I hit a big milestone with Couch 2 5K (C25K) this past weekend, I ran for 20 minutes straight!!!  Me, this lady, I did it.  I can’t believe it.  I seriously can’t.  I still wouldnt call myself a runner, let’s face it, I go really slow, but I still did it and it felt AMAZING.  I kept on thinking I’d do Days 1 and 2 of Week 5 over and over again a few times, but when I woke up Sunday morning, I said I’M DOING IT, BRING ON THE MILL (aka treadmill!)

The 5 minute warm up walk went faster than I could have imagined, next thing you know, the sweet yet encouraging British Lady on my i-Phone ap said it was time to start running.  After the first 5 minutes, she updated me to tell me that I was a quarter of the way there.  The first 5 minutes were the roughest of the entire 20 minutes.  After that I got in a really good pace and looked forward to hearing the next 5 minute update.  Next thing you knew, it was 20 minutes, and Simone, the sweet British lady, said “YOU DID IT!  You can officially call yourself a runner!”  Awww, thanks, Simone.  Doing so well at the 20 minute run encouraged me to not re-do Week 5 and progress directly to Week 6.  Week 6 starts back with intervals and ends with a 25 minute run.  I am giving myself full permission to re-do Week 6 if required.

I’m pretty proud of myself for getting in all of the activity that I did last week, considering that I also worked about 70 hours.  I was worn out, but I did it!  I got a bit thrown off on my schedule and took a rest day where I normally don’t but that’s ok, I ran for 20 minutes!  Just might be my excuse for everything this week, ha!

Last Weeks Recap

• 1/25/12 Wednesday: 30 DS Level 2.
• 1/26/12 Thursday: Couch 2 5k Week 5 Day 2
• 1/27/12 Friday: 30 DS Level 2
• 1/28/12 Saturday: Off
• 1/29/12 Sunday: Couch 2 5k Week 5 Day 3…ran for 20 minutes and over a mile straight for the first time since High School!
• 1/30/12 Monday: 30 DS Level 2
• 1/31/12 Tuesday: Couch 2 5k Week 6 Day 1

I’m bumping it up to Level 3 of the 30 Day Shred this week…OMG am I crazy?  I still do the modified movements, but I can make my way through Level 2, so I figure it’s time to move on.  I’m excited for this week of working out!  New C25k longer run AND new workouts with the 30 Day Shred!

Week 9 is done, now onto Week 10!  My body really responded to changing up my workouts this week.  I stopped doing The 30 Day Shred (30 DS) everyday, continued to progress through Couch 2 5k (C25K) and even added a rest day each week.  I think my body really wanted me to quit over doing it.  I will increase my activity as things become easier, but for now I am feeling great!

This week say me moving onto Week 5 of C25K, and I also continued to work through Level 2 of 30DS.  I am still following Anita (the one who does modified moves) for most of 30DS, but I am getting through it and loving it!

I mentioned in my 5 Month Surgiversary post that I am signed up for a 5k in April with one of my girlfriends as well as a half marathon (walking) in June for a charity event that another one of my girlfriends is a part of.  The tricky part is going to be to figure out how to work through training for both.  Luckily the walking will be the easiest for me.  I don’t think I’ll need the full 3-6 months that they recommend for training.  Once I get through the 30 Day Shred I am going to start adding in the half marathon training sessions…I still wonder how this is me now sometimes!

Last Weeks Recap

• 1/18/12 Wednesday: Week 4(2) Day 2 C25k.  320 Calories burned; 2.2 miles completed.
• 1/19/12 Thursday: 30 DS Level 2.  220 Calories burned.  
• 1/20/12 Friday: Week 4(2) Day 2 C25k.  320 Calories burned; 2.2 miles completed.
• 1/21/12 Saturday: Off
• 1/22/12 Sunday: 30 DS Level 2.  220 Calories burned.
• 1/23/12 Monday: Week 5(1) Day 1 C25k.  XX Calories burned; XX miles completed.
• 1/24/12 Tuesday: 30 DS Level 2.  220 Calories burned

Getting through C25k week 5 wasn’t/isn’t pretty, but I am doing it.  I can’t believe that I am doing it, but I am.  I don’t necessarily enjoy every session, but I feel so amazing once it is over.  I have also found that once I get through the 3 minute mark of jogging, getting through to minute 5 isn’t that bad.  It’s those first few minutes that are tough for me!

Week 8 is done, now onto Week 9!  I learned this week about taking a rest and not over doing it.  In high school I completely tore my ACL in my left knee.  In college I partially tore it again playing soccer.  Last week my left knee was giving me a lot of problems, particularly on the days that I was doing both Couch 2 5k (C25K) and 30 Day Shred (30DS.)  Because of the pain I was in, I decided to do absolutely nothing on Friday and Saturday with the exception of walking.  On Friday I did my normal 30 minute walk with my dog and then on Saturday I walked about 5 miles with one of my girlfriends at a reasonable walking pace.  When I completed the 30DS on Sunday I felt SO much better afterwards that I had been feeling.  I guess my body did need a bit of a break.

