Week 18 -- I Did It!!!

Max Distance: 2.25

Weight loss this week: +2

Weight loss so far: -4

Well, I did it! I finished my first race. I didn't do as well as I had hoped, but I did finish. My goal was to run more than I walked. I think I did about half and half. But as my sister says, I'm a completer, not a competer.

I learned a couple of things from my first race. I learned that it's not a good idea for me to run during allergy season. The race was at the BMW Performance Center race track, which is meant for cars. So, it has a "rough" area for when the cars go off the track. The rough is weeds and grass, of which I am highly allergic to. I was almost done with my first mile when my allergies really started bothering me. It took me over 17 minutes to do the first mile, and I was almost ready to give up.

But I came up over the hill and my son came running, cheering me on, saying, "Go Mommy! I love you!" I had told him I was going to run a race, and by God, I started running again. I still didn't run all the rest; I had to walk about half too. My second mile, though, went a lot better. I did that one in about 13 minutes.

The other thing I learned was that I don't need to be at the front of the pack when we line up to start. I also don't need to start out too fast. I actually did pretty well with that. But it is really hard to not want to try to keep up when every one is zooming past you!

Overall, I am proud of myself for making it through. I have one under my belt. I'll keep trying. My next goal is to do a 5k in the spring. Someone told me about a Nike slogan that says, "The only way to finish is to start." So true!

Week 17 -- Almost there, kind of

Max distance: 2.38

Weight loss this week: -1

Weight loss so far: -6

I only got to work out once this week again, but it was a really good work out. I was on the treadmill for 40 minutes, and I jogged 22 minutes of that. Unfortunately, I am still having to break up the jogging a lot. I'll do 5 minutes jogging, 3 walking, 8 minutes jogging, 3 walking, and so on. I can do that for a long time. I just have a really hard time doing a straight set of jogging all in a row.

I really wanted to jog the whole 2 mile race this week, but I don't think it's going to happen. I'll be really happy if I get jog 1 mile in a row. I am sure that I can jog most of it. And I know that no matter how much I walk, I will jog over the finish line! A friend will be doing it with me. She's very in shape, but she's never done a race either, so that will help me. I won't feel so much like a fish out of water.

I feel kind of silly making a big deal out of a 2 mile race, especially since my goal was a 3 mile race, and I probably won't even jog the whole thing. But it's a big deal to me. I've put a lot of work into this. I'm pumped! Six days to go!

Week 16

Max Distance: 1.8 miles

Weight loss this week: -1

Weight loss so far: -5

I missed a week of working out because the kids were sick, again. But I wasn't totally inactive. We went for walks and played. This week, I only got to work out once. And it was terrible.

I felt fine when I went to the gym, but I should have known by how swollen my eyelids where that my allergies where acting up. I guess I figured I would be ok in the gym though. I have been able to run 10-12 minutes in a row before walking, but I was five minutes into running when I started gasping. It was scary. I started walking for 3 minutes and tried jogging again. I jogged for 5 minutes but felt like I was going to throw up. So, I walked for another 3 minutes. Then, I tried to jog a final 5 minutes. I got to 3 minutes and just felt terrible. I gave up and walked. I didn't even do my toning exercises afterward, just a few stretches. Then, I sat in the locker room until I felt like I could get in the shower. I had to do my inhaler first, though.

I guess during allergy season, I am going to have to do my inhaler or my son's nebulizer before I try to exercise. It's a scary feeling to feel your chest tightening up and not be able to breath well. And my asthma is mild. I just got a touch of what my poor son feels like all the time. I hope I am able to make it through my race without getting an episode! Less than two weeks now!

Week 14 & 15

Max Distance: 2.44 miles

Weight loss this week: -4

Weight loss so far: -4

There was actually a week in between week 14 and 15. I took a break, and I didn't get to blog because my father-in-law passed away. But, the week before that, I had been doing really well. I got up to 2.44 miles one day with 8 minutes straight of running and several 5 minute stretches.

After my week off though, it was like stepping backwards. First of all, I tried to switch from the treadmill to the inside track in preparation for my upcoming race. So, that works different muscles. But, I did do a lot better this time with pacing myself. I went basically as fast as I do on the treadmill.

The problem was that I pushed myself too hard. I ran for 12 minutes straight and then didn't stretch enough. The next day, I could barely use my thigh muscles to get off of the floor or to get up off the couch. I was in so much pain. I had to ask my husband to watch the kids so I could take a bath when he got home and just soak my muscles.

