So unlike the past two months, my lack of blogging does not properly indicate my participation this month. I have been running! Albeit less than expected- I had been aiming for 4 times a week, yet sadly the first two weeks I ran 3 times and last week I ran twice. While it doesn't take much time to run, I am a girl and have to factor in showering and fixing my hair afterwards. It is crazy how much my stamina has increased. I am only at 5 minutes running, but hey better than what I started at. At this rate though it will still be a miserable marathon.
Funny story- today JMo and I just felt crappy and tried to go out and run. We ran our first 5 minutes (almost died), walked, dropped down to running 3 minutes, and then gave up and walked home. I just cannot make myself do something I don't want to - and I am also really good at convincing people they do or do not want to do something. Hope nobody saw that failed attempt.
The coolest thing about running is not that I am getting in shape, or that my butt is getting tighter, rather it is the feeling that I am one of "those" people. I am in an elite crowd of the dedicated runners. Never would I have ever thought of myself one day being in the running club, but here I am. Sort of- I guess I'm one toe in. But still... The other day JMo and I went to the track by my house to run, except when we parked we realized all these soccer practices were going on. We are definitely not at the running in front of people stage, we we opted for running down the road to a neighborhood. I felt so legitimate running on a road that had lines- it was exhilarating. Everyone should try it once.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Motivated...
I never thought I would find myself motivated to run. Seriously. I used to be athletic in high school, and now being able to run for 60 minutes straight in a soccer game is a dream. The fact alone makes me sad. I know that I can reach that level of fitness, but it's definitely not going to occur with me sitting on my ass.
I am motivated to run now because I'm doing a 5k next month with two friends. The event will take place in South Boston, along the beach, in aid of a charity called Horizons for Homeless Children, for whom my friend Jaimie volunteers. Everyone I've talked to about the event says "Oh, three miles, that's nothing". I guess they don't understand just how unfit I am!
Admittedly, I took a good week off this month because I had a friend in town, and other things seemed more appealing then! I have only run once so far this week, because I have been "couch surfing" for the past several days, as my landlady decided to displace our house of six people to refinish the floors. It has been a huge hassle, and so inconvenient. I'm fortunate to have various friends in the area to help me out. But I will be running on Sunday without fail, as I work for 14 hours tomorrow, which is every waking hour of the day in my world.
Sunday will be my first day running for five minutes, walking for one minute. The past two weeks have been running for two, walking for four, and then running for three, walking for three. So this is progress, albeit slow.
I am motivated to run now because I'm doing a 5k next month with two friends. The event will take place in South Boston, along the beach, in aid of a charity called Horizons for Homeless Children, for whom my friend Jaimie volunteers. Everyone I've talked to about the event says "Oh, three miles, that's nothing". I guess they don't understand just how unfit I am!
Admittedly, I took a good week off this month because I had a friend in town, and other things seemed more appealing then! I have only run once so far this week, because I have been "couch surfing" for the past several days, as my landlady decided to displace our house of six people to refinish the floors. It has been a huge hassle, and so inconvenient. I'm fortunate to have various friends in the area to help me out. But I will be running on Sunday without fail, as I work for 14 hours tomorrow, which is every waking hour of the day in my world.
Sunday will be my first day running for five minutes, walking for one minute. The past two weeks have been running for two, walking for four, and then running for three, walking for three. So this is progress, albeit slow.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Athletic April
So as Lady L explained- it is the month of running. I know off bat this month is not looking good, because if I were completely honest with myself, I am 1 for 3. I never failed with being a vegetarian for the month of January- and to this day I rarely eat meat. As far as crafting and meditating I did not do so hot. I mean simply looking at our numbers you can form these assumptions yourself (13-7-4). I mean thus far on the 5th day in April we are halfway to our last month. I think I meditated 4 times- not enough to write about. Enough stats- I mean it wasn't my best college class.
Running- that is a word I rarely say. I think I have said that word more the past few days than I have the entirety of my life, unless of course it was followed with 'for food'. I mean I walked the mile I was suppose to run in middle school- yes I was in the gaggle of girls chatting and walking at the back. Guess much hasn't changed. But JMo and I did force ourselves to get up early and go run at the beach this weekend. We ran 2 days in a row! Already breaking my life record of running. We are preparing for a 5k in May. While many of you may say oh 3 something miles- piece of cake. I would rather have the cake- which is probably why I am panting and nearly collapsing at 3 minutes of jogging. Our running plan has us running 30 minutes straight after 9 weeks! Clearly they do not know me- maybe they have met their match. I am running 3 minutes straight right now intermixed with walking, and by next week it should be up to 4 or 5. Baby steps.