I’ve therefore decided that I am only going to do one workout a day for now.  M,W, and F will still be dedicated to C25K, but only to C25K. T, Th, and S (Saturday or Sunday) will solely be dedicated to 30 DS for now.  There’s no reason for me to over due it and wind up needing to have surgery on me knee or injuring myself so badly that I can’t proceed with either program.

Last Weeks Recap

• 1/11/12 Wednesday: 30 DS Level 2.  220 Calories burned.  Week 4(1) Day 2 C25k.  320 Calories burned; 2.2 miles completed.
• 1/5/12 Thursday: 30 DS Level 2.  220 Calories burned.  Week 4(1) Day 3 C25k.  320 Calories burned; 2.2 miles completed.
• 1/6/12 Friday: Off.
• 1/7/12 Saturday: 5 Mile Walk, but no C25K or 30DS.
• 1/8/12 Sunday: 30 DS Level 2.  220 Calories burned.
• 1/9/12 Monday: Week 4(2) Day 1 C25k.  318 Calories burned; 2.2 miles completed.
• 1/10/12 Tuesday: 30 DS Level 2.  220 Calories burned

Right now the schedule is to start C25K Week 5 next week, I might decide to do Week 4 for a third time, but I have not decided which way I am going yet.  I am working through the program at my own pace, and feel no need to rush myself!

Week 7 is done, now onto Week 8!  I did really well this past week with the exception of Sunday where I gave myself a rest day.  I was starting to get sick, so after about 4 hours of cleaning the house I decided to call the day quits and rested for the remainder of the day.

Last Weeks Recap

So here is what I’ve done so far this year:

• 1/4/12 Wednesday: 30 DS Level 1.  223 Calories burned.  Week 3(3) Day 2 C25k.  270 Calories burned; 2.01 miles completed.
• 1/5/12 Thursday: 30 DS Level 1.  220 Calories burned.
• 1/6/12 Friday: 30 DS Level 1. 224 Calories burned.  Week 3(3) Day 3 C25k.  270 Calories burned; 2.1 miles completed.  I ran 6 minutes straight just to see if I was going to be able to proceed to Week 4!
• 1/7/12 Saturday: 30 DS Level 1.  220 Calories burned.  7 Mile Hike.  955 Calories burned.
• 1/8/12 Sunday: Rest Day
• 1/9/12 Monday: 30 DS Level 1.  220 Calories burned.  Week 4(1) Day 1 C25k.  318 Calories burned; 2.12 miles completed.
• 1/10/12 Tuesday: 30 DS Level 1. 220 Calories burned.

I was 100% convinced that I was going to have to do Week 3 of C25K for a fourth time.  When I did the 6 minute run on 1/6, it wasn’t pretty, and I had to talk myself out of quitting, about oh, every minute or so, but I did it.  Doing that 6 minute run pushed me to know it was OK to move onto Week 4.  Scary!  I made it through Monday, which was the first day of Week 4.  You walk 5, jog 3, walk 1.5, jog 5, walk 2.5, job 3, walk 1.5, jog 5, walk 5.  That’s a total of 16 of the 31 minutes jogging!

I start Level 2 of the 30DS tonight and cant even begin to tell you how nervous I am for it!

Since I seriously started working out again, about em, about 6 weeks ago now, I wanted to start posting more about it here on the blog.  I want to document the experiences that I am having, so I am going to try to post every Wednesday to keep me and you updated.  For the past 6 weeks have been following the schedule below:

• M; W; F: Couch to 5K (C25K).  I am repeating each week as necessary.  I did Weeks 1 and 2 twice each, and I am currently on my 3rd go round of Week 3.  I am able to get through the three minute runs, but I wasn’t really feeling ready for the 5 minute runs that the actual actual Week 4 entails.  I will be pushing myself to move on next week though.
• T; Th: 30-45 minutes of a workout DVD.  I pick whatever I am in the mood for that day.  Kettlebells, Jillian Michaels Boost your Metabolism, Biggest Loser Bootcamp, Biggest Loser Cardio Blast, Tae Bo, Kickboxing, etc.  I have a really decent collection of workout DVDs, a yoga mat, two sets of kettle bells, etc.  I am pretty well set to exercise at home.
• Sat or Sun: Walk 3 Miles or workout for 60 minutes using a DVD
• I have also scattered in a few bike rides and also walk my dog two miles a day.
• I haven’t missed a single day in the schedule, and I am on Week 7!

Starting on Sunday, January 1st, I started a group challenge on MyFitnessPal.com (MFP) to do Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred (30DS) for the entire month of January.  I am SO excited to be taking part of this challenge.  I am also excited to know that I am now in good enough shape that I should be able to progress through the levels.  I have only tried Level 2 once and let’s just say I didn’t see past the first 5 minutes or so.  What is going to make it even more challenging is that I will be continuing to work on the C25K program.  Which means, at least three days a week, I will be doing two work outs a day.

WHO IS THIS LADY?

So here is what I’ve done so far this year:

• 1/1/12 Sunday: 30DS Level 1.  206 Calories burned.
• 1/2/12 Monday: 30DS Level 1. 224 Calories burned.  Week 3(3) Day 1 C25K.  272 Calories burned; 2.01 miles completed.
• 1/3/12 Tuesday: 30DS Level 1. 221 Calories burned.