So much has happended since running my 10K in mid-July!
My physique has changed; my feelings about running have changed; my feeling while I am running has changed, and my overall fitness has changed - ALL FOR THE BETTER!!
I'll address my physique today. As you may remember, I mentioned in one of my July posts (as I was nearing the end of my 10K training) that my weight loss had stalled out. I wasn't getting any leaner, but I was working mega hard! I was also disappointed that I still had a soft mid-section (YEESH!)
Well, I am happy to report that I am in the middle of a very exciting body transformation cycle that is extremely encouraging. Yes, I have lost a few more pounds (I am now down to 117 lbs, which is what I weighed on my wedding day over 12 years ago)! But what is even more exciting than that is how lean, strong and fit I look and feel. I really feel healthy and vital. My mid-section has even lost its underlayer of flab!
Sure, it's taken 5 months to get to this place. The work has been tough at times. Thirty minutes of running seemed unattainable on March 14th. A 10K seemed a little excessive on July 15th. Now, I eat those races for breakfast!!! ;-)
My current workout regimen is Interval Speed Training, where the warm-ups and cool-downs are 1 1/2 mile runs, with 400m and 600m sprints sandwiched in the middle. It seems impossible, but it's not! I don't have special powers, but I do have the drive! Come on; put it in gear and join me!!!
Get your motor runnin'!
;-) Missi
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
Post 10K Update
Hi Friends,
Guess what! I'm still alive and kicking. Or, I guess I should say, alive and running!
I inadvertently decided to take a month off, due to a very hectic schedule of birthday parties, a 25th high school reunion (Go Broken Arrow Tigers Class of 1986!), an extended vacation at my in-laws (which included painting their house for a very generous sum of money), several trips to the zoo, tons of swimming (thanks to our very sweet neighbors who let us use their pool A LOT) and many inside playdates to beat the heat!
The blogging hiatus is over now, though. School has started, and I now only have one child at home all day. I should be able to find the time to write something down on a more regular basis!
So here's what's been going on concerning my running:
At the end of my last post on July 11th., I mentioned that I would be running my 10k on Friday, July 15th. and that I would let you know how it went!
Well, it went GREAT - better than expected. Or, rather, better than I expected. Turns out, my hubby had no doubts that I was going to crush it! And I did, posting a time of 56.35 (roughly 9-minute miles). Now, I know that's not breaking any records, but it's pretty darn good for this 43-year-old gal, who has only been running for a few months!
I do have to interject right here and now, though, that I was reluctant to "bring it!" In fact, the night before "race day," my hubby gave me the pep talk that this was, indeed, going to be a "race," that I needed to treat it that way, that I needed to push myself, that I owed it to myself to "see what I could do."
So, I did! I ran my little heart out. It was exhilirating, challenging and fun. I am now very confident about what lies ahead! I'll keep you posted.
Happy trails,
Missi
Guess what! I'm still alive and kicking. Or, I guess I should say, alive and running!
I inadvertently decided to take a month off, due to a very hectic schedule of birthday parties, a 25th high school reunion (Go Broken Arrow Tigers Class of 1986!), an extended vacation at my in-laws (which included painting their house for a very generous sum of money), several trips to the zoo, tons of swimming (thanks to our very sweet neighbors who let us use their pool A LOT) and many inside playdates to beat the heat!
The blogging hiatus is over now, though. School has started, and I now only have one child at home all day. I should be able to find the time to write something down on a more regular basis!
So here's what's been going on concerning my running:
At the end of my last post on July 11th., I mentioned that I would be running my 10k on Friday, July 15th. and that I would let you know how it went!
Well, it went GREAT - better than expected. Or, rather, better than I expected. Turns out, my hubby had no doubts that I was going to crush it! And I did, posting a time of 56.35 (roughly 9-minute miles). Now, I know that's not breaking any records, but it's pretty darn good for this 43-year-old gal, who has only been running for a few months!
I do have to interject right here and now, though, that I was reluctant to "bring it!" In fact, the night before "race day," my hubby gave me the pep talk that this was, indeed, going to be a "race," that I needed to treat it that way, that I needed to push myself, that I owed it to myself to "see what I could do."
So, I did! I ran my little heart out. It was exhilirating, challenging and fun. I am now very confident about what lies ahead! I'll keep you posted.
Happy trails,
Missi
Monday, July 11, 2011
Day 121
"I am so good at this!!" is what I said to my hubby this past Friday when I got back from running the longest and farthest that I have run to date . . .70 minutes (roughly 7 miles - MORE than a 10k, by the way)!!
The run was delightful, and I am not even exaggerating! I started out feeling very calm and relaxed, settling into a nice rhythm. I decided that I would not even look at my watch for time or heart rate readouts until I was past the halfway mark. That way, I could concentrate on the music and the ongoing conversation that I have with God during my runs! It was fun!
Thank you, Babe, for staying up late the night before this big run and programming the MP3 player with all of the songs I like and many I did not expect! Thanks, also, for letting me go first each day so I can beat the heat, for applauding my accomplishments and for racing out of the house the other day to rescue me when a freaky, sudden thunderstorm errupted during my bike ride! Your consistent thoughtfulness has really kept me going! I love you!
This coming Friday is my real "race day!" My hubby will chart a course, and I will run it. And even though this is not a sanctioned race, I will still have run a 10k, and that's what counts!