I let myself rest a few days and then went back to the gym. I still jogged, I just took a step back and didn't push myself too much. And then I made sure that I stretched really well. It amazingly made me feel better!

So, I have less than a month to be able to jog 2 miles continually. I am breaking from the Couch to 5k program now and just trying to increase the stretches of time I can jog in a row. I'll keep trying!

Week 12 & 13

Max Distance: 1.9 miles

Weight loss this week: -1

Weight loss so far: -1

I was able to workout as planned. I just stayed on the same day I was on before my knee injury. And then moved on to the next day on my second workout that week. The second workout had me jog 8 minutes straight, walk 5, and jog another 8! It sounded intimidating, but really wasn't that bad.

I started at another gym too. It is really nice. My kids weren't liking the one where I was going because of the total lack of supervision in the nursery. This gym is really posh and more expensive, but I think it will be worth it.

This week, I did the same 8-5-8 work out and then was gearing up to do a straight 20 min jog. Low and behold, one of the kids got sick and couldn't go to nursery. So, this morning, my husband took the kids for a walk while I tried to do my jog in the neighborhood. Whoa! Jogging on pavement in a hilly town is NOT the same as jogging on a treadmill. First of all, I could not pace myself at all. I was jogging to whatever beat was on my music, which was way too fast. Then, my allergies and asthma kicked in. And last, I did not have my water with me, which was a big mistake. I probably only jogged for about 4-5 minutes of the whole 30 minute work-out!

So, I called my sister to get some advice on pacing myself and transitioning from treadmill to road. She said to first set the treadmill to a 2-3% incline. Then, when I do run on the road, go with my car and put my water out somewhere first. Also, run without earphones or music at first until I learn how to set my pace. There are also things you can buy to attach to your iPod or watch that tell you what pace you are running. I might try to find one if they are pretty inexpensive.

Overall, my exercise is going pretty well, but my weight is going nowhere. One measly pound! That is just enough to piss you off! I am going to have to do something drastic -- like try that Alli or something. I can't afford surgery, or I would try that!

Week 11 -- Back in the Saddle

Max Distance -- 1.25 miles

Weight loss this week -- 0

Weight loss so far -- 0

My knee started feeling better by the end of the week. I really didn't want to get too far behind again on my "training schedule" because I feel like I am never going to make it to running 3k! On Thursday, I went to the Y just to walk on the treadmill to test out my knee. I had bought a knee brace, and that helped a lot. I was able to walk for 25 minutes without any real pain, just a few twinges here and there. I even jogged for 3 minutes of that. So, I am planning on going tomorrow and resuming regular exercise. I am just going to stick to the same week I was on before I injured my knee instead of moving up to the next week. I don't need to put any additional stress on my knee. So, we will see how it goes. I am going to do my best without pushing it too hard and doing something stupid!

Week 10 -- Ups and Downs

Max Distance -- 2.0 miles

Weight loss this week -- 0

Weight loss so far -- -2

Well, I really rocked it this week. I was able to complete my training as scheduled. I did 16 minutes of jogging the first day I exercised this week, and completed 2 miles between walking and jogging. The second day, I moved up to the next week on the schedule. There was less overall jogging, but bigger chunks together. I was surprised that I didn't really had a hard time doing the big chunks, until my knees started hurting.

That was the downfall of this week. My knees started hurting while I was exercising. Then, they started hurting worse when I was stretching, which was not a good sign. They usually feel better when I stretch them out after a workout. I got home and went to unhook one of my kids from their car seat, and when I locked my knee, I almost fell to the ground. I thought it was just a sprain or something, but it has really been hurting. It feels like my knee cap and my tibia are just grinding together. And when my knee locks, it takes my breath away. So, I will be laying off the exercising this week. Maybe I will go to the pool with the kids or try to walk a little around the neighborhood, but nothing too strenuous until I get this looked at!

Week 9 -- Going Strong

Max Distance: 1.92 miles

Weight loss so far: -2

Weight loss this week: -2

I am so proud of myself! I moved on to the next week on the training schedule, which was week 4. This is where I start jogging more than walking. The first day, I didn't quite make it. On my second 5 minute stretch, I only made it to 4 minutes. But on the second day, I made it all the way through! So, out of a 30 minute exercise, I jogged 16 minutes!

