Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Back on Track (Couch to 5K: Week 8 Day 2)


For the first time since I started this program, I've been really DREADING a run. I was somewhat discouraged after Monday's failed effort, and I think, more than anything, I was afraid that maybe I wouldn't be able to finish the program I had been working so hard at for the past 8+ weeks.

Since Monday, I've been paying really close attention to my diet and my water intake. I thought that perhaps I wasn't giving my muscles the proper fuel to carry me through my runs, possibly explaining my recent aches and pains. (I know that, as a rule, I don't drink enough water) I also bought myself a bottle of G20 Gatorade (which tastes like crap, but is only 20 calories as compared to 180 for the other kinds) and drank half of it in the morning, and the other half about an hour before my planned run - hoping for a little energy boost.

I plotted out my route in advance, throwing caution to the wind and deciding on a new 4K route I hadn't run before. One of the biggest dilemmas lately has been deciding on what to wear - just enough so I don't freeze to death, but not so much that I'm suffocating halfway through. Today I somehow managed to get it exactly right and I felt pretty comfortable throughout. The wind was wicked though, and I seemed to be running directly into it most of the time, almost as if it was following me. I think this slowed me down a little, but slowing down was probably not a bad idea at this point.

I have to say, I felt pretty good out there today. There was some residual stiffness in my back, for sure, but no pain! YAY! When I was coming into the home stretch, I ran into the kids walking home from school. I was sort of a "bad mom" here, and didn't stop to talk to them. I waved and kept on going. (Hey, I was finally in the ZONE! I didn't want to mess it up! There goes my "Mother of the Year" award. Again.) Erin insisted on following me on the rest of my route and she did pretty good trying to keep up while carrying her backpack.

I ran exactly 4KM in 32:26 (8:06 mins/km). Slow, yes, but at this point I'm thinking slow and steady will win the race. Or at least get me to the finish line!! I need to get my butt into a yoga class and stretch out some sore muscles, but hopefully Friday will go just as smoothly as today did. I'm not sure if it was the diet, the gatorade or just a better overall attitude, but I'm hoping to replicate it for W8D3!!!

J :)

2 comments:

  1. Glad it went well for you! I absolutely know I don't drink enough fluid at all! Keep up the good work!

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  2. That's fantastic. No matter how slow you may think you are, you're still faster than all those sat on the couch. Keep at it and you'll get there soon enough. Well done x

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