Because it seems that no one ever really writes about the process of a before becoming an after. Somehow, miraculously, blogs are began after the after and we're all left in wonderment about the pain and sweat that went into it, but mostly just energized by the fact that someone did it! So we can too!
Well, here are the words of a 26 year old, jumping on board the fitness train all over again. And its kind of painful. But we're chugging along. And some months down the road, I'll have this little record of the very beginning, the beginning of the real shift, and I'll be glad I remember how little I could do and how grateful I was for silly programs that taught me how to run again.
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Week One - Workouts: 60 seconds of running, 90 seconds of walking. Repeating 8x.
Day One, Workout 1A
So today was the first real step, after fulfilling my obsessive-compulsive need to create a colorful workout plan, in the direction of following my own personal revolution.
As I wrote the plan, I kept saying to myself "this is going to be great- easy even!" I imagined that I might even be able to go beyond the daily workouts and hit the first goal of three miles and the final goal of six miles earlier than was planned.
After this afternoon, I am reminded how far I still have to go. Workout 1A was the 5 minute WUW (warm up walk), following by eight repetitions of a sixty second run and ninety second walk. Chris ran the first leg with me and pointed out my fast starting pace. I kept it up pretty well until the last three legs. WOW were those challenging. Chris again slowed down to join me for two of them, and I was pushing through it: breathing out a near-cramp, urging myself to move just a little bit faster, and counting each step as my calves and quads tightened with each one.
So, final day one verdict? A long twenty minutes, that I KNOW I'm going to feel tomorrow. And quite possibly the best beginning to a very healthful change.
Week One - Workouts: 60 seconds of running, 90 seconds of walking. Repeating 8x.
Day One, Workout 1A
So today was the first real step, after fulfilling my obsessive-compulsive need to create a colorful workout plan, in the direction of following my own personal revolution.
As I wrote the plan, I kept saying to myself "this is going to be great- easy even!" I imagined that I might even be able to go beyond the daily workouts and hit the first goal of three miles and the final goal of six miles earlier than was planned.
After this afternoon, I am reminded how far I still have to go. Workout 1A was the 5 minute WUW (warm up walk), following by eight repetitions of a sixty second run and ninety second walk. Chris ran the first leg with me and pointed out my fast starting pace. I kept it up pretty well until the last three legs. WOW were those challenging. Chris again slowed down to join me for two of them, and I was pushing through it: breathing out a near-cramp, urging myself to move just a little bit faster, and counting each step as my calves and quads tightened with each one.
So, final day one verdict? A long twenty minutes, that I KNOW I'm going to feel tomorrow. And quite possibly the best beginning to a very healthful change.
Day 3- Workout 1C
Today was one of those great workout days. I followed the run/walk plan, but found myself running more than was allotted because it felt good actually. I can’t say that I’m to the point where I crave running or that I hit an exercise high, but it feels more good than bad.
Day 5- Workout 1E
I could have gone either way today. It would have been so easy to not run but a friend was staying with us and somehow we all three found ourselves out the door at our nearby running park. In the end, it was a great running day overall. Halfway through, someone began to burn a giant pile of leaves, which made a quarter of the “track” incredibly difficult to breathe through. Once through, my mouth and breath tasted as they did during that one week where I was a smoker. I figured that I am averaging a ten minute mile pace, completing two miles during the twenty minute run, not including the warm up or cool down. Right on track!
Week Two - 90 seconds of running, 2 minutes walking. Repeat 8x.
This week didn’t start on Sunday as planned due to travel and tiredness from celebrating the night before. I’ll attempt a double workout and will add in a second strength workout on one of the rest days to make up for it. I’m also going to also really focus on truly eating well this week. Last week wasn’t terrible but I want to look up what food groups/grams of each nutrient I should be eating, my resting metabolic rate and begin averaging the calories I burn on each workout to keep better track of what’s going into my body and how I’m expending energy.
Day 8: Workout 2A & 2B:
Because I skipped yesterday, I did a combo of my running and strength training. The strength training wasn’t as awesome as I would have liked but was still about 15-20 minutes of using the resistance bands and my own weight to push my arms and legs. I’m pooped.
Day 10: Workout 2C:
As I began to do my first leg of running, I could tell today would be one of those workouts where I wasn’t overly fatigued but I just wasn’t feeling it. All of my best songs played as soon as I began the walking portions, and I couldn’t seem to find my stride perfectly. The best consolation was that it wasn’t overly challenging- sure I was tired but I felt like I could have given it a bit more. Which means that I have more stamina, more strength than I thought. I can do this.
***
I can do this.
Today was one of those great workout days. I followed the run/walk plan, but found myself running more than was allotted because it felt good actually. I can’t say that I’m to the point where I crave running or that I hit an exercise high, but it feels more good than bad.
 |
| Day 5 |
I could have gone either way today. It would have been so easy to not run but a friend was staying with us and somehow we all three found ourselves out the door at our nearby running park. In the end, it was a great running day overall. Halfway through, someone began to burn a giant pile of leaves, which made a quarter of the “track” incredibly difficult to breathe through. Once through, my mouth and breath tasted as they did during that one week where I was a smoker. I figured that I am averaging a ten minute mile pace, completing two miles during the twenty minute run, not including the warm up or cool down. Right on track!
Week Two - 90 seconds of running, 2 minutes walking. Repeat 8x.
 |
| Week 2 |
Day 8: Workout 2A & 2B:
Because I skipped yesterday, I did a combo of my running and strength training. The strength training wasn’t as awesome as I would have liked but was still about 15-20 minutes of using the resistance bands and my own weight to push my arms and legs. I’m pooped.
Day 10: Workout 2C:
As I began to do my first leg of running, I could tell today would be one of those workouts where I wasn’t overly fatigued but I just wasn’t feeling it. All of my best songs played as soon as I began the walking portions, and I couldn’t seem to find my stride perfectly. The best consolation was that it wasn’t overly challenging- sure I was tired but I felt like I could have given it a bit more. Which means that I have more stamina, more strength than I thought. I can do this.
***
I can do this.
You can do this! You will get there. I was in this position a few years ago and I haven't slid yet. I do not eat correctly but I'm exercising so it's progress. :)
ReplyDeleteYou are awesome! :-) Can't wait to read more about your progress! You're gonna rock this!
ReplyDeleteYeaaahhh running! I was on a kick with running for a while there but fell off the wagon. Perhaps I'll have to start up again just so I can race you when you get back (and beat you. duh). :D
ReplyDelete