Week 7 Day 3 completed yesterday with a 5k!

You may be thinking ... "Are you crazy? You ran a 5k?" Yep thats what the title says.  So week 7 started with the schedule saying I was supposed to run 2.5 miles all three days. I thought this is going to be hard. I started Monday and it was hard. Then Wednesday it was equally as hard. Well I had been invited to run this 5k (3.1 miles) in Charlotte at the very beginning of this process which I thought was maybe possible but then began thinking as the days went by it was more and more outrageous.  Well I knew this week was going to be the deciding factor. So after Monday was tough and Wednesday was as well. I was really considering just not registering. However something in me just could not stop thinking about it.  I finally just made a decision and registered. Well Saturday came rather quickly. I had no idea how to prepare. I had no idea how I would feel. The morning of the race happend upon me and I got up out of the bed and got dressed and headed out with my wonderful supportive family. The kids were wired and I was sleepy. I was so anxious and nervous I could not make myself eat. I barely choked down a few bites of oatmeal. The traffic was horrible which made the anticipation that much worse. We arrived and I got my number and got ready to start. I walked into a sea of people right before the gun sounded and we were off. I was thinking ... "wow am I really doing this?" I just settled in to a comfortable pace and began. I had gone .3 of a mile ...LOL... and started to think wow this is going to be a long run. I watched people running much faster then me pass by. I even had people pushing jogging strollers cruising by me but I just kept my head up and pushed forward.  As I persevered and neared then ending it was a surreal feeling.  Knowing I had not stopped at all to walk was just a great feeling. Seeing the spectators lined up on each side of the finish area gave me a last minute rush. I pushed and tried to gain some speed for the finish. Crossing that finish line felt amazing! The sense of accomplishment I felt was crazy. I was on cloud nine. My cousins husband Chris Pate met up with me shortly after I finished to see how I did. He was one of my inspirations to start running. I had watched him start a while back and watched him lose weight from running. It was nice to see someone else there that had just ran it as well not to mention one of the people who inspired me in the beginning. Overall the day was fabulous.  I hope to run more races and soon.

Week 7 Day 2

The band that tracks my runs is not as accurate all of the sudden. I am pretty sure I only ran 2.5 based on the laps around the track.

Ok so not much to write about today. I went back to the track today so that I did not have the hills. I noticed a huge difference in my cardio at the end. I also noticed a difference in my back. My upper middle back seems to tighten more at the track I guess because I am in an upright position the entire time and never get to lean into a hill or let momentum take me down a hill. I think I still will take the track over the hills though. I seemed very tired through the whole run today. I do not know if it was lack of sleep or the garbage food I had yesterday with our busy schedule. I look forward to Friday somehow even though when I am out there I want to quit, but there is something freaky it does to my brain an hour or so after I am done. Its so addictive to torture myself  .... LOL.

Week 7 Day 1

Ok so Friday it was horribly hard to run 2.5 miles straight. I think the program is little fast at this point. It should have had you run 2.0 for a week first. It just throws you into 2.5 miles and this week all three days are 2.5 miles. Today I wanted to change up the scenery some because that track is so boring. So I ran up Broadway Street and onto Oak Street. The scenery did make a huge a difference but one thing I was not prepared for were the hills. Running 2.5 miles Friday on flat ground was tough enough and then adding hills was torture. I was so ready to quit today and at about 1.8 I was done physically but mentally I pushed. I made it to 2.5 but it honestly made me not want to ever run again. I really think the 5k Saturday will not be a good thing. I would probably end up waling after 2.5 or so or torturing myself to push through but I just do not want to burn myself out and start resenting running all together.  As far as next week going up to 2.75 we will see.

To try a 5k Saturday or not to? That is the Question!

If you have followed me on facebook from the very beginning of this running journey you'll remember me saying that there was a race at the end of October. Some of you encouraged me to go for it even though my program that trains me for a 5k would still be 2 weeks away. Well its GO time or not. I have to register by Thursday to commit myself and make plans. So what do you think? Should I attempt it. I just ran 2.5 miles on Friday but it was a struggle and only heart pushed me through. A 5k is 3 miles. Hmm just don't know what to do. I have a busy week with 3 things going on during the evenings of this week. I feel like I don't have time to mentally prepare. I would love to hear feedback on here or on facebook.

Be blessed!

Week 6 Day 3 ..... No more walking

Well today was a doozy like last Friday with a straight run no walking and it was for 2.5 miles. I barely got through last Friday at 2 miles and was very concerned. I got started and was pretty much what I was expecting and I just put my head down and pushed forward. After lap 5 of 10 I was pretty spent in my back but I had 5 to go. It was actually overwhelming the way I felt knowing I was only half way. I just kept saying "I am not quitting I am not quitting." There were times I was actually so fatigued in my muscles, my legs tried to stop running and I had to kind of jolt myself to continue. I know people out there that run or could run this distance don't understand why its so hard, but you gotta remember I am almost 70 pounds overweight. So you out there that think this distance is not hard put 70 pounds in a back pack and take off and let me know how that goes. LOL. I made it though but this was the start of no more walking in the program. All 3 days next week are the same as today and then just continue to get longer. I honestly thought today there is no way I can go through what I did today 3 times next week. Then I told myself that when the time comes I will be ready I cannot think about that during what I am feeling right now. I have learned that you cannot make decisions based on feelings. This whole process has been changing me more then just physically. It has changed me mentally and emotionally.

 Have a great day everyone.

Week 6 Day 2 Complete actually completely soaked!!

