C2-5K: Wk1 - Dy2 (Holy Shin Splints!)

Distance: 2.2 mi

Time: 0:40:32

Pace: 18.3 min/mi

Calories: 194

As planned I took a different route for day 2 -- hoping for less of an incline. I ended up walking the 5 minute warm up for twice as long so I could start the first run on level pavement. Little did I know that the second half of the run would be spent almost entirely uphill.

This time I started to get slightly winded by the 4th interval and I even gave myself permission to walk out any of the runs in case I felt like I was overdoing it. I managed to get to the 6th and thought I may be getting a cramp again, but instead of stopping the run entirely, I slowed the jog down and pulled through. By the time the podcast announced the 8th and final run, I was back on an incline but refused to give up.

I finished the cool down and still had 5 minutes remaining until I was home, but I have to admit it felt nice to continue walking with a nice cool breeze blowing towards me.

Hey day 3...bring it!

C25K: Wk1-Dy1 (Let's Try This Again)

I found a Weight Watchers application for my Android and was a bit over-ambitious thinking I would post a food diary each day until I realised that is a bit too much dedication now that I have a 5 1/2 month old to look after. So, I scrapped that pretty quickly and I will leave it up to the app to keep track. Still, although I wasn't planning on re-joining WW just yet, I will try to follow a points-based-plan for now. In addition to that, I have created an account on MyFitnessPal and I'm tracking my jogging routes through another Droid app called JogTracker. It's pretty fantastic because it immediately uploads your route to the website and keeps a history. This will be nice because I can make notes about certain routes that I like or don't like.

Distance: 1.6 mi
Time: 0:30:01
Pace: 19.2 min/mi
Calories: 144

Here's the route from today. I'm not a big fan of the incline either way back from the park, so I will try a different route next time. The route itself was 1.6 miles and it took me 30 minutes to complete the podcast including the cool down.

I feel I did pretty well for it being my first time in over a year doing anything more strenuous than just walking. In fact, if it wasn't for developing a nasty cramp in the middle of the 6th interval, I wouldn't have had to walk out the 7th. Better to listen to my body, I suppose, than risk an injury or end up ringing hubby to come pick my sorry butt up. Still, I managed to get back on track for the 8th and final interval and was already back home by the time the 5 minute cool down came on. It must have looked funny to anyone watching from inside the front room to see me walking circles on the patio for five minutes!

I'm already feeling the burn a bit tonight in my knees and ankles, so I will be sure to stretch a bit more before the next run.

AM Weigh-In (Start): 13 st 10.2 lb

Jogging Jaffa Cake - The Redux

It has been a long, long hiatus, but I have decided to make a comeback with the C25K. My little man is 5 1/2 months old now and I've decided no time is better than now to get back in the game. Starting the 1st of June I am on a mission!

It's weird because since my post where I mentioned the root canal, I have moved three times AND had my little man in December. Now that we're settled in our new place (and unlikely to move again for at least a couple years) I want to get back to work on fixing me.

I gained about 30-35 lbs with my pregnancy and through breastfeeding I lost 20-25 lbs of that the first month following. So that means roughly 10 lbs until I am my pre-pregnancy weight. I want to try to get to that point on my own before re-joining WW.

I said before it wouldn't be an easy journey and that I would do it as long as it took...so, here's to sticking with it as best I can and hopefully 2010 will be my year.

Oops...have I mentioned...

Preggers now. Will try to pick up the blog again after the New Year once our new little man is here. x

** S C R E E C H I N G hault **

So, my whole fitness thing came to a screeching hault beginning with when I got "the lurg"...then there was all the friggin snow and DH didn't feel it would be very safe for me to break an ankle slipping on the icy/snowy pavement. JUST when I thought I'd be good-to-go to start again, I get a NASTY toothache, which turns out requiring a root canal this past Monday.

*sigh*

I lost 2 lbs. at my most recent weigh-in and although I get my crown fitted next Monday, I want to aim for starting the Couch to 5K again...possibly off the bat with Week 2 again.

On another healthy note, if you will check day 143 of my 'Meg in the UK' blog, you will see I have mapped out my meals (essentially) for the week, so I won't risk eating more points than I am allowed.

C2-5K: Wk 2 - Dy 1

I actually began week 2 yesterday, but held off on posting it. I don't feel it was as successful as it could have been, so I made the executive decision to run it again tonight rather than take a 24-hour rest break as usual. It was definitely a good choice as I had some frustrations and steam to release, so I pushed myself more. I didn't even have to cut any of my runs short this time.

Week two consists of 6 runs lasting 90-seconds each with a 2 minute brisk walking break in-between. I've also found an abbreviated route to take, which is about 2 miles long and literally ends at my front door, depending on when I start the podcast to start out. The best part is that the last couple of runs are a bit downhill, which is helpful since I'm usually knackered by run four.

I've been using some of my strategies from before...landmark goals, chanting in my head, and counting in beats. Altogether they seem to be working quite well to distract me from the fact that I am really running. I can't say that I have gotten to the point of loving it yet, but I am certainly noticing the effects the following day. I'm finding I am sleeping better on a night and when I wake up in the morning, I'm awake before long without having to "force" myself through the morning motions.

I also had my meeting tonight and discovered I lost one pound. It's not a huge loss, but I will take what I can get considering the lack of tracking I did on program. This week I will keep myself in line better with tracking the foods that go into my mouth. I even made a vow with some others at meeting tonight to aim for a stone by Easter -- which will leave me only 2.5 more stone to lose.

I've asked DH to refrain from buying me thoughtful treats of crisps and such because I know they are my vice and until I can control having them in moderation and only occasionally, I don't need to have them at all. I don't want this new desire for a healthier, more fit me to be for nothing. Ultimately I know what I want the end result to be, and I'm really sticking hard to "not giving up what I want most for what I want for the moment."

The "LURG"

I wanted to do my first day of the week 2 run on Friday, but I was knackered from the week. I had supply posts to work Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and was sadly pushing it even working just three days. I started to feel crap Monday night and went to bed with a fever and itchy throat. By Friday, I thought it best to skip the run and get R & R instead along with some cold & flu tablets and nasal spray.

It's a good thing I didn't run, because I've spent most of the day today sleeping it all off and only now feel good enough to sit upright. I'll see how I feel on Sunday, but I imagine I won't be starting my week 2 program until Monday at the earliest.

Just rolling with the punches this time.