I have spent a lot of time thinking about the running issues...and taking the words of advice and encouragement from everyone into consideration. I had planned on taking off from running on Friday (scheduled rest day) and picking up on Saturday and or Sunday. Well I ended up going away on Sunday (more on that later!) So this morning I got up and I had a decision......was I going to attempt that 20 minute run again and face down failure again.? Or was I going to focus on the miles and not the straight run?
Before I go into the decision let me say that the Couch to 5 K really worked for me two and a half years ago when I was first starting to run. And I could see myself improving this time...I did great with week 3 and 4 and actually even 5...it was that straight run that was giving me grief! I kept telling myself that I could do it..that the program worked and I pondered the extra weight and I pondered the heat and I just pondered. I liked the instructions telling me when to run and when to walk. I push myself until I'm told to walk....my mind tells me to give up but I keep going because I listen to that little voice. But it just wasn't working to get me where I wanted to go. But then I remembered the Cooper River Bridge run. It is true that I walked the 10k because of an injury. HOWEVER, I had trained to run it and went from running only once a month through the winter to being ready for a 10k (I ran 5.5 a week or soo beore the race) Furthermore the injury wasn't because of the training but because of a wee little misstep in Zumba. (oops....I missed the step!) But the point that kept sticking in my mind was that I was close to the same weight and I managed to run. What was different from March to now? (other than the heat?)
So this morning I made my decision. I loaded an app onto my phone....it's called "interval timer' Yup....it's got a really catchy name. It runs in the background of my phone. I have it programmed for a warm up walk and then currently it is set for 8 -3 intervals...and it is set to repeat.and repeat and repeat Eight minutes of running followed by three minutes of walking, eight minutes or running followed by three minutes of walking. This way I have the voice in my head pushing me to finish the 8 minutes. I then set a mileage goal in my head for the day and I went out and I ran. (and walked). I finished my miles. The 8 minutes get LONG at this point and I think they are never going to end. When that airhorn (the noise I have set up to notify me) went off in my head at the end of the running segments I think I may have cheered! But I pushed to complete them. And admittedly, I would have probably given up and started walking a lot earlier if I had not had the interval trainer.
So as of right now I am set to train to complete this half marathon in an interval style. I can revisit that plan if things change...but that's the plan for right now. :-) Things don't always go according to the set plan. And that means I have to adjust and move on with an alternate plan!
Yesterday I passed up my run. Why? Paula and I went to National Harbor.
We hit up a circus.
We rode the Capital wheel...I think it is 180 feet high and on a pier in the Potomac.
We roamed around into the shops and had lunch. (of course)
I think we walked 4 or 5 miles yesterday.
Moving on.....the weight HAS to come off. I am dying to go eat a piece of cake....but I'm working on resisting. Which means I have to go find something HEALTHY to eat.....the watermelon that tasted so good after my run has left me HUNGRY! :-) (Yeah, I know......proper nutrition and all that...but I was hot and that sounded SOOOOO good!)