Gotcha…

Finally did it.  Week 5 Day 3 (aka the 20 minute run) is elusive no more!

I slept early last night…well, I tried.  I fell asleep around 11:30 only to wake up an hour later then got back to sleep around 1-ish.  Ever since I wrote my post yesterday w/that challenge to myself, I’ve been psyching myself out to do this 20 minute run and I must’ve subconciously been thinking about waking up early to do it b/c I actually woke up before my alarm (5:30…my alarm’s set for 5:50).   Of course, I kept going back to sleep so I actually didn’t get out of the door until almost 7:15 and OFF I finally went!

Beautiful morning – cool and breezy…partly cloudy in the low 70s.  Perfect.

I surprised myself and did relatively ok with the whole thing.  It was the last 5 or 6 minutes that hurt because I had to go up-hill for about 3 minutes before going back down.  Plus, my right sock was slipping off and so I was getting my first blister (not counting one from years ago 08?  09?).

I’m glad I challenged myself.  I’m glad I got out there.  It’s 8am.  I feel great.  I need to just eat well and keep up this momentum and that should keep me on the bandwagon again 🙂

According to my Garmin (not counting warm up and cool down), here’s my Week 5 Day 3 breakdown!
Time:  20:00.77
Distance: 1.7 miles
Avg. Heartrate: 174
Calories:  196

Warmup
Time: 5:01.49
Distance: .27
Avg. Heartrate: 130
Calories: 33

Cooldown (stopped too early):
Time: 3:36.78
Distance: .09 (I was walking back and forth the same block. Does GPS get all messed up?)
Avg. Heartrate: 151
Calories: 29

Elusive W5D3 – Couch to 5k

I have attempted Week 5 at least 3, no wait, 4 times now.  Each time, I wus out on W5D3 because it requires you to run 20 minutes straight, something I have never done.

Instead of me getting psyched up to push myself and test my boundaries, I get scared.  Scared of hurting my shins again…scared of NOT making the full 20 minutes and feeling like a failure.  The longest I’ve ever run straight was probably 13 minutes when I ran that 5k in May.  So instead of getting out there and running, I lay in bed and think I should get up and go already, but in reality? I lay there and think about it more than I put an effort to doing it. I ran Week 5 Days 1 and 2 again 2 weeks ago when we had guests over. My last run was 2 Fridays ago. That’s right, no runs (or any form of exercise) at all last week. I don’t know if it’s because my body just wanted to rest after hosting guests, but I think it had more to do w/the heat and being scared.

So, I haven’t lost any weight, in fact, I think I gained a few pounds (especially not doing anything last week). I should be at my ideal body, or close to it by now, IF I just stuck to working out and eating better. Why, oh why do I always fall off the darn wagon??? At least I haven’t gained too much weight back. I am going to try this darn 20 minute run this week. Although, I may need to start Week 5 all over again so as to not shock my body/legs, but by golly, I will try the 20 minutes straight. I mean, what is my problem??? If my shins start to hurt, then fine, I’ll slow down or start walking it. I just need to move!

Couch to 5k – Week 5

I keep thinking back to that 5k in May and feeling so accomplished…totally opposite of what I’ve been feeling lately.  I need to get on it and just do it.  I need a boost in confidence…a better, more fit, body so I can feel confident.  I’m not trying to be a size 2 again, I’m not.  I just want to feel healthy and not so flabby and floppy and sloppy and blah.

I will do the 20 minutes this week (holiday week and all…weekend getaway and all).  I will do it.  This is my weekly challenge.  I have too many cute summer clothes I want to wear and if I’m looking and feeling flabby, no amount of cuteness is going to do anything to make me feel good or look good.

Posting from the Park

Been so crazy busy w/work (and other stuff) lately that I can’t even just add picture links to the posts in draft mode….like the finale to my Mother’s Day Surprise.  I’m glad I wrote that draft when I had a bit more time because it’s a wordy one, y’all…anyway, seems like my only “free” time to post (via phone) is now – while “watching” Beans at pre-ball practice.  I guess, technically, I’m still not “free”.

Being busy has definitely worn me out. I ran all of once in 2wks, but I can’t even call it that.  I woke up late Monday and was just able to get on the ‘mill for all of 15mins…still on week5 in couch to 5k.  I think I gave mysef an anxiety attack about running 20 mins straight for week 5 day 3 that I just stalled myself…grrr…get a grip, Steph!

I really, really need to step up this workout thing.  My midesction is still looking like I’m 7months+ pregnant, but I popped my last baby a year and 8 months ago.

Being busy has also messed up my wannabe fashionista comeback.  I’m back to jeans/shorts and a tee and sneakers (bc my toesies are in desperate need of a pedi!).  Such a shame bc I’m loving some of my new purchases that finally came – jewelry and new jeans, etc.  I did have a non-tee outfit last week, but of course, we were rushing off somewhere and hen we got home, it was back to work for me….

