Here Comes The First 5K!

I've signed up to do my first 5K next Saturday (what was I thinking?) so this week, instead of C25K, I'm working on "running" three miles.

This is the planned training: 5 minute warm-up; 10 minute run; 4 minute walk; 10 minute run; 4 minute walk; 10 minute run; 4 minute walk; 4 minute run for a total of 46 minutes. I'm trying 10 minute runs because last week I modified C25K and was able to do two 9.5 runs.

Day 1 - July 11
5 minute warm-up. 10 minute run (Omg I'm dying); 4 minute walk. The next 10 minute run looked like this: run 2, walk 4, run 2, walk 4. (My legs were really burning.) Then a 4 minute walk. Next a 10 minute run that went like this: run 2, walk 5, run 3. (My legs were aching so bad they almost felt numb. And I was so hot!) Then a 4 minute walk. The last 4 minute run I did half walk, half run.

3 miles. 46 minutes.

A LOT more walking than I had planned and I think I can name the usual suspects - not enough H20 the day before and not enough sleep. Plus I ran later in the day than normal, and the sun was blazing (but that's what it's going to like on race day). BUT my time was what I was aiming for so I'm happy.

And I sprinted the last 2 or 3 minutes. When I crossed over my imaginary "finish line" I let out a war whoop! I'm a runner, dude. How crazy is that?

Day 2 - July 13
Much much better than Sunday! I hit a couple "I can't do this!" walls but physically the whole thing was freakin' awesome.

5 minute warm-up walk. 10 minute run (Omg I'm dying); 4 minute walk. 10 minute run (This is the longest 10 minutes of my entire life); 5.5 minute walk. (Come ON; quit walking!). 8.5 minute run (Oh! Wow! I'm almost done! And I feel pretty darn fantastic! And that sunrise is glorious.); 4 minute walk. 4 minute run (Pick up that pace and show some triumph, girl! Wait, there's my 3 mile marker and the playlist is still going. Did I actually cut some time from the run?)

3 miles. Just about 43 minutes. (I improved by 3 minutes? Really?)

I'm a little worried that I only have one more practice before the REAL THING but I'm at least confident that I will at the very least survive my first 5K.

Day 3 - July 15

I ran the race route today. Don't even ask me how difficult it was to convince myself to run through town where people could see me! I knew I had to break that mental barrier before Saturday.

Definitely the best run yet this week. I never had one of those "Can I please stop running now?" moments. In fact, on the second 10-minute run I hit that sweet spot and felt like I could go forever.

This is what today looked like: 5 minute warm-up. 10 minute run. 4 minute walk. 10 minute run. 4 minute walk. 14.5 minute run. (Yeah, baby, FOURTEEN AND A HALF MINUTES at the END OF THE RUN!!!)

And you know what else? I ran a full mile!

3 miles. 42.5 minutes.

NEXT RUN? THE 5K! HERE WE GO!