Jenn's C25K Trail
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Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in the "jenntherunner" journal:[<< Previous 20 entries]
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02:02 pm
[Link] | Continued on http://visualizevictory.blogspot.com/
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09:33 am
[Link] | Finished W8 today! The run went fine, not great, not bad, fine. I'm looking forward to a having a great run next week. Seems like the weeks sped by until week 7, now it kinda feels like the program may never end....
I'm thinkin' I might do a very short triathlon at the end of September or mid-October. Dd I say that out loud?
There are a couple I am eyeing but they are both quite short. One even has an extra short option where the run is only like a mile and a half. I don't know, we'll see. 
Current Mood:  amused
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01:06 pm
[Link] |
W8D2
I did W8D2 yesterday. I didn't finish. I just gave up at about minute 18. I was with my bf and for some reason he turned around and came back to me so that he and I were running together.
Normally I look at my watch timer and calculate how many minutes I have already completed and I talk myself into going to the next turn in the trail and then re-evaluate. So I had just determined that I would go to a certain point (which I think is about a half mile away from where I was) and then decide if I wanted to continue. But my boyfriend says to me, "we've been running for 18 minutes". For some reason my brain took this as 'you have 10 more minutes and that is impossible!' And I immediately stopped.
Lame, I know. I asked my bf not to say anything aobut time in the future. I'm rather disappointed in myself for stopping, but whatever....tomorrow is another day. I know I can do it, I just need to believe that I can do it regularly.
Current Mood:  disappointed
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07:09 pm
[Link] |
W8D1
Ran week 8 day 1today. The plan calls for 28 minutes, but I'm not sure if I ran 27-28. I got confused. Either way it went great!! I didn't hit my stride until about 18 minutes in but once I did I could have gone for a while longer! Awesome! I hope day 2 goes just as good or better!
Current Mood:  satisfied
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01:02 pm
[Link] |
W7D3
Did week 7 day 3 before my (partial) root canal this morning. It went fine. The last three minutes I thought I might die. I hope I am up to running 3 miles before my 5k in August. I think I'm only running about 1.8 miles right now. I'm quite slow, but speed will come with endurance. Saw a couple of road bikes that me and my bf might buy for crosstraining. We took back the ones we bought previously. They road really bad and were mountain bikes anyway. We determined that we won't ever mountain bike so we may as well get some road bikes that we can train on. On to week 8!!! I can't believe it!
Current Mood:  happy
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08:27 am
[Link] | I had some swelling and pain this morning but decided to go out anyway and try to get in that 25 minutes. I took alleve and rubbed on some of that numbing stuff. I had a FANTASTIC 25 minute run. I even picked it up and sprinted at the end. Since I have been having bad runs I made sure to really reign in my speed. I think that helped a lot. I guess it's a constant thing to be monitored.
I set the timer on my watch to count down 25 minutes, but accidently set 25 hours. So from about minute 12 to minute 14 I must have looked at my watch 10 times. I was thinking that I was experiencing the longest minutes known to mankind. I even hit the watch face a couple times to see if it was stuck (stupid really....since it's a digital!). Finally realized the problem and felt so MUCH better!
Current Mood: cheerful
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10:15 am
[Link] |
W7D1
Had my dentist appointment yesterday. I have an abscessed tooth and I need a root canal and a crown. I tried running after the dentist appointment, but I just wasn't in it. I finished about a mile in 14 minutes and stopped. I will try running today on the treadmill or tomorrow morning at Fiesta Island. We'll see, I am afraid it will be painful. My root canal isn't until Friday. I don't know what to expect after that. Will I be able to run? So much for completing week 7 day 1. Very depressing not to be continuing with everybody. I hope I can complete it later today or tomorrow.
Current Mood:  depressed
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09:30 am
[Link] |
Taking a break for the weekend
I'm taking the weekend off, for sure. My mouth is swollen and painful with a bad tooth (will see dentist on Monday). Add that to the awful run on Friday and I need some time off. Volunteering with the Rock N Roll Marathon tomorrow. Gotta be there at 4am. Hope it's fun and my tooth doesn't bother me!
