Kitty Can Run

Day Two: Week 5

Ooh W5D2, you were a tricksy little hobbit.

Here I was going into my run believing it to mirror W5D1 as all the other weeks have mirrored their specific day one. It was going to be a five minute walk, a five minute run, a three minute walk and a five minute run… It was going to be just as cake as the last time.

You played me like a finely tuned violin.

My walk was complete, and I began my run. Two minutes in, I checked my time to see… What? SIX minutes left? How could there be six minutes left of a five minute run?! This was where you had me fooled. Two EIGHT minute runs?! Right after I just felt so good about my three five minute runs two days ago? Oh, you were out to get me.

But I did it. I ran eight minutes, walked five, and then ran eight again… and I proved you wrong.

Your element of surprise could have thwarted me or left me feeling beaten and blindsided, but I pressed through and I did it.

I ran over three quarters of a mile. Without stopping. I have never done this before, and I suddenly feel more accomplished than ever.

Bring on W5D3.

Day Three: Week Four

Ha. Well, look at me try this for a third time. I hear that the third time is the most charming of all the times.

Oddly enough I am on Week Four, Day 3. I can start right where I left off… just nearly five months later.

The Monster Dash came and when and I did ok. Worse than I wanted to, better than I thought I would… If that makes sense. Now, I train for a series of runs this summer. The Get Lucky 7k, Go Commando 5k, the Warrior Dash 5k, Women Rock 10k, Monster Dash 5k, and possibly a couple others… we’re talking Electric Run 5k or the Book It! 5k…

With all that on my plate this season, it’s probably a good thing I am back at it. I had a great run, even though I have been disgustingly sick this last week. Week 4, day 3 was really, really refreshing. It felt something akin to easy and I loved how I felt afterward. I breezed through this run with a real sense of accomplishment.

I look forward to tomorrow’s run. It will be hard, I know it will. It always is when you change weeks… but for the first time in a long time, I really feel like I got this.

Day Two: Week Four

Time: 0:30:58
Distance: 2.30 miles
Pace Average: 13:27
Calories Burned: 607

Well. Look at me go. Never mind that I should be on week six right now. Never mind that the idea of three miles makes me want to vomit… According to this past work out, I can jog for 5 whole minutes without stopping.

As pathetic as that sounds, for me that is epic. I am the girl who ran a 20 minute mile in school. Look at me do a 13 minute mile, now!

As sad as these results look, and as sad as my ability to run three times a week has been, I am pushing. Instead of being at week eight for the Monster Dash, I will only be at week six… But I am further now that I was when I last quit doing the c25K.

Here we go. Time to really commit!

Day One: Week Four

Time: 0:32:01
Distance: 2.33 miles
Pace Average: 13:43
Calories Burned: 628

Another I forgot to blog… Whoops. Been a little busy buying a house!

Day Three: Week Three

Time: 0:29:32
Distance: 2.17 miles
Pace Average: 13:36
Calories Burned: 579

I forgot to blog this one… Whoops! Apparently I did pretty okay :)

Week Three: Day Two

Time: 0:30:14
Distance: 2.14 miles
Pace Average: 14.06
Calories Burned: 593

I felt better about this run. My only qualm at the moment would be that I really, really slacked off this week. You can tell because it is SUNDAY and my last run was last Saturday. Still, I pressed on.

It was 30 degrees colder outside than my last run - a whopping 41 degrees this morning. I put on a hat I knit my husband to protect my ears, wore thicker socks, and ran in a long sleeve shirt.

It was a different feeling than the normal “Why am I not confident enough to run in just short and my sports bra IT IS SO EFFING HOT!” sort of mind set. I was warm, but not uncomfortably. I was pushing myself, but I felt like I could run longer.

My time is down a minute, but I know that it is because there is a 7 minute walk at the end of this day. I am trying to not rush the C25K program and accept that my true mile time in a month will be different, but running 13:02 last week and adding a minute… It feels a little discouraging.

Oh well. Tomorrow is book club, so no run, but I have to get back in the habit of just going. Otherwise, I’m never going to be happy with my Monster Dash run.

Week Three: Day One

Time: 0:30:15
Distance: 2.16 miles
Pace Average: 14:02
Calories Burned: 593

Not my best. I couldn’t even make it through the second three minute cycle without taking a break. I made up for it by jogging a little more before my cool down… and I’m just not happy with this run. Maybe next time.

Lake Calhoun

Time: 0:45:40
Distance: 3.47 miles
Pace Average: 13.09
Calories Burned: 896

So, in a crazy morning decision, I decided to run after work before Ladies Night at Psycho Suzi’s. I packed my bag and took it to work. I switched clothes in my car when I arrived at my destination — what I had told myself thanks to my GPS was Lake Harriet. This would be the course I would run for the Monster Dash next month.

Wrong. I was about a mile in when I realized that it was Calhoun. A lake that is over a mile longer around, and over a mile longer than I have pushed myself to run yet.

Well, thankfully it was beautiful and I enjoyed the whole thing. I did my C25K routine, but then continued a pattern of sprinting and walking until I finally reached my car. I didn’t even make all that bad of time…

I’d say it was a good mistake.

Week Two: Day Three

Time: 0:31:35
Distance: 2.38 miles
Pace Average: 13.15
Calories Burned: 619

Another 20 seconds shaved off, and I even went farther than last time. Not bad, Katie. Not bad.

It was a day that needed a run. Stress piling up on many fronts with a night of less than stellar sleep made me feel cranky, depressed, and anxious. I just felt in a funk and wicked gross… Nearly talking myself out of running today and waiting until tomorrow, I grumbled, pissed and moaned until I talked myself back into it.

New purple capris on, tunes in my ear, I took off. I pushed hard, I got cramps. I felt like I might want to just give up and walk… but I didn’t.

I am allowing myself two full days of rest, now. I think my body needs it, and I know I will come back even stronger. I am a little afraid of week three, but if I can make it through that, I will be farther than my last attempt at this program.

Keep in keeping on. I am my own worst enemy, and as it turns out, my own best motivator.