Running in the Great Outdoors

Week 7 of Couch to 5K is proving challenging.  Three times this week I am to do a 5-minute warm-up walk then run 25 minutes or 2.5 miles.  That's fast!  Faster than I usually go.  That's a 10-minute mile (6.0 mph).  I'm not there yet!

Monday I ran the 25 minutes, but it wasn't 2.5 miles.  More like 2 miles.

Wednesday I ran the 2.5 miles in about 27.5 minutes.  I did an interval thing while running.  I started out at 5.0 for 5 minutes, bumped it up to 5.5 for 5 minutes, back down to 5.0 for 5 minutes, back up to 5.5 for 5 minutes, and finally bumped it up to 6.0 for the last 7.5 minutes.  Whew!

I told my friends at the gym, Laura, Kiersten, and Jenn that they need to have an oxygen tank set up in the corner for me.  This running stuff is hard!  Kiersten thinks it should be like on an airplane where the oxygen masks drop from the ceiling.  :)  I like that idea.

Today was supposed to be a rest day (from running anyway - I did my strength training first thing this morning), but I had some time left after taking Nick for his yearly check up before I had to pick the kids up at preschool.  So I went to the park that is only a few blocks from preschool, changed from my jeans into exercise pants in the car (what a sight!), strapped on my iPod and my heart-rate monitor and did a short walk/run outside.

That was my first run outdoors.  I know I need to start running outside if I'm going to run in a 5K since it is very different than running on a treadmill.  This particular park has a few hills, so I walked them.  Not ready to run uphill yet.

I ended up doing a quick 17-minute walk/run.  3 minute warm up walk, 2 minute run, walk up the big hill :), then run another 8 minutes or so, then walk back to my car.

It was definitely challenging.  Especially because my legs are aching from yesterday's run.  But it was neat to see what it is like to run outside.  Dodging cars/people (not really dodging, but they were there), the wind pushing against me, the uneven pavement.

Definitely different than inside the gym running on the treadmill.

I probably won't get my 3rd run in until Saturday morning.  Keira's Spring Concert at school is tomorrow morning and evening, and Doug and I are going in the morning since he works afternoon shift.  Then he'll probably go into work early to try to finish up a project.  So I will pick Alex up at Preschool and go for a picnic at the purple park with the other moms/kids (arranged by Alex's teacher).  I'll go to the gym Saturday morning because it is supposed to be cold and rainy (no outside running that day).  Leaving the kiddos home with Daddy (yay!).

Oh, and on another note ... I lost another pound!  I've broken through the threshold of the 10 pounds lost!  I'm now down 11 total!  Woo hoo! 

And I'm on day 3 of not eating sugary junk (candy, cookies, cupcakes, etc.).  So far so good. 

Especially for this sugar addict.  :)

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