Current Mood: depressed
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09:19 am
[Link] |
Was going to be W7D1
Today was my worst run day ever. Really disappointing. When I got up and was driving to my run I was thinking that I didn't really feel like running. Then as I was doing the warm-up walk, I felt like I was walking inefficiently and my legs just felt....glomy....is that a word? I had a tiny bit of hope that once I started running I would be fine, but no. My legs didn't seem to be able to run, like my feet weren't moving properly and my steps were off and my breathing was labored and , uh, it was awful. Also I was messing with the songs on my mp3 player last night and forgot to see what songs I would be ending the run with, so I didn't know how far into the run I was. Finally I just decided to stop running, and my body felt like he!!. I wonder if the 'time' of the month has this much effect? My bf was running with me, but at his own speed so I could see him off in the distance. The plan was that he would head towards me at the end of 25 minutes (he had a watch on). So I'm walking and a short time later I see him walking towards me. Apparently I ran longer than I thought I did. Had I known it was close to over I may have been able to keep running. But at the time I thought I was maybe half done and I just didn't want to do it anymore. All in all I only ran for about 19 of the 25 minutes. I kept telling myself that my body was fine and it was all mental and I needed to just deal with it....it didn't work this time. Major disappointment. This is the first run I haven't completed. My only consolation is that I got a little ahead because of my every other day schedule, so I'm going to say this was an 'extra' day and start W7 tomorrow.
My schedule is going to be off this week because I can't run on Sunday when I am suppose to (I signed up to volunteer at the Rock and Roll Marathon), so W7 is going to be Saturday, Monday, Wednesday. Though maybe I should take an extra day and start fresh on Monday? I don't know. I'll have to think about it when I'm not so discouraged.
Current Mood: crushed
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08:49 am
[Link] |
W6D3
Just finished D3! I think I am officially a runner now, since I won't be walking anymore (in theory anyway). Woohoo!!!
Today went well! It started bad, I was fully into negative self-talk for the first 5 minutes. I had just about convinced myself that I couldn't do it. Then a song came on that cracks me up so that distracted me and then about the time that ended I realized I was feeling good and in my groove. I had my headbangin' music and I played the air drums several times. Then I ran in to some people on the trail and that threw me off a little. I couldn't get back in to the groove, so the last minute or two wasn't as fun, but it was fine. When I started my cool down walk the outside of my calfs were screaming at me, but I kept walking and it went away. It seemed weird that my legs werent' bothering me during the run, but were so unhappy when I stopped. Hmm, something for me to be aware of in the future I guess.
I still can't believe I have come this far so quickly! I am glad the walking is over. I think day 1 and 2 were actually harder than today. I look forward to increasing my mileage and running for life!
Current Mood: happy
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01:37 pm
[Link] |
W6D2
Today was two 10 minute runs separated by a 3 minute walk. It went ok. It was harder than d1. The first 10 minutes were ok the final 10 minutes were ugly. I really wanted to stop. Then Robert the podcast guy comes on and says there are only 2 minutes left so I think ok, 2 minutes, I can do that. Then as I continue running, I remember that it wasn't that long ago that 2 minutes seemed like a year and here I was thinking 'only' 2 minutes left. 
I was also thinking that after getting through the 20 minutes, that basically the rest of the program is a matter of good run days or bad run days, not whether or not we are able to do it. We can do it, all of it. Some days will just be harder than others. Perhaps that was what it was about all along?
Current Mood: mellow
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09:30 am
[Link] |
W6D1
Wow I can't believe I'm on week 6 already! I thought the run this morning was going to be difficult because I went to a Padres game last night and had a couple of beers. But it went really well. I ran on a different part of the island than normal, and that was good. It not only offered a change of scenery, but it was more of a trail run and that was pretty neat. A couple areas on the trails were sand, which was a little more difficult to run in but it wasn't deep sand so not too bad. The first five minute run was ok. The eight minute run was difficult until about minute 7 where I suddenly felt like I could run forever...then a minute later I had to stop and walk (lol!). The last 5 minute run was good. I am interested to see how I do on the two 10 minute runs and the 25 minute run later this week. Part of me is excited that walking is eliminated completely next week and a another part of me thinks it just might be a little easier.
