Week 6- Run 1

2 times around the lake? No, this time three times. Look at that mile count! http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2961464

I rock. Also I updated the last run with the track for it.

Btw, I really pushed it speed-wise on this run.

Week 5- Run 3

20 minutes down. Would say more, but tired, both physically and mentally. Perhaps emotionally as well.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2961466

Week 5- Run 2

8 minute runs. Not too bad. Not looking forward to the jump to 20 minutes. Were 12 or 15 minute runs not possible?

Week 5- Run 1

Best run ever? Maybe. Had to be a night run. When the heat index is 95 degrees at by like 9am, no way am I running while the sun is up. Pain was almost non-existent in the left foot which is a major improvement. I felt some awkwardness in my Achilles tendon on the left foot, but nothing that really hurt. So that felt like major progress.

So no more easily defined running trail. This has both a slight drawback but does have some benefits. More freedom to create new routes, but no water fountains and mile markers. So I had to figure out how much I ran today. I left the house and made two laps around the lake. (I think). I may have made three laps around. I really lost focus for awhile and started daydreaming. I'm leaning towards three laps because I was going pretty slow during the first five minute run and didn't start to really go for some speed until the 2nd and 3rd five minute runs. Here is a map of the run. Lake Davis park is nice, but not much to do except for walk/run/bike around it or sit at a bench and look at the lake.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2941608

I felt like I could have run longer. This is the variable week in which each of the three days has a different schedule. The next run has 8 minute runs which seem feasible. The third day's run of 20 minutes seems hard but we'll see. By that point I hope I have a good path to run along. I'll get bored going around the lake that many times.

Week 4- Run 3

Left foot still hurting some. First time running from the house. Sidewalks that go up and down make running interesting.

Week 4- Run 2

New shoes worked well. Minimal pain but abdomen pain, probably a cramp.

Week 4- Run 1

Slower music. Not my favorite mix. Run felt ok-ish. Getting new shoes tomorrow.

Week 3- Run 3

Much better run. Main reason? Probably because this was a night run. I don't think night runs and day runs are comparable. I feel at least two to three times as tired at the end of a day run. I also end up sweating about four times as much. But since I doubt there are nocturnal 5k runs, I will continue to train primarily during the day.

Week 3- Run 2

Athletic inserts didn't cut it this time. Left foot hurt through most of the run. Arch of foot hurt the most and the rest of the leg hurt up to the knee. Didn't quite feel like shin splints, almost more like a cramp. Ran through it. Not sure about running tomorrow or pushing it to Saturday and then Sunday to Monday and then resume the Wed, Fri, Sun schedule.

Week 3- Run 1

Best run ever? Probably.

Factors influencing this:
1. Ullery's rave music, during the brisk walks I was totally liquid dancing. (fyi, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_dancing )
2. Cool night breeze, not used night running. I'm accustomed to hot and humid mornings.
3. Distant storms provided nice heat lightning shows to keep me entertained.
4. Dr. Shoals. Need I say more?
5. The last factor also seems to help my shin splints from not flaring up. They almost did last run and that was one reason why I moved yesterday's run to today. I wanted more time to rest my legs.

Week 3

Monday: 3 miles

Alright... did this one. It went relatively okay. Almost no foot or ankle pain, and it wasn't that hard to just keep going. Running faster definitely makes me realize how easy running slow is, relatively. Did feel like I was going to pass out or vomit right after while I was walking the rest of the way home. It wasn't hunger... I had yogurt with a little cereal a few hours before. My stomach has just been so shady lately. It was not pleasant in the slightest. But hey, it's over. 

Wednesday: 6x400

Thursday: 4 miles

Saturday: 5 miles

Week 2- Run 3

Perhaps most painful yet. Definitely need some new shoes or inserts at least. Not looking forward to increased run times in week three. Oh well.

Week 2- Run 2

Probably best run yet. Had some speed going without even trying for half of the runs. Felt a good burning feeling in my calves. Oh yeah.

Week 2: 13.5 miles

I was trying to figure out why I was only on week 2 of this training program when I know I've been running for three weeks now, then I realized I did week one of the 10k program first, then decided to switch to this. I didn't make an entry about last week's runs, but they were awesome. Sprinting was freaking hard, but it was cool when it was over. And allegedly interval aerobic training is more effective at burning calories, so maybe it'll give my weight loss a boost too. I hope it makes me faster. I feel a little faster, but that's probably due in large part to running at night in cooler weather than I'm used to. On Saturday I did my awesome 60 minute non-stop run, which even at my conservative pace estimate of 12 min miles is 5 miles! I felt like the coolest person ever.

Monday: 3 miles

Just finished this. It was pretty good. Made a new playlist and tried to zone out. I have a lot of weird momentary pains while running in various places: shins, achilles tendon, outside of ankle, ankle, back twinges, and the ever-present heel aches, but they usually resolve themselves after a minute or two, and I just keep slapping the pavement until the next pain arises. Pushed myself to do a whole 36 minutes so that I could feel sure I was doing at least the 3 miles. I sweated for the first time on a night run, so it must finally be getting to be summer. I'm noticing that I recover really fast. (Well, really fast compared to how I used to be. I don't know about other people.) I never really feel very out of breath, even when I feel like I'm going faster than my usual pace, and although I feel a little oofed when I stop, I feel like I return to normal pretty quickly. That's one of those measures of good fitness, isn't it? You should see if you feel yourself improving in that respect.

Wednesday: 30 minute tempo run

For any of my readers who might be wondering what a "tempo run" is... Just kidding. :) So I actually woke up at 5am this morning to go running, which is amazing. I knew I was going to be out tonight, possibly drinking a bit, so I knew I wasn't going to be up for a serious jog later. But when I set my alarm for 5am, I didn't actually imagine myself getting up. I figured I would not do it, and then end up having to do it at like 3pm in the burning hot sun and really half ass it. Especially when I had a hard time falling asleep last night from about 10 to 10:30. But miraculously I woke up at 5 and despite my efforts to go back to sleep for ten more minutes, just gave it up and got out of bed and changed. I felt a bit tired, but once I got started it was fine. The goal was 10 minute warm up jog, then 15 minutes at a faster pace than usual (10 minute mile), then a 5 minute jog to cool down. I was really feeling tired and not wanting to do anymore after 1 mile at the faster pace, but I stuck it out for the next half mile. I got the worst stitch in my side during the 5 minute cool down, but I just kept taking deep breaths and counting the seconds. I definitely felt like puking, but I refrained, which is all that matters. Running is f-ing hard sometimes.

Foot pain: Minimal. I felt some twinges, as always, in ankle and heel, but nothing too bad, and now it's feeling pretty good.

Thursday: 3 miles (fast)

This was just humbling. Stupid "fast." What does that even mean? Run faster than usual? Well, I can't run any faster than usual for extended periods of time. If I could, I would! I warmed up with a 5 minutes jog at normal pace, then managed to kick it up a bit for about 10 minutes before I had to slow down if I wanted to continue. And I tried to do another 10 minutes of faster pace after 5 minutes of slow jogging, but I felt like I was running through sand... couldn't work up any speed at all. Could've just been an off-day. 

Saturday: 4 miles

So I just decided to run 5 miles instead. Doing a little speedwork has really made me appreciate running slow. I sort of feel like I could run forever at a slow pace now so long as I never had to speed up. It would help if there were no hills. So this was 60 continuous minutes, with some hills, and I finished it relatively easily. Awesomeness.