Saturday-3 miles. It's not easy, but I've done it. Another thing to mark on my list.
Wednesday-3 miles.

Monday-2 miles w/ 2 miles light jogging/walking
Sunday-4 mile walk

I MADE IT!!!

Two miles. Finally. After so long. It was slow, but I did it.

Journaling really seems to help. After yesterday's entry I got to thinking and analyzing a bit. I did lots of research. From the articles I read and the info on the net, I think I was pushing too hard. The way I felt Friday pretty much tipped me off. I feel great afterwards, but I don't think I should be struggling quite so much during the workout.

So, I decided to slow my pace down quite a bit. I found this marvelous training tool on runners world. You put in your fastest mile, what race you're training for, how long you want to train, and how hard you want to train. It is marvelous! What is most marvelous about it is that it told me to slow my pace by 4 minutes. This was news to me. Even on the very hard setting I should not have been running as hard as I was. I've just never trained for a race before, only for exercise. Today I found by going much slower, at the pace they recommended, I was able to meet my goal without any struggling at all. I could have run even further, but I held back to stick to the schedule. I mean I sweat, and it was hard work; but it was nothing like I had been experiencing. This is huge news to me and really helps to turn the light bulb on! This is how new runners can run 2 miles their first time out. Duh! Then another thing I happened upon this morning and yesterday was that you need to warm-up for one mile before doing your workout as well as afterwards for a cool down. This was huge news to me b/c I usually only spend 5 minutes warming-up. They say you can go further. Well, who would have thunk? This should prove challenging in it's own regards as I am already running slower than a snail. I can't imagine running slower than that for a whole mile! Maybe really fast walking would be okay until I speed up a bit.

Thoughts...

The thought of running tomorrow has me scared to death. I am already so sore from swimming. I cannot even explain it, and I am shocked that I even made it today. When I run past people I think they are scared for me! Today was even worse b/c I agreed with them. I am so red I look sunburned, and I sweat so much! There is not an inch of me that is not pouring sweet. Even my legs sweat! The crease my elbow that trickles sweat, even when I'm walking. It's like a hole or something that just drips...drips...drips...or pours for that matter, and it took me FOREVER to figure out what was going on.

I am focusing today on resting and eating only what will help me in the morning. I really want to hit 2 miles tomorrow. I was so close last week but didn't realize how close I was. Originally, I wanted to run even past that, but now it seems impossible. Tell me I will feel better tomorrow morning. I will be excited; I won't have to work so hard like I did today. I will be rested. Tell me....

I am also working really hard not to weigh myself everyday. Do you know how hard this is? I stopped when the realization struck me that I would give myself permission to eat a little extra this or that because I was doing well. Then of course no progress would be made. This way I have no idea, so I work really hard to eat well. I have no idea if it's working, but I sneaked a peek on Wednesday just to see. Then I realized I shouldn't have looked. It's like looking at your Christmas present early or something.

Update; Down Beat

Friday- ran 8/7/7 About died or quit. Stayed up late and ate junk. made me tired. when will i learn my lesson? I am so sore from swimming and just tired. Nap?
Thursday-walked 35 minutes; swam laps with friend: she showed me proper techniques which was so fun.
Wednesday- ran 7/7/7
Tuesday-walked 40 minutes
Monday-ran 7/7/6

Narnia Man

I was walking today, and this VERY fit man ran past me going in the opposite direction. This gave me more opportunity to notice him. He was like a gazelle, or like the centaurs from the Narnia movie. I have never seen anything like it. I thought, "He must be an Olympian." I instantly felt dumb and inadequate, totally ridiculous at the thought of ever running a half marathon or even a 5k for that matter! His legs were perfect little muscular branches. Mine are so flabby and unfit. He was literally leaping down the road with what seemed no effort at all. I have so far to go! I wanted to stop and ask him how he ever got to this point, but then I figured he had to be born that way. Somehow that's consoling.

Today-Walked 1 hour 10 minutes/4 miles
Saturday-Ran 27 minutes! Very proud of this. It wasn't far, and I was real slow, but I did it!
Friday-Ran 7/6/6
Thursday-Walked 40 minutes/2 miles
Wednesday-Ran 6/6/6
Tuesday-Walked 40 minutes/2 miles