I'll let you know how it goes!
;-) Missi
The run was delightful, and I am not even exaggerating! I started out feeling very calm and relaxed, settling into a nice rhythm. I decided that I would not even look at my watch for time or heart rate readouts until I was past the halfway mark. That way, I could concentrate on the music and the ongoing conversation that I have with God during my runs! It was fun!
Thank you, Babe, for staying up late the night before this big run and programming the MP3 player with all of the songs I like and many I did not expect! Thanks, also, for letting me go first each day so I can beat the heat, for applauding my accomplishments and for racing out of the house the other day to rescue me when a freaky, sudden thunderstorm errupted during my bike ride! Your consistent thoughtfulness has really kept me going! I love you!
This coming Friday is my real "race day!" My hubby will chart a course, and I will run it. And even though this is not a sanctioned race, I will still have run a 10k, and that's what counts!
I'll let you know how it goes!
;-) Missi
Sunday, July 10, 2011
10k Program - Week 8
Week 8
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Run 30 min. CT 30 min. Run 30 min. Walk easy REST REST REST
normal pace normal pace 30 min.
(avg 140bpm) (avg 140bpm)
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Run 30 min. CT 30 min. Run 30 min. Walk easy REST REST REST
normal pace normal pace 30 min.
(avg 140bpm) (avg 140bpm)
Sunday, July 3, 2011
10k Program - Week 7
Week 7
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Run 40 min. CT 30 min. Run 34 min. Walk easy Run 70 min. Run 40 min. REST
normal pace race pace 30 min. normal pace slow pace
(avg 140bpm) (avg 160bpm) (avg 140bpm) (avg 130bpm)
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Run 40 min. CT 30 min. Run 34 min. Walk easy Run 70 min. Run 40 min. REST
normal pace race pace 30 min. normal pace slow pace
(avg 140bpm) (avg 160bpm) (avg 140bpm) (avg 130bpm)
Monday, June 27, 2011
Day 107
Oh yeah, I have a blog, don't I!!! Sorry, it has been almost a week since my last post. These summer days are going by so fast!
Here's what's been on my mind for the last few weeks! I am not getting any leaner. I have stalled out at 120 lbs., which I'm very happy with, so don't think I'm complaining because my ice cream's cold. :-) But, for some reason, I was thinking that as I got closer to my 10k goal (which is only two weeks away), I would magically see my problem area (my soft mid-section) magically disappear! Well, it hasn't, and I have to admit that I have been gauging my fitness on what I see in the mirror and on the scale, which is exactly what I did not want to do when I started this thing on March 14th. I wanted to be the Joyful Jogger, and, by golly, that is what I'm going to be!
Heck! Just last month, I ran for 30 minutes straight, and this past Friday, I ran for 50 minutes. This coming Friday, I am scheduled to run for 60! Can I do it . . .NO SWEAT! (Well, there actually will be because, as it turns out, this gal sweats like a man when she runs!) I guess I should have said . . .Piece of Cake (which sounds really good right now. Too bad I just had a bowl of cereal!)
That being said, I just so happened to run across the following quote the other day when I was feeling disappointed and unaccomplished, and it made me feel inspired and motivated. I hope it does the same for you!
"My fitness is close to where it needs to be, and I have time, so I'm running with serenity and confidence and letting the improvements come to me."
- Kara Goucher, American long-distance runner (bio or blog)
Here's what's been on my mind for the last few weeks! I am not getting any leaner. I have stalled out at 120 lbs., which I'm very happy with, so don't think I'm complaining because my ice cream's cold. :-) But, for some reason, I was thinking that as I got closer to my 10k goal (which is only two weeks away), I would magically see my problem area (my soft mid-section) magically disappear! Well, it hasn't, and I have to admit that I have been gauging my fitness on what I see in the mirror and on the scale, which is exactly what I did not want to do when I started this thing on March 14th. I wanted to be the Joyful Jogger, and, by golly, that is what I'm going to be!
Heck! Just last month, I ran for 30 minutes straight, and this past Friday, I ran for 50 minutes. This coming Friday, I am scheduled to run for 60! Can I do it . . .NO SWEAT! (Well, there actually will be because, as it turns out, this gal sweats like a man when she runs!) I guess I should have said . . .Piece of Cake (which sounds really good right now. Too bad I just had a bowl of cereal!)
That being said, I just so happened to run across the following quote the other day when I was feeling disappointed and unaccomplished, and it made me feel inspired and motivated. I hope it does the same for you!
"My fitness is close to where it needs to be, and I have time, so I'm running with serenity and confidence and letting the improvements come to me."
- Kara Goucher, American long-distance runner (bio or blog)
Sunday, June 26, 2011
10k Program - Week 6
Week 6
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Run 35 min. CT 30 min. Run 30 min. Walk easy Run 60 min. Run 40 min. REST
normal pace race pace 30 min. normal pace slow pace
(avg 140bpm) (avg 160bpm) (avg 140bpm) (avg 130bpm)
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Run 35 min. CT 30 min. Run 30 min. Walk easy Run 60 min. Run 40 min. REST
normal pace race pace 30 min. normal pace slow pace
(avg 140bpm) (avg 160bpm) (avg 140bpm) (avg 130bpm)
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