For now I have run twice the first week, with two more to go. Having a roomate on the same schedule definitely helps, but this month will be a true test. If I make it through alive that is.
Running- that is a word I rarely say. I think I have said that word more the past few days than I have the entirety of my life, unless of course it was followed with 'for food'. I mean I walked the mile I was suppose to run in middle school- yes I was in the gaggle of girls chatting and walking at the back. Guess much hasn't changed. But JMo and I did force ourselves to get up early and go run at the beach this weekend. We ran 2 days in a row! Already breaking my life record of running. We are preparing for a 5k in May. While many of you may say oh 3 something miles- piece of cake. I would rather have the cake- which is probably why I am panting and nearly collapsing at 3 minutes of jogging. Our running plan has us running 30 minutes straight after 9 weeks! Clearly they do not know me- maybe they have met their match. I am running 3 minutes straight right now intermixed with walking, and by next week it should be up to 4 or 5. Baby steps.
For now I have run twice the first week, with two more to go. Having a roomate on the same schedule definitely helps, but this month will be a true test. If I make it through alive that is.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Month of the Marathon
April 19. The day after my birthday. But also the day of the 114th Boston Marathon- the oldest marathon in the world! Marathon Monday here in Boston. I hope I can have the day off, so I join the crowds on the streets, drinking beer and cheering on everyone who is way more athletic than me! There is no way I could ever do a marathon with my lack of physical activity currently. But, we can try our best to achieve some sort of goal by trying out running for the month of April.
April 1: I pondered the idea of going outside...but I never made it. At least I thought about running?? I managed to find some interesting and useful websites about beginners running though. I decided that I am going to follow this training schedule over the month and see where it takes me. Ideally, I would like to be able to run 25-30 minutes by the end of the month without stopping. Yes, I have a goal. I also bought a stop watch so I can keep track.
April 2: Again, I thought about running, but I never made it. Admittedly, I felt a little defeated. BUT I did have a follow up phone call for this research study through Brown University in which I am participating. Basically, the study is trying to figure out whether generalized online information or personalized online information regarding physical activity is more useful to get people active. I had to wear a little pedometer thing last week, and I will have to do so again at three months and six months. They are paying me $120. I think I decided to do it for other reasons though - more than the money. I was excited when the person told me that I was in the individualized fitness group. I have access to their website where I can record physical activity, ask questions to the researcher and other experts, set goals, read about places to do physical activity around Boston, etc. I think this is a good motivator.
April 3: I finally made it out! Hurray. The weather is 70 degrees and beautiful here. I went on the Minuteman Commuter Bikeway - running for 10 minutes and walking for 20, just as the training schedule said. I ended up walking an extra 10 minutes to cool down and stretch afterwards. The Bikeway goes from my nearest subway station 11 miles north west of the station. Tons of people use it to commute to work, hence the name. I feel accomplished.
I plan to run again on Monday. I hope I follow through...Jesse and I have been known to let down our crazy fitness regimes!
April 1: I pondered the idea of going outside...but I never made it. At least I thought about running?? I managed to find some interesting and useful websites about beginners running though. I decided that I am going to follow this training schedule over the month and see where it takes me. Ideally, I would like to be able to run 25-30 minutes by the end of the month without stopping. Yes, I have a goal. I also bought a stop watch so I can keep track.
April 2: Again, I thought about running, but I never made it. Admittedly, I felt a little defeated. BUT I did have a follow up phone call for this research study through Brown University in which I am participating. Basically, the study is trying to figure out whether generalized online information or personalized online information regarding physical activity is more useful to get people active. I had to wear a little pedometer thing last week, and I will have to do so again at three months and six months. They are paying me $120. I think I decided to do it for other reasons though - more than the money. I was excited when the person told me that I was in the individualized fitness group. I have access to their website where I can record physical activity, ask questions to the researcher and other experts, set goals, read about places to do physical activity around Boston, etc. I think this is a good motivator.
April 3: I finally made it out! Hurray. The weather is 70 degrees and beautiful here. I went on the Minuteman Commuter Bikeway - running for 10 minutes and walking for 20, just as the training schedule said. I ended up walking an extra 10 minutes to cool down and stretch afterwards. The Bikeway goes from my nearest subway station 11 miles north west of the station. Tons of people use it to commute to work, hence the name. I feel accomplished.
I plan to run again on Monday. I hope I follow through...Jesse and I have been known to let down our crazy fitness regimes!
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