My Fitness

I started doing the Couch to 5K, or C25K, Program in January 2010. In 2009, I walked 1,000 miles, but the goal for 2010 is to be able to run... this way I could do the miles faster! And, burn more calories.

Workouts are HERE. (scroll down to schedule). I round most of my workouts up to 30 minutes on the back end by walking it out. My calorie burns are listed below and are based on my HRM. The distance and time are based on the treadmill as ALL of these runs are done on a treadmill. When I walk, I walk at 4.0 mph; when I run, I run at 6.3 mph. I also started doing mini one-minute sprints at 7.5 mph.

As of August 17, 2010, I'm running longer than 30 minutes and am past the C25K program - getting my first run of 35 minutes straight at 6.3 mph! Now, i'm working to get my running up to being comfortable running for 60 minutes - this would get me to 6 miles+ straight, a 10K. Once this is very comfortable, I want to begin running faster!

As of March 2011, it seems running is definitely not going to happen. My foot won't cooperate and it makes me VERY sad. Enter new attempts at classes like body pump and spinning. I'll keep up with my workouts here.

FAQ

Q: Why do you only run on a treadmill? Honestly, i'm VERY allergic to grass. VERY. It's a major allergy for me and renders me pretty miserable here in the Southeast from about April to October AKA prime running time. It's hard to be outside during this time unless i'm in water or surrounded by pavement or sand. Therefore, all running has been done indoors and likely will be unless I give it a whirl this fall once my nemesis dies. hehe

Q: Are you going to run a race? Maybe. It's not that I don't want to, it's just I don't know when i'll train outside. I would be some kind of odd winter-only runner. I'm not opposed to it. Figure I can try to give running outside a whirl this fall (from what I hear it's physically harder while treadmill running is mentally harder). If it goes well, I can see if there are jingle bell runs or something in the winter!

Q: Why do you run at 6.3 mph? Honestly, my friend Mary T runs. I wanted to start. I asked her what to set the treadmill at. (we're about the same height/roughly the same build). She said, "6.3 mph." I said okay. The end! LOL Now I keep it there most of the time. Once I get to my 10K (which I hope I do) I plan to start working on the time to get to where I can run comfortably at 7.5... an 8-minute mile would be the bomb.

Workouts

January 2010 - 11 Runs

Monday, Jan. 4 - alternate 1 minute run with 1.5 minute walk for 20 minutes - Week 1
Tuesday, Jan. 5 - alternate 1 minute run with 1.5 minute walk for 20 minutes - Week 1
Monday, Jan. 11 - alternate 1 minute run with 1.5 minute walk for 20 minutes - Week 1
Thursday, Jan. 14 - alternate 1 minute run with 1.5 minute walk for 20 minutes - Week 1
Saturday, Jan. 16 - alternate 1 minute run with 1.5 minute walk for 20 minutes - Week 1

Monday, Jan. 18 - alternate 1.5 minute run with 2 minute walk for 20 minutes - Week 2
Wednesday, Jan. 20 - alternate 1.5 minute run with 2 minute walk for 20 minutes - Week 2
Friday, Jan. 22 - alternate 1.5 minute run with 2 minute walk for 20 minutes - Week 2

Sunday, Jan. 24 - alternate 1.5 minute run with 1.5 minute walk; 3 minute run and 3 minute walk; repeat - Week 3
Tuesday, Jan. 26 - alternate 1.5 minute run with 1.5 minute walk; 3 minute run and 3 minute walk; repeat - Week 3
Friday, Jan. 29 - alternate 1.5 minute run with 1.5 minute walk; 3 minute run and 3 minute walk; repeat - Week 3

February 2010 - 9 runs

Monday, Feb. 1 - alternate 2 3-minute runs and 2 5-minute runs with 1.5 minute walks in between - Week 4

Thursday, Feb. 4 - alternate 2 3-minute runs and 2 5-minute runs with 1.5 minute walks in between - Week 4

Saturday, Feb. 5 - alternate 2 3-minute runs and 2 5-minute runs with 1.5 minute walks in between - Week 4

Monday, Feb. 8 - 3 5-minute runs alternated with 2 3-minute walks - Week 5 #1

Wednesday, Feb. 10 - 3 5-minute runs alternated with 2 3-minute walks - Week 5 #1

Wednesday, Feb. 17 - 3 5-minute runs alternated with 2 3-minute walks - Week 5 #1

Friday, Feb. 19 - 3 5-minute runs alternated with 2 3-minute walks - Week 5 #1

Tuesday, Feb. 23 - 2 8-minute runs with one 5-minute walk in between - Week 5 #2

Thursday, Feb. 25 - 2 8-minute runs with one 5-minute walk in between - Week 5 #2

