Keep on going...

Sunday, I went out to do my C25k run.  Two 8-minute intervals.  I had never gone 8 minutes before, so doing it outside on the trail probably wasn't my brightest idea.  I do much better off the treadmill if I've done the run before on the treadmill.  I picked a new trail I hadn't done before and it was a bit hilly.  I made my first interval - barely.  I, of course, ran too fast.  I wasn't properly hydrated either.  The time came for my second interval and I just could not do it.  I tried 3 times, but my legs hurt and my lungs hurt.  I gave up and walked back.

During my walk back, amid beating myself up, I made a decision to kick the C25k program to the curb.  If I had completed my run that day, the next run was TWENTY minutes.  No freaking way.  Nuh uh.  Not happening.  I decided I would just increase my time by 2 minutes each workout.  It will get me to 36 minutes by my "test" 5k.  Hopefully just the drive to get it done will get me to the finish line (if I run 4.5 mph, it would take me approximately 40 minutes to do a 5k).

Oh, yeah, I registered for a 5k - to run - May 26.  Right before my disaster of a run.... so I was really mad at myself for "failing." 

I know, it wasn't a failure.  Not really.  I ran 8 minutes (.72 miles in that time), farther than I had in one shot before.  And I know it's hard for me, when I push that hard, to pick up another interval.  And the C25k program starts to get a little crazy after that.  I'm hoping just increasing one long run every time will get me there.

Tuesday I decided to try out my idea and run for 10 minutes.  I knew it would be easier on the treadmill, so I wasn't really worried about it.  I hopped on, warmed up for 5 minutes, and took off running.  One song... two songs... the third song started about 9 minutes in and I thought "Why not try to run to the end of the song?"  So I ran past 10 minutes straight to 12:40.  I realized since I was running at a 13:20 pace (4.5 mph) that I was only 40 seconds away from having run an entire mile.

Yeah, I kept on going.  And ran my first ever mile!  13 minutes and 20 seconds.  Well over 5 minutes longer than I ran on Sunday.  Longer than my goal of 10 minutes.  I felt awesome!

Today my goal was 12 minutes.  I thought about making my goal 14, since I knew I could do 12, but I've been fighting a cold and didn't want to set myself up for disappointment.  I really wanted to run another mile, though.

Same thing... once that song started towards the end of my 12 minutes, I wanted to keep going to the end.  I hit a mile... and the song wasn't over yet.  And then I was sooooo close to 1.25 miles.  I just HAD to get there.  

And I did.  1.25 miles in 16:30(ish).  SIXTEEN minutes!   Twice what almost killed me on Sunday!

I can run over a mile.

Get out of here.

And I discovered the absolute best thing...



See the vent above the "CYBEX" up there?  That's a FAN.  That works.  My previous favorite treadmill is supposed to have a fan, but it didn't work when I tested it.  This one worked and it felt like the angels fanning me after that run.  Awesome.

My next run will be Saturday or Sunday...  outside.  My goal will be 14 minutes, because I know how difficult it is for me to keep a nice, slow pace and I'm not going to expect 1.5 miles or 20 minutes or anything else way above and beyond what I've done before.  I'm really excited though.  I never thought I'd get here.  I never thought I really even wanted to.  But it's a pretty rocking place to be, for sure.