Hopefully things will let up soon…I’ve got some crazy big news up my sleeve 😉

Overwhelming Weekend…so, let’s shop!

This weekend was a crazy busy one and my head is still spinning!

We started house hunting in the area late last week. We’ve been driving around and seeing which neighborhood fit our likes and wants and needs. We weren’t planning on buying just yet, but actually did see some good deals and even 1 great deal. Of course, that great deal just went off the market (actually, 2 that we really liked went off the market – 1 was pDaddy’s pick and the other mine). To say my heart broke just about sums it up right. I even put a sad face next to the listing of my pick. This place had great square footage and made great use of their space leaving only 90 feet unfinished! Great price too! I never thought I could fall in love with a house (just by looking at pictures), but I guess I can. It wasn’t even brand new or anything, but still…

I really hate when I’ve been a good girl and can’t get what I want!

Anyway, we had to get back to the drawing board, so to speak, and to say I got overwhelmed last night? Again, just about sums it up. There’s always just one thing missing or not quite right…I’m starting to think living in our townhouse rental for a few more months won’t be so bad afterall.

I was so dizzy from checking things online, on my phone, driving around and around and around and looking in and going to Open Houses that by the time I went to Target to buy a few things, I actually just left with what we needed. I was DIZZY in every sense of the word and didn’t feel well and just wanted to get out of Target. Me! That NEVER happens! I can spend hours in that store!

I needed a break from house hunting so after we got home and I relaxed a bit on the couch w/some tea, I ended up relaxing some more by doing what? Shopping, of course! Old Navy/Gap/Banana Republic had an online only sale – 30% off – yesterday, but extended to today (BR looks like it goes until 6/6). Enter code: 24HOURS. You have until 11:59:59.000PM – or something like that 😉 You’re welcome :)).

Momma needs a new pair of jeans!

I’ve had a pair of Old Navy jeans sitting in my cart for, I don’t know, over 2 months now! I swore I wouldn’t buy anything until I lost more weight, but the jeans I own aren’t fitting me right anymore. I haven’t lost much weight, but I have a pair which are too tight (too much wash/wear/dryer?) and another that just doesn’t sit well on any part of my lower body). I just needed a new pair of jeans that fit well and I hope these are the ones. Of course, 30% off doesn’t apply to the jeans, but whatever already. I needed something from the weekend that was tangibly mine. Then again, I wanted the flares in the lighter rinse and/white – no size. I also wanted that gingham long-sleeve “camp shirt” in blue – no size. Yellow – no size. So, I went for the red. Even with shopping I couldn’t get what I wanted.

So the one thing I wasn’t a good girl about was running. That overwhelmed me too…W5D3 calls to run for 20 minutes straight. 20. I couldn’t do it. I kept waking up late and then everyone started waking up so my workout window, well, went out the window. I think I may have to do W5D2 again (8 min run, 5 min walk, 8 min run) and then I’ll freak out over Week 5 Day 3 again after that.

OLD NAVY:
“The Dreamer” Jeans – light wash in pic
Retro Hi-Rise Flare Jeans – dark wash in pic (on sale!)
Camp Shirt– running out of colors! (on sale AND qualifies for 30% off!)

Remember, enter code: 24HOURS at checkout…restrictions do apply so read the fine print 🙂

W5D1 – 3rd Time’s a Charm

Week 5 Day 1 in the Couch to 5k Running plan is as follows:

Week 5

1st time I did this run was on 5/16 outdoors.  As soon as I got into run mode, my shins started to hurt, but I was able to complete it.  I was out of breath though so I decided I would repeat W5D1.  First, I wanted to rest my shins so my next few gym visits were on the bike.  When I finally did repeat a week later (wow, exactly 1 week – I log my runs on breakingthetape.com) 5/23, it was indoors on a treadmill.  I was only able to complete the 1st 5 minute run.  The next 5 minute run, I think I did only about 90 seconds of it because of my shins.  Once again, I rested my legs and shins…did some bike work and then skipped the gym all together over the long weekend.  I tried again yesterday, 5/29, on the treadmill and I completed without dying of shin pain NOR was I that out of breath (a little, but nothing crazy)!  WOO-HOO!  I feel a little something on my shins, but nothing to whine, whimper and cry over.  Didn’t even have to ice them.  I guess it does help to just let your body rest and recover!  I can finally move onto Day 2 tomorrow!!!

Looking around to register for another 5k, but I don’t know why some of these are mid-morning when it’s going to be the middle of summer!  Early morning would work best, no?   I wanted to do the 5k Color Run in Chicago, but they’re sold out and even if I could go, I would feel weird by myself.  pDaddy would have gone with me, but no one to watch our girls.  Plus, I’d have to deal w/booking a room (which are probably over-priced) so I could shower off all that color.  Looks like so much fun though, right?   In-laws are coming in June, but not until a couple of weeks after the race.

Holy crap…June?  ALREADY?