March 2010 - 6 runs

Monday, March 1 - 20 minute run with no walks - week 5 #2

Monday, March 15 -

2 5-minute runs and 1 8-minute run alternated with 2 3-minute walks - week 6 #1

Friday, March 19 -

2 10-minute runs with one 3-minute walk in between - week 6 #2

Sunday, March 21 -

25 minute run with no walks - week 6 #3

Wednesday, March 24 - 25 minutes (25/straight) - week 7

Tuesday, March 30 - 25 minutes (25/straight) - week 7

April 2010 - 6 runs

Thursday, April 8 - 18 minutes (18/straight) - week 7

Tuesday, April 13 - 20 minutes (20/straight) - week 7

Friday, April 16 - 28 minutes (6.3 straight) - Week 8

Thursday, April 22 - 22 minutes (6.3/straight) - build

Tuesday, April 27 - 25 minutes (6.3/straight) - build

Thursday, April 29 - 22 minutes (6.3/straight) - build

May 2010 - 3 runs

Tuesday, May 18 - 10 minutes; break; 11 minutes (21/break) - build

Friday, May 21 - 11 minutes; break; 8 minutes (19/break) - build

Sunday, May 30 - 11 minutes; break; 10 minutes (21/break) - build

June 2010 - 7 runs

Thursday, June 3 - 10 minutes; break; 10 minutes (20/break) - build

Friday, June 11 - 15 minutes 6.3/1 minute 7.5 (16/straight) - build

Thursday, June 17 - 16 minutes 6.3/1 minute 7.5 (17/straight) - build

Saturday, June 19 - 17 minutes 6.3/1 minute 7.5 (18/straight) - build

Monday, June 22 - 19 minutes 6.3/1 minute 7.5 (20/straight) - build

Friday, June 25 - 20 minutes 6.3/1 minute 7.5 (21/straight) - build

Tuesday, June 29 - 21 minutes 6.3/1 minute 7.5 (22/straight) - build

July 2010 - 8 runs

Thursday, July 1 - 22 minutes 6.3/1 minute 7.5 (23/straight) - build

Wednesday, July 7 - 25 minutes 6.3 (25/straight) - Week 7

Friday, July 9 - 25 minutes 6.3 (25/straight) - Week 7

Tuesday, July 13 - 28 minutes 6.3 (28/straight) - Week 8

Friday, July 16 - 28 minutes 6.3 (28/straight) - Week 8

Tuesday, July 20 - 30 minutes 6.3 (30/straight) - Week 9

Friday, July 23 - 30 minutes 6.3 (30/straight) - Week 9

Wednesday, July 28 - 30 minutes 6.3 (30/straight) - Week 9

August 2010 - 8 runs

Wednesday, August 4 - 30 minutes 6.3 (30/straight) - Week 9

One step back to prep for longer runs

Sunday, August 8 - 25 minutes 6.3 (25/straight) - Week 7

Wednesday, August 11 - 24 minutes 6.3/1 at 7.5 (25/straight) - Week 7

Friday, August 13 - 24 minutes 6.3/1 minute 7.5 (25 straight) - Week 7

Tuesday, August 17 - 35 minutes 6.3 (35/straight) longest run ever

Tuesday, August 24 - 35 minutes 6.3 (35/straight) - build

Thursday, August 26 - 35 minutes 6.3 (35/straight) - build

Begin New 10K Running Plan on Monday, August 30

August 2010 (cont.)

Monday, August 30 - 3 miles at 6.3 (28/straight) - Week 1

September 2010 - 10 runs

Thursday, September 2 - 2.5 miles at 6.3 (24/straight) - Week 1

Saturday, September 4 - 3 miles at 6.3 (28/straight) - Week 1

Wednesday, September 8 - 3 miles at 6.3 (28/straight) - Week 2

Saturday, September 11 - 2.5 miles at 6.3 (24/straight) - Week 1

Wednesday, September 15 - 3 miles at 6.3 (28/straight) - Week 2

Friday, September 17 - 3.5 miles at 6.3 (14/straight; ST; 19/straight) - Week 2

Tuesday, September 21 - 3 miles at 6.3 (28/straight) - Week 3

Thursday, September 23 - 3.5 miles at 6.3 (33/straight) - Week 3

Saturday, September 25 - 3.5 miles at 6.3 (33/straight) - Week 3

Tuesday, September 28- 3.5 miles at 6.3 (33/straight) - Week 4

October 2010

Friday, October 1- 3.5 miles at 6.3 (33/straight) - Week 4

Tuesday, October 5 - 3.5 miles at 6.3 (33/straight) - Week 4

Thursday, October 7 - 3 miles at 6.3 (28/straight) - Week 4

Got off track, felt sickly, traveled too much... only did short 1- and 2-mile runs. Trying to pick it back up:

Friday, October 29 - 3 miles at 6.3 (28 straight) - Week 3

November 2010

Thursday, November 4 - 2.5 miles at 6.3 (24 straight)

Thursday, November 11 - 2 miles at 6.3 (19 straight)

Monday, November 15 - 2 miles at 6.3 (19 straight)

Wednesday, November 24 - 1 mile at 6.3 (9 straight)

December 2010

Saturday, December 4 - 2 miles at 6.3 (19/straight)

Monday, December 6 - 2 miles at 6.3 (19/straight)

Not working out... now i've been asked to not run by my podiatrist until my sesamoids heal.... I WILL pick this back up. Sad! I had hoped to finish the year with a 10K behind me. Now it's looking like it's not going to happen. At. All.