It would be really cool.
Heh. Actually, I chose that particular day because my wife was going to be down there that evening and so able to give me a lift home.
Week 5 day 1 of the push ups. As expected, I dropped back to column 1. It looked pretty easy (17-19-15-15-20), until I looked ahead and saw that, for the next 2 days, the time between sets decreased. Okay I thought, time to stop fudging. This time I’ll only rest for the minimum time between sets.
And I couldn’t make the last set.
Looks like I’ll be on week 5 for a while too.
My mom and I and her friend Dottie (I think this running thing is viral) went running by the canal yesterday. The city has put in some really nice parks when I haven’t been looking! (Granted, there were warning signs about alligators - I have heard that there’s one alligator, and its name is Bob, because the park people didn’t want people overhearing them talking about a gator on the radios. I believe I read in the paper that there’s some nervousness about whether Bob might indeed be Roberta and interested in starting a family; I still can’t imagine that Bob would be all that interested in C25K.) Anyway, it was a suck day for me - do you guys know how embarrassing it is to trail way, way behind your mother who has 40 years on you? When you have probably six inches of leg on her? And you got her into this running thing to start with, and she’s several weeks behind you?
Also, last night and today my hip hurts when I walk on it. It doesn’t feel like a muscle kind of pain, although I suppose it could be a muscle I’ve just never hurt before. It feels like a joint thing, which does not encourage me. I am very much hoping it goes away.
I’ve been noticing lately, though, something I didn’t have before - reserves! Like, even when I’m done done done, been hardly running at all and dragging through the second mile, I still have a sprint left in me. In the beginning I didn’t have a sprint in me at all, and now I have one in my back pocket! I still only have three speeds, though - walking, running, and all-out full court press sprinting. It baffles me to read all these training plans and such that talk about “your 5K pace” or “slightly under your marathon pace” or whatever. I have a “100 yard dash pace” and an “other pace”.
But I tell you what, it feels REALLY GOOD to see your mom start her cool down walk ages ahead of you and say “oh, fuck it” and let the throttle out and catch up to her. It’s like you have a spare tank that’s just for running hard or something. My mom just rolls her eyes and says “Those are her father’s legs, you know.”
Hey Zsofia, do you stretch your hip flexors at all? You can do a simple one of sitting cross-legged and then leaning over your legs with the goal of putting your belly on your knees. That helps you keep your back from rounding over and shouldn’t stress other joints.
Another one is to lie on the floor and keep one foot flat w/ your knee bent while you put the ankle of the other one on your bent leg knee. Then you pull your floor foot leg in toward you while keeping your other knee out at a right angle.
I do both along with the cow pose from yoga and all three really helps me.
Today’s run convinced me that something in Boston doesn’t like me; even after a week of hard freezes, I am producing amazing as in disgusting amounts of snot and I cannot believe I have anything left in my sinuses. I’d say it’s an allergy but nothing is left alive now.
Week 4 Day 3 of push ups: 29-33-29-30*-40
From 2-5 minute breaks in between. Probably no way I can stay on the III track for next week. I’m too old for this. ugh
Good news is the calorie doohickey on my heart monitor claims I’ve burned 310 calories doing this. I’ll go with that. 
*I messed up and did one too many.
Week 7 day 3 today. I’m going to have to chalk this one up as a “not quite reaching my goal” day. At the 20 minute mark, I walked for 30 seconds… I did add it on at the end.
It still amazes me though that I can run for 20 min, recover for only 30 seconds, then run for the last 5. 2 months ago I considered 3 minutes recovery after running for 5 inadequate.
Week 9, Day 3.
I figured I would feel pretty lame coming in here and saying, “Hey, I finished the program, but I only actually ran 2.6 miles.”
So I ran 3.1 miles (on the treadmill, natch).
Took 37 minutes at 5.0 mph. But I was very excited to not have to stop or slow down at any point.
And here’s what really shocked me about tonight’s run…
I felt good. At no point did I wish to die.
I’m eating a celebratory Chick-Fil-A dinner that I saved up my Weight Watchers points to buy.
Congrats Kerrigan!
ETA: I gather that’s your first ever 5k run?
Yep. And just in time - I’m running in an actual 5k race next Saturday.
(So I also wanted to make sure I’ll actually be able to go the distance!)
Congrats Kerrigan! And good luck in your 5K!
And I’ll bet you’re going to tear it up! 
Did Week 5 day 3 last night. My daughter started with me, but then her knee started to hurt only a few yards in to the run. We walked together back to the house, then I did the 20 minute run by myself. Took a lot of mental effort, especially the last five minutes or so, but I stuck it out.
Great job, Kerrigan! That is awesome! I’m never really sure how far we run, so it will be a bit weird when we get to your point. Anyway, my goal is to be able to run that whole time, whether it turns out to be 2 or 4 miles. I’m glad I didn’t go with distances as my milestones, it would have been to tough to sort out and less spontaneous as far as where to run.
Pushups week 5 day 1 again… and I missed it again. Once more it was the last set that did me in, but at least I did slightly better this time. I then waited a bit longer and was then able to do the last set, but I won’t count that. Next time, next time…
Sorry, didn’t read the rest of the thread. Just popped into say that I did run this morning, despite my left foot hurting (stoopid bone spur). I did NOT look at the thermometer, though and it was effing COLD out there–I had to use my hood, which I never do. So, I only went 1.4 miles because my toes and fingers were getting frost nipped, despite my cold weather precautions.
It is 6 degrees outside.
I want my mommy.
I don’t mind down to about 15, but single digits and I–I won’t run in them. Gah. Off to take a loooong, HOT bath and loll about the water for quite some time. Then I’m going to dress warmly (seriously, I’m chilled), decorate a Christmas tree and watch movies and knit all day. Good times!
Single digits really do test your mettle. Good for you for even getting out there.
I ran a few TM miles this morning, then went to a weird-ass class at the gym that was subbed in for my beloved BootCamp class. It’s called CUTZ, and it’s a licensed kind of thing where instructors have to get trained in the exact methodology and choreography, and there are specific playlists that they have to use, etc. Anyhow, it was pretty challenging, but one thing I didn’t like was the drills where we would have to do things like run in place and do bicep curls really fast—I don’t think that promotes proper weight-training form at all. It felt too flail-y.
I’m traveling tomorrow and our cheap hotel doesn’t even have a treadmill. I hope it’s safe to run outside…
Woo hoo! Finally back in the groove after being partially sidelined by foot issues. I’m finally back to being able to run 30 minutes at a time. Unfortunately, I’m so slow that 30 minutes isn’t enough to get me over 3 miles, but I’m still pleased.
Wow. 6 degrees. If it were that cold in the daytime here we’d probably close the schools! Go you!
This sinus infection has got me kind of sidelined for a few days, which is too bad because it was a beautiful weekend and I didn’t run at all. I’m considering downloading an album of Marine Corps running cadences and seeing if I can keep running if I have a notional band of big mean guys screaming at me. Can’t hurt to try - it works for a bunch of pimply midwestern kids at Parris Island, doesn’t it?
Six degrees here takes down the power grid (rolling brown outs or black outs). It’s six o’clock and a chilly 73 right now - probably cooler but the website hasn’t updated. I need to get out and run now before it gets too cold. Forecast calls for a low of 57 tonight!
This was an elaborate way to bump this thread back where I can find it.
Today just totally sucked for me. My legs were feeling really weak and tired. This is really the first time that it was my legs keeping me from completing my run, instead of my lungs. Actually, getting enough air gave me no problem at all. My ‘wind’ has increased a bunch over the course of this. Too bad my leg strength isn’t. Heck, even my bike ride after my run sucked.