Ok, I tried this once before and got way to eager. I started moving quicker than designed. This time I will follow the guidelines.

If you are not familiar with a Couch to 5K, it is a plan to go from not running at all to running 5k (3.2 miles) in only 2 months. It is very doable and such a great feeling of accomplishment. I ran/walked a 5k in May and it was one of the most rewarding things I have done in many years.

Here is the link to the info.. If anyone is interested in training together just join in.

Cool Running :: The Couch-to-5K Running Plan

We will start on Monday, June 29.

Let's get ready to MOVE!!!!!!:tt2:

Hey all! I haven't posted this week because I've been in a "rest" period from exercise imposed by my phys ed instructor who is also a sports trainer. I've been in the worst plateau ever and also have been feeling so fatigued. She evaluated my nutrition and exercise logs and thinks I wasn't eating enough and that my body needed a rest. So for a week I've been just doing very small things, like walking a mile. It was brutal, but it's over and this morning I ran 3 miles. I feel so much better and seemed to have much more endurance. I've upped my calories the last fews days and feel so much more energized. Even though I fought her on this, I'm glad I did it. Turns out she knew what she was talking about after all! LOL!

I hope everyone is doing well (I have to got back a few pages to catch up)! Have a great weekend!!

I DID IT! I DID IT!! I RAN FOR 30 MINUTES STRAIGHT TODAY!!

The bad news is, I got a terrible cramp in my side after I stopped and had to walk the rest of the 5K. That's okay though. 30 minutes is the most I have ever ran straight. I did it on the treadmill today instead of outside. I thought I was going to die, but I survived, lol. I ran a total of 2.3 miles straight, then walked the rest!! I'm on cloud 9!

Bea~ Good for you!! You're doing great!!

Congrats Whosya! You and Renewed both rock!!

Edited October 17, 200817 yr by georgia girl

Yeah, I got my butt kicked. Whosya, wanna do one that starts tommorow and ends on Thursday. I know that is very short, but my surgery is Friday so I will be out for awhile, but I am having trouble motivating myself this week. No challenge....I'm getting the saline taken out of my band on Tuesday. This could be a recipe for disaster!!

WAY TO GO GEORGIA!!!!!!!!! You rock!!!

Okay, I finally caught up!

Georgia - way to go girl! It's such a motivator, isn't it?

Renewed - glad your little boy is better now! I hate it when my kids are sick! I'm sorry you got beat by the likes of Whosya!! LOL! Look at it this way, he beat you because you had your focus on your son, otherwise you could have kicked his booty!! (I say that with love, whosya!! LOL!)

Kathy - I'm sorry you haven't heard back yet. I'm right there with ya, although I hope you don't have to wait as long as me. I applied to nursing school in August and I won't hear if I made it in or not until the end of November, possibly the first part of December. I'm like you, it's driving me crazy!! So, knowing me, the first part of November I'll be tapping my toe everyday waiting for the mail to arrive knowing full well it won't be in there. I wish you the best of luck and hopefully you'll hear back on Monday. My prayers are with you. And don't beat yourself up. I didn't run for a week either, just get right back in the saddle and you'll be fine!! Exercise is a great stress reliever too.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

Thanks everyone! You guys are the best! I needed that kick to get over my pity party. Ok, still no news, but rather than sit around I called a head hunter in Toronto and went in to see him about a few jobs they have right now. I've been resisting opening myself up to other cities (especially Toronto) as I really don't want to move... but if this job doesn't come through, then I don't have a choice. So rather than sit around waiting, I thought I'd just DO something. So I drove in this morning and just got back. 5 hours driving... yuck! Oh well, at least I wasn't sitting by the phone!

Georgia... :tt2::frown::smile::w00t::cool2: ... bells and whistles!!!! Congrats! Remember when 90 sec. was really hard! I'm so thrilled for you. You've now inspired me to get off my butt and go run. I can't do it right now cause I have to pick up the kids, but when DH comes home I'm going to run on the treadmill. My goal is 25 min... never ran that long on the treadmill yet. Thank you for motivating me!

Another scale victory today... although not really deserved, but I'll take it! I was down 2-1/2 lbs this week, despite my bad habits and stress eating. But I also just finished my TOM, so that probably explains it. I'm now officially 2/3 of the way to goal, and within spitting distance of Onederland and my 100lbs lost. Ok, with that in mind... and using everyones advice... I'm going to keep on running. It really does make me feel great!

I DID IT! I DID IT!! I RAN FOR 30 MINUTES STRAIGHT TODAY!!!!

congrats GG!!!

playing catch up reading - miss a few days & it's pages worth,

enjoy the running comps - like to be a back seat reader however..LOL

kathy - your post about the blahhhhhhhhhhs and unmotivation; i posted on the oct x challenge yesterday just the same thing. i'm calling it the yr out hangover - but it's just the blahs.

back to being serious - at least the last 48hrs so far:tongue:

ran a bit over 4miles today - am training for a TRI, going to put that in writing which will be Jan 3rd. hubby and i leave the next day to aussie land - so i'm hoping i'll sleep the whole flight:wink:

happy wkend all

forgot to mention - i'm thinking of you lyn & kathy on the job front!!!!

