us. We were both faced with the reality of what our habits over the winter had done to us. I had already decided that I would follow a training plan from Train Like a Mother. I ran into a snag after that, though. I could not fit in the time to run 3 miles on Wednesday because Noel had a band concert. Then, I passed out at work after a walk during my lunch break. This made me worried about the miles I needed to get in Friday and today. I am scared that I would pass out after or during my run while running alone. I have seen a doctor who said that I am free to keep running. I was dehydrated and need to get back on my thyroid meds. (I seem to have worse and worse problems each time I stop taking them. I should have learned better by now.) I may just try to do all of my miles at the gym for a few weeks to make sure there is someone around if I were to pass out again.