I was feeling so good about myself, until this skinny b*@$( got on the treadmill right in front of me. My pace jogging was set at 3.8 on the machine. She got on and started running at 5.8! I had to remind myself that a) I am new to this and b) I am 40 lbs overweight while she does not have an extra pound on her. I am not worried about speed right now. As my sister said, "I'm a completer, not a competer."

I figured it out, and if I can make it to the gym twice a week, I should be able to complete the program by September. My goal is to be able to do a 5k race by the end of the year. I know that doing a road race is different than running on a treadmill, so this will give me some time to practice outside.

Anyway, I am really proud of myself! Keep it up Heather!

Week 8 -- A little late with my post

Max Distance: 1.62 miles

Weight loss this week: 0

Weight loss so far: 0

I went to the doctor this week for my yearly physical. He, of course, told me that I need to exercise and lose weight. He said that not only will losing weight make me feel better, but the actual act of exercising will make me feel better. I can benefit a lot from the stress relief, the endorphins, the "me" time. I agree. I do feel better when I exercise. It just feels like a monumental effort sometimes to get there.

But the doctor also said to remember that I don't necessarily have to be at the gym to be exercising. A bunch of short activities can add up, like running around in the yard with my kids, or taking a short walk around the neighborhood. So, even though I only made it to the gym once this week, I don't feel so bad about it. I did take the kids to the mall this week and walk all over. Another day, we went to the park and did a lot of running around and carrying kids and strollers. Then, Saturday I did some strenuous cleaning -- mopping floors, scrubbing bathtubs, scrubbing toilets. So, all of those things combined probably equal another workout.

But still, no weight loss. I haven't been dieting, but I have been eating better. The only times I have gotten the scale to budge is when I just haven't eaten dinner a few times in a week, like when I've had a migraine or I've been sick. Does that mean I am going to have to not eat to be able to lose weight?

Several years ago, before I got pregnant with my second child, I lost about 18 pounds in 6 months. I think the difference was that I was working. I was too busy to stop and get a snack every time I was a little bit hungry. And I wasn't finishing the kids' leftovers all the time. Maybe I need to go back to work to lose weight!

Week 7 -- More Lessons Learned

Max Distance: 1.6 miles

Weight loss this week: +3

Weight loss so far: 0

The lesson learned this week is that just because you are working out once or twice a week, that does NOT mean that you have the right to eat whatever you want and still loose weight. Of course, even if you worked out every day, I doubt you could still eat whatever you want all the time. Alas, I guess I will actually have to diet. Or at least, be more considerate of what I eat. I have been under an enormous amount of personal stress lately, and I find it very hard to deprive myself or have a modicum of self-control when I am trying not to have a nervous break-down. It really seems more important at the moment that I have the bowl of ice cream if I want it if that means that I won't break down crying in front of my kids. I'm just being honest here.

Anyway, I did make it to the gym twice this week, and I did move up to Week 3 on my schedule. So, I achieved both of my exercise goals for this week. That is a very big positive. That meant that I went up to running 3 minutes at a time. Jumping from 90 seconds to 3 minutes at a time was not as bad as I imagined. Actually it was 90 seconds run, 90 seconds walk, 3 minutes run, 3 minutes walk, repeat sequence. I will do that for one more session before I move up to the next week. I am going to try really, really hard to make it to the gym twice again this week. Scratch that. I WILL make it to the gym twice this week. And I am throwing away the leftover cupcakes and ice cream cake in the house!

Week 6 -- It has been a long time

Max distance: 1.56 miles

Weight loss this week: 0

Total weight loss: 2 lbs

I can't believe that it has been so long. The past month has been rough -- sick kids, personal stuff, etc., so I haven't made it to the gym. I finally made it on Thursday. I still haven't progressed past week two of the Couch to 5K training schedule. But I don't want to move past that since my workouts have been sporadic. So, I am still doing the run for 90 seconds, walk for 2 minutes. Although, I did jog for 2 minutes at one stint, and I did fine.

I am determined to make it to the gym twice this coming week. I am going to finally move up to week 3 on the training program. Although I haven't lost a lot of weight, my pants do fit better. I know I will feel better the more I do it. I just have to keep it up!

Week 5

Max distance: 1.6 miles

Weight loss this week: 0

Weight loss so far: -1

Again, not a very successful week. I only got to the gym on Monday. I did really good on the one day that I got to to the gym. I ran a little bit more than the last time (I am still walking more than running). But, I had a migraine that started Wednesday, knocked me out on Thursday, and I was recovering on Friday. Migraines suck! So, I am changing my meds around and hope to at least not have to suffer for so many days.