Current Mood: pleased
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09:38 am
[Link] |
W5D3 I did it!!!
I ran for 20 minutes straight today!!! The first 6-7 minutes were the worst, I thought I wouldn't make the whole 20 minutes. I realized I needed to focus on something else, so I made myself mouth the words to the songs I listened to. I made a special playlist last night for today. On it were songs that I enjoy and that always make me feel like dancing and singing. So I ran the twenty minutes mouthing the songs and doing a little headbanging.
The first couple songs were about 4 minutes each, so I knew when the third song ended I was more than halfway done. Then I put some great short songs on for the last part, and that was better, allowed me to pay attention to the songs without enough time for my mind to start wandering. When I knew my time was ending I picked up the pace to full run and I think I actually ran about a minute more than I was suppose to!!!
I was so worried that I wouldn't be able to do it. I thought I could maybe pull it off on the treadmill, but the outside I had no confidence. First thing I noticed this morning during my warm up walk was it felt colder and there was a good wind blowing. That did not help my confidence, but I didn't let it stop me and I made it!!!
I am so glad I started this program. I may not be very fast ( I think I only ran aobut a mile and a half in those twenty minutes), but I'm fine with that for now!! I can do this!
Current Mood:  energetic
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08:13 am
[Link] |
W5D2
I did it! Day 2 went great! First good day I have had in a while. Two 8 minute runs!! Ther first one was actually pretty easy and I was barely even breathing hard at the end. The second 8 minutes was harder. The first 2 minutes of it were really bad, but the next two weren't bad. The last 2 minutes I sped up a little.
I'm so glad it was a good day. I really need one. I was really feeling a lack of confidence. I don't know that I'm ready for the 20 minute run on day 3 but I'm feeling better about giving it a try!
Current Mood: jubilant
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12:57 pm
[Link] |
W5D1
Week five day one went fine. It wasn't what I would call pleasant or even a 'good' run day, but it wasn't too bad. I'm not sure what I want to do this week. I am debating about repeating today or day two to make sure I am ready for day three. This morning I was thinking I should repeat today, but maybe I will see how day two goes first. I guess ultimately I am not sure how comfortable we are suppose to be before moving on.
I can't believe I am already at week 5!! I can't believe that 7 weeks ago I was struggling to run for 30 seconds at a snail pace!! This is great and I recommend it to all.
Current Mood:  curious
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08:08 am
[Link] |
W4D3
Today's run was more difficult than I would have liked. It was not as bad as d2 but I did feel like stopping a couple of times. I didn't, but I wanted to. I was feeling frustrated about how difficult it seems. During the second 3 minute run I thought when I wanted to stop I looked at my feet and noticed that I was going REALLY slow. Truly plodding along, even for me. So I pushed myself a little faster and the run became easier! So I think if you go too slow or too fast it's far more difficult. The coolrunning boards always say go slow and then slower still, but just like what happened on the treadmill, going too slow causes pain in my legs and even my breathing seemed bad. After I sped up, all the pain in my legs disappeared and when the run was over I could almost breathe through just my nose. Big improvement! It's hard to run a constant pace outside though. I see that as a huge bonus to the treadmill. I'm going to have to figure out the best way to determine pace without spending $200 on a GPS watch thingy.
So on to Week 5!! AAHHHHH!!! I mean, YEAH!! I'm ready for week 5!
