Training Program

Thursday I started a new training program for the YMCA Christmas Run, a 10k on December 22. I have yet to run anything farther than a 5k. In fact, I have only run over 3.2 miles one other time, and it was by total accident. This training program incorporates speed drills, which will help me with a larger goal I have (more about that tomorrow).

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I will be running Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday - I usually take rest days on Sundays so this is a definite adjustment. Monday's are going to be rest days, and Wednesday and Friday's will be cross training days. Ideally, one of the cross training days will be a spin class with some yoga, and then the other will be strength training of some sort.

Thursday I got a gym membership...........Highlight of my week/month etc. The work out was an easy run, 2 miles at a slow pace, and by slow, I did 12:00 min miles. I have this Nike training app on my phone which is amazing! I did one of the 15 min ab workout which consisted of planks (reg and side) and a few different exercises with medicine balls. You do 3 reps of each exercise.

Friday was a cross training day and I did that elliptical running thing, I felt like a gazelle and probably looked like a less graceful one too. I added some more strength training focusing on my legs. PS: I did all of this at the gym, my new favorite place to hang out. :) :) :)

Saturday I plugged in 3 miles and did some stretching. My legs were beginning to feel it. This has been the first time in about 4 months that I have done this many consecutive days working out. Later Ryan and I went to the mall and built Christmas presents in our minds. Now we know exactly what to get everyone when we go to 'Spokompton' aka Spokane next weekend.


This leads me to today...When I woke up I was quite content with laying on the couch all day drinking coffee and being lazy. It didn't help that this is a "typical" rest day, or that the gym doesn't open until 11:00. I finished my coffee, put on my gym clothes, and had Ryan take me to the gym. Once I got there, I turned into the kid in the candy store, claimed my treadmill and went to work. FOUR MILES of work. Oh man was it hard.

The training plan called for 4 easy miles, but I've become obsessed with all these running blogs and they usually run 7-8 minute miles which had me motivated to run faster. I started off pretty slow, 12:00 min pace, for the first 1.5, then for the next mile I bumped it up to 11:06, then the treadmill shut off. Came to a screeching, jerk my body forward almost fall off stop. For some reason, it can only run for 30 minutes at a time. Well, at least what I tried to fix today it would only run for 30 minutes, with a 5 minute cool down. I started again and pushed 10:30 for mile 2.5-3.5, then for the last half a mile I thought I would try sprinting (mind you for me, right now, that was still a 8:48 mile).

I wanted to keel over and sleep once I saw I hit 4 miles. But it was a good keel over. I felt so accomplished. My legs instantly got tired, and I definitely needed to stretch. Before I left I googled running stretches and it brought me these, which felt so good to do!

There were 7 others I did and you can find them here.... (source)

The rest of the day I spent being lazy, watching football and hanging out with Ryan and Dude. Speaking of Dude, I'll leave you with these, he is such a good sport....