YEAH!!! I got off my butt and ran! Since I was inside on the treadmill I decided to use it to its advantage. I trained for speed tonight instead of time. I figured that if I want to increase my speed I'll have to approach it similarly to how we learned to run... through intervals.

I generally run at about 4.5 mph and would love to increase that to about 5.0 mph. So I started out and ran for 2 min at 4.5 and then bumped it up to 5.0 and ran as long as I could at that speed, which was 10 min. Then I alternated run vs. fast walk (5.0 vs 4.0) every 90 sec until I reached 30 min. Seemed to work! By midway through the run, I was getting used to the pace. I was always struggling by the 90 sec mark, but continued for the full 30 min.

I'm going to keep doing this everytime I run on the treadmill. Each time pushing myself to go as long as I can at that speed before starting the intervals.

It felt really good to get back to running!

Lyn... Good luck tomorrow on your 1/2 marathon! I will be thinking of you and look forward to your post race report!

Thanks for the advice, Kathybad, I'll concentrate on intervals not speed for now. I've been doing my jogs at the park this last few days - man, it is SO much harder on grass compared to the treadmill! I think I'll pattern my intervals to fit my Fly In/Fly Out roster. I work 8 days on a mine site, then spend 6 days home. On site, I use the treadmill because it is just WAY too stinking hot to go outside (it's in the far northern outback of Western Australia), and at home I go to the park. I'll increase my intervals on the first day back on site, get used to the new ratio on the treadmill, then consolidate it and push it harder by doing the same rate at home on grass, then up the interval on the next swing. What do you think? It makes a 2 week pattern, not 1 week as the program says, but I'm having trouble increasing in the 1 week intervals as it is, so I think it will suit me.

Fanny... your plan sounds perfect. Many of us took longer than 1 week to progress through an interval. The key is to listen to your body and breathing to determine when you're ready. Whatever works for you is what is correct.

So what's Austrailia like? It's a country I've always wanted to travel too. That and Thailand... which due to its geographic closeness, to Austrailia, I'd visit on the same trip! LOL.

Welcome Lacey!! I actually changed the routine up after week 4. I couldn't seem to get past it, so I kinda made my own plan. Good luck with it!!

Thanks GG! I finished week 4 day 2 today and it was rough yet day 1 wasn't?! I guess that is what 3 days off and way too much ice cream will do to you (my dh left for 2 months yesterday).

Welcome Lacey... week 5 seems to be a hard one for most of us. My advice... just empty your head, don't think about it and just go for it. If you can't do the 20 min full out, no worries... try again next time. I spent 3 or 4 weeks at week 5, increasing my time slowly. I found the intervals messed me up at that point. Most of all... I find my head will either work for me or against me... mostly against me! LOL. Good luck!

Thanks Kathy! Luckily, I have about 2 *extra* weeks to play with between the C25K and my actual 5K...I may end up on week 5 for a bit.

I DID IT! I DID IT!! I RAN FOR 30 MINUTES STRAIGHT TODAY!!

WTG GG!!

Thanks guys!! I'm still on a high!!

Kathy~ We seem to be opposites, lol. I can run much longer on the treadmill. I can't seem to pace myself correctly outside. Oh, and you are soooo close to Onderland! I sure hope I'm there by Christmas. Good for you for getting back in the game!! I'm still praying a job will open up for you.

Lyn~ Good luck with your 1/2 marathon!! I'm still praying about your job too.

luluc~ Wow, a TRI? Good for you girl!! I have no doubt you will do great!!

Renewed~ Hope your unfill doesn't cause too much of a disaster. It will all be worth it!!

Bea~ Praying you make it into nursing school!

Fanny~ Sounds like a good plan. I stayed on weeks longer than a week too. You will know when you are ready to move on.

Lacey~ Sorry about your DH leaving. That sucks. Taking days off gets me off track to. Hang in there. It will get better.

Renewed and Georgia - Thank you for making me feel part of the group. Since I have not been exercising, I have just been lurking on this thread just to keep up with my lapband buddies. I really enjoy the encouragement. You might notice that I did take the "WANNABE" off my signature and put "On Vacation" on. You girls pray that I can take that off soon.

If I am not going to be a participant in exercise, at least I can be a cheerleader.

Georgia - 30 minutes straight is awesome!!!! Double Awesome!!!!

Renewed - You are in my prayers for PS this week. I am so excited for you. You will have come full circle.

Kathy - I am so glad that you are back to running. Your mind is made up to be a runner. It is okay to take a short break every now and then.

GO TEAM!!!

Sugar, I'm glad you took wannabe off. I have not ran in a week either. I am just having a case of the 1 year blah's like luluc or anicipation of surgery has got my focus off. Not sure what, but not running lately. DH doesn't think I should run past Wednesday anyway. My surgery is Fridaya dn he thinks it is good to give my body a break before surgery. Anyway, my pointis, this thread has turned into so much more than an exercise thread. keep posting becuas you have something to contribute.

BTW, I giggled when I read where you posted that I have gone full cirlce. I don't know if you ko, but the docotr plans to make my tummy incision all the way around my back, so I will literally go full circle. A great way to represent a lifechanging year!!