Current Mood:  worried
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07:49 am
[Link] |
W4D2
Today was my typical day 2, not very good. The first 3 minutes were OK, the first 5 minutes were tolerable, the second 3 minutes I thought I was going to keel over! I really thought I wasn't going to make it and would have to walk, but just as I was about to give up the 3 minutes was over. The last 5 minutes....hell, pure and simple. I again thought I would need to walk. Luckily, about that time, Robert (the guy on the podcast), told me there was only a minute left. 'Only' didn't seem like only, but I figured I might be able to go one more minute. He says to try to speed up for that minute. If I had had the energy, I would've laughed out loud! But, with about 30 seconds left, I did picked up the pace quite a bit. I was glad to see I could do it, but boy was I glad when it was over!
Another day done! I am scared to death of the 20 minute run next week. Can I do 20 minutes? Can I do 8 minutes? Will I be able to complete 5 minutes more comfortably? These are the questions. I have to just believe that it's possible and if I need to repeat a day, I am ok with that, as long I keep trying. I know that I will get through it all eventually. Or at least I hold hope that I will.
On a side note...I don't know what to do about the podcasts. I like that they allow me to ignore my watch, but the music is horrid. In fact it's not even music, it's just noise. I find that I have only one earbud in and I the volume so low that I have to really listen for the voice parts. There must be something better.
Current Mood: good
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07:54 am
[Link] |
W4D1
Started week 4 of the program today and it went well. The first 3 minutes were difficult, as was the first half of the first 5 minute run. The second half of the 5 minute seemed to go by pretty quickly, I was just getting in a groove, thinking only another minute had passed and suddenly it was over. The second 3 minutes was OK. The last five minutes were difficult but not too bad and I was able to pick up my speed for the last 30-45 seconds.
I can't believe I can run for so many minutes when just six weeks ago I was stuggling to get through 30 seconds!
As I was running this morning, several times I thought "this would be so much more pleasant on the treadmill!"
LOL!! I'm going to have to fight the temptation to become a treadmill runner. It's rather funny since I have always been anti- treadmill. But I own one....so there must have always been something there..hmmmm.
Anyway, week 4 has started well and I look forward to the next day I get to run!
Current Mood:  content
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10:45 am
[Link] |
Repeat W3D3?
I decided I would repeat d3 today instead of moving on to week 4. I ran the 90 seconds and it felt like a struggle. Then for the first 3 minute segment I struggled, but I decided to just keep going like I did the other day when I ran those 8 minutes. So I look down and see I have been running for 5 minutes and I am thinking I will not be able to make it to the 8 minutes because I am close to miserable. I decide to try a little longer and then, just before I hit 6 minutes, I feel ok. So I keep going and I feel more than ok, I'm truckin' along like I can go forever. Of course, I am quite slow, I was running 4.1-4.2 miles per hour. Then as I am passing the 10 minute mark I think that I can go faster, so I increased my speed just a little, until I was going 4.4mph. This translates to a 13.58 minute mile...so, yeah, slow. But I felt good, just a little bit of tightness in my left lower leg muscles. I kept wondering, just like last time, when I should stop. I am so worried about injuring myself and not being able to run, that I decide to stop when my form started suffer. I ran for 16 minutes straight! I think if I can get through the mental hell during the first 5-6 minutes, I will be a runner! I still plan to follow the c25k plan though, because of my injury paranoia and I think it builds a base that is important. I am looking forward to starting week 4. I figure if I really struggle with it, I will just try to push past it and combine some of the running segments.
Current Mood: curious
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05:49 pm
[Link] |
W3D3
I didn't get much sleep last night and ended up sleeping late. So rather than run with the sun beating down on me, I ran on the treadmill again. I think once my BF is back in town I will be able to leave the house without guilt and get back in my early morning schedule at Fiesta Island.
So anyway, today wasn't that great. I was curious to see how I would do after yesterdays asounding 8 minutes. I was struggling to pull off the 3 minutes. This is definitely more of a roller coaster ride than I thought it would be. Of course I thought it would be a constant miserable struggle, so I can't complain, the ups are a bonus!!
I will probably do the 3 minutes one more time on Saturday before moving on to Week 4. The bf comes back Saturday night, so next week should be better (providing I live through the 5 minute runs!).
Current Mood:  indescribable
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