But, I am not giving up. I will try again this week! My goal is to get to the gym three times a week. I am happy with twice a week. Once a week is not so great. But, at least I am doing something!

Week 4 -- Not much to show for it

Max distance: 1.56 miles

Weight loss this week: 0

Weight loss so far: -1

This week was not so successful. I only made it to the gym once. I am never going to complete this program at this rate! I didn't try to go on Monday because we got back from vacation on Sunday. I was trying to get us back in order, and I was exhausted. At first I was worried, because the scale said I had gained three pounds in New York. True, I did eat whatever I wanted, including cannolis, cheesecake, gelato, etc. But, we walked our butts off. We only took two cabs the whole time and literally walked from one end of the island to the other.

Anyway, I did make it to the gym on Wednesday and went back to the schedule of alternating 90 seconds running and 2 minutes of walking. For the first time, I wasn't counting every second of the running. Ten or twenty seconds would go by at a time without me thinking "Oh, God, when is this running part over?" That doesn't sound like much, but it's a big improvement to me. I think the right music makes a big difference in that.

I really meant to go back to the gym on Friday, as my usual routine. But Little Man was sick with a fever. I thought about going today, but between taking care of a sick kid and having another one who is waking up every hour lately, I thought a nap was a much better use of my time!

Third Week

Max Distance: 1.5 miles

Weight Loss this week: +1

Weight Loss Total: -1

I only made it twice this week, and that took a lot of effort. Today, I moved up to "Week 2" on the training schedule. Let me tell you, there is big difference between jogging for 60 seconds at a time and jogging for 90 seconds at a time. At least it feels like a big difference.

Also, my knees are killing me. They were killing me on Monday before I moved up to jogging more. Am I supposed to just run through the pain? Should I be doing some kind of different stretches to help? I took some Aleve this morning a few hours before going to try to help it. And I stretched really well after my work out.

I have found that the type of music I listen to helps a lot. When I listen to Rap/R&B, I tend to not count down every second of the jogging part. It also helps when I know the words and can get lost in the lyrics.

I am bummed that I put a pound back on. But I haven't even started to try to diet yet. We go to NYC this week on vacation, so I will worry about my diet after that.

Second week a bust!

Maximum miles: 1.5
Weight loss: 2 pounds (probably because I have been knocked out on migraine meds and not awake enough to eat)

Well, the second week was a bust, mainly because of my migraine. I did get to workout on Monday as scheduled. Wednesday I was in full-blown migraine, knocked-out on meds mode. And today (Friday), I was just waking up from the dead. Three things I did learn this week:

1) The right shoes make all the difference. I got a pair of actual running shoes, Aasics. They don't feel like I'm running in bricks like the New Balance walking shoes I was wearing.

2) I am not running a race. I am just trying to get myself healthy again. So, it's ok if I just jog for right now. I was trying to run last week and I was starting to see stars. My heart rate was through the roof. I'm surprised I didn't pass out!

3) Stick to my schedule. I have determined that around 11 to 11:30 am is going to be best with the baby's nap schedule and our other schedules right now. I just need to stick with that. This morning, little man wanted to go play with a friend. I thought, "Ok, we can go to the gym after naps this afternoon." Well, I failed to realize that there is no nursery on Friday afternoons. That's ok. I was still trying to recover from this darn three-day migraine anyway.

There's always next week!

First Post -- First Week of "Training"

Weight loss: 0

Max distance this week: 1.5 miles

Ok, so it's not a marathon. But it's still a big deal for me. I am trying to take care of myself. I completed my first week of the Couch to 5k pretty successfully. The program calls for warming up for five minutes and then alternating running 60 seconds and walking for 90 seconds. Well, my heart rate went up really high really fast. So, I started doing 1 minute of running (I should say jogging) with 2 minutes of walking. That's ok. I don't have anything to prove to anyone else. I am doing this for myself. It's more important that I don't pass out!

I am just hoping that I get to the point that I am not counting every second that I am running. I really don't like it. I think I need a better play list though. Because when I get to "Apple Bottom Jeans (Get Low)", I run a lot better! I also need some running shoes instead of walking shoes so that I don't end up with shin splints.

So far, the scale has not budged, but I was not expecting it too.

It might take me slightly longer than the 15 weeks on the training schedule, but I am going to do this. For me.

Heather