The Healthy Tales

Posts Tagged ‘running’

So last week I totally slacked off. After going to see my doctor and telling her about how I was starting the Couch to 5K program to get back into shape as well as to give myself something to drag myself out of the house and into the gym, I totally whiffed and didn’t make it to the gym once.

So after a week of missing the gym and ordering in at work for an entire week (bleh!), I went back Friday night with Mike and finished week 1 of the couch to 5k program. Just like the previous 2 sessions, it was easy going for the first 2 intervals and then it got harder. I did push through and finish but after taking a week off, I think I am going to do one more week 1 session before jumping into week 2. I think I owe it to my body especially since I went back to the gym yesterday and lifted weights for the first time in what feels like forever. It was definitely a shocker in how out of shape I got so quickly. I learned though and will not be letting this happen again.

I’ve read about the Couch to 5k program a few times before. I’ve never given it a try as I am not a runner and the few times in my exercise life where I have become a runner, I didn’t need to rotate walking and running. Rather, I would just push myself and start running as I was in moderately good shape. This time around though I am more out of shape than I have been before or at least I feel that way and pushing has been leaving me tired and in pain.

So I decided to revisit the Couch to 5k program. If you are unfamiliar with it the link is here.  Everything seems very easy and straightforward.  You follow the program 3 times a week for 9 weeks and before you know it you are running a full 5k (3.3 miles roughly).  Week 1 requires a brisk walk/jog combination.  At first glance, warming up via a walk for 5 minutes and then alternating 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for 20 minutes sounds like nothing bad.  It actually seems easy and kind of wussy when you are use to running for 20-30 minutes (a year ago of course).

Off I went down to the treadmill and I started up my 5 minute walk – 2.5 minutes at 3.6mph and 2.5 minutes at 3.7mph.  Felt really nice and easy.  Then I started the interval portion.  The first 5 minutes were great, second 5 minutes and I’m feeling a nice sweat, the last 10 minutes I couldn’t believe this program was kicking my butt but I kept going.  I finished off pretty strongly but I’m curious to see how I progress as I was no where near 3.3 miles tonight.

Here are my final stats:

Day 1, Week 1

1.73 Miles

168 calories burned

25 minutes

Day 2, Week 1- Tuesday night!

I realize I’ve been a tad lazy around here.  Ooops!  I keep finding ideas on things to write about and then midnight hits and it is time to go to bed and I haven’t even started a draft.  Tonight though I am up because my feet are killing me.  I went to a friend of mine’s wedding on Saturday and my friend who was driving decided to park in a garage that wasn’t as close to the church as we originally thought.  I can’t remember how many blocks we actually walked but it seemed to be at least 8 city blocks in my 3.5 inch brand new heels with absolutely no padding on the soles.  Talk about some painful and huge blisters.  I am so glad I brought a pair of gladiator sandals with padding along for the ride as I was able to slip into them between the ceremony and the reception.

So why the ouch?  Well, last night Mike and I went to the gym and I did a session of light weights and a little cardio on the eliptical machine.  I thought my feet were in better shape so I decided tonight to jump onto the treadmill for 50 minutes – 25 running, 25 walking – and by the time I got off I think I reaggrevated the blisters on the balls of my feet.  Ouch!  I hope the light pain goes away by morning and I can just go back to light weights and some light cardio on the eliptical tomorrow night.  I need my gym time and these blisters are in my way! LOL.