Well today I had 2 obstacles. The first was I am not driving my car right now because I hit a deer Sunday. So how exactly do I get to the track to run? That was problem #1. Problem #2 was its pouring rain. Hmmm what to do? So I decided I would suck it up and run in the rain an hope it tapers off. Then I found out that I could drive a friends truck from work to the track. Well I got to work early because I rode with my wife in to town. So I thought problem #1 was solved. Once I got here I realized the truck was in the warehouse and really did not feel like going through the trouble of getting it out. So I decided to run down Oak Street where I work. However, still raining, so I said to myself "it will taper off just do your part and get out there like you did the other day and remember once you got out there it stopped raining."  Today not the same story. I get about 1/2 mile from the office and it starts pouring harder. I now have rain just pouring off my head into my face. My jacket kind of repels water a little but not a down pour. So my jacket is beginning to become soaked. My shoes are getting damper and I can start to feel it in my socks. Then what do you know I looked up for traffic while crossing a road and ran right through a huge puddle. Now both feet were soaked and I was only halfway through my run. I knew this experience could only make me stronger so I continued. One thing I did not realize was the large hills I was running down I had to run up on the way back. That added so much more muscle fatigue, which sucks oxygen, to a distance I was already barely making on flat ground. I was determined to not let it beat me and finished my 2 miles this morning soaking wet up hills. Hey I felt good though after knowing I did it. I did like the scenery better not having that monotonous track that you go around and around. So maybe Friday I will find somewhere else that does not have so many hills. Overall very proud of myself.

I WAS SOAKED!!

Week 6 Day 1 Complete

Today was not so good. I finished the work out for today,but I tried to improve on time and distance and it wore me out to quick so the rest of the workout was really miserable. A lot of things happened yesterday and this weekend which had me off mentally, and my body was just not ready for today either. I ate some junky food this weekend so I don't think I was fueling myself properly for today. Overall just blah today. Actually hated it. I feel like I will get it together for Wednesday though. Keeping my head up.

Week 5 Day 3 COMPLETE !!!!!!

Ok so you know this was gonna be a doozy week and today itself was going to be a beast. Well as scared as I was to go out there today and run 2 miles or 20 min, says the program, I mustered up the energy. I am not sure the program was saying run 2 miles or 20 minutes meaning you should be able to do the 2 miles in 20 minutes or if it just meant run at least 20 minutes. Well I knew that 2 miles was 8 laps so that was what I focused on not the time. Unfortunately and after all this perseverance I am sad to say I did not get the 2 miles ran today. :(

Well not in 20 minutes anyways. LOL it took me 26 minutes but yeah baby Phil just ran 2 miles straight. I feel like I am on top of the world. Now that did not come without some pretty achy back after lap 5 but I pushed through 3 more laps. I honestly at some points felt like my back was just going to say "sorry buddy cant support ya anymore", but I kept saying to myself  "body I say when to quit" and i just kept pushing. So overall I feel great. Thanks for all the support everyone. I will continue my journey. In just 3 weeks I will be running 3 miles on day 3. Then the 9th week its 3 miles all three days. I cannot even imagine the feeling I am going to have when I have become a real runner in 9 weeks. WOW thats a dramatic change if you ask me. From a 240lb guy who rarely exercised on a consistent basis to running 3 miles 3 times a week in just a little over 2 months. Pretty crazy.

I have only lost 7 pounds so far but I have lost a lot of inches. Cannot wait to see what happens after 4 more weeks. Be blessed everyone.

Just some thoughts

I was sitting here and reading a couple of peoples experience with Week 1 Day 1 of the same program I am following to run. It made me think back to my first day when I thought how am I going to make it through this whole routine. I almost cried realizing where I have already gotten to 5 weeks later. I honestly am so proud of myself.  I do not even know how to accept my own accomplishment. Looking forward to reporting tomorrows run.

Week 5 Day 2 ... Officially half way through the Couch to 5K

So I have been dreading today thinking about the 8 minute runs. Monday was  (Run 5 min / Walk 3 min) 3 times. I knew it would be tough but knew I could do it. However the 8 minute runs have scared me for a few weeks. If there is one thing I have figured out  in these 5 weeks now is how to put mind over matter. So Monday I began charting out how many laps around the track these 8 minute runs would be based on how I have been running so far. So today when I got out there and started running I continually focused on that instead of just waiting for the phone to ding.  Well first let me say that today as far as my body goes I felt th best I have felt since day one I think. So that combined with the mind over matter and the goal of running 3 laps instead of just watching seconds tick by  really helped. I finished the first 8 minute run which I had so badly dreaded and when it dinged for me to stop I was actually bummed because I felt like I could keep going. (COULDNT BELIEVE IT!!!)  So I walked the 5 minutes and the phone dinged for the second 8 minute run and I almost got to 3 laps and it dinged and it was over as well but I wanted to push myself since I felt good and ran for an additional 5 1/2 minutes. Can you believe it I added on 5 1/2 minutes? I completed a whole mile without walking at all. I am so excited. I even sprinted the last 25 yards at the end. (WHAT, SPRINTED AT THE END???  I KNOW I KNOW !!!) LOL.... Friday is a 2 mile run with no stopping and Sunday when I read that I laughed and thought there is no way, but after today I am excited. It will be hard but I think I can do it. Will tell you all about it Friday.

Week 5 Day 1

Well the dreaded Week 5 Day 1 has happened upon me. Well there was some good news before it all began.  I thought that today I had much longer runs to complete however yesterday I looked at the program and they were equivalent to my long runs last week. So when I saw that the 3 runs today  were the same as my long runs last week I thought to myself " I can do that, that is not to bad." Then I read to see what Wednesday was going to be like and there before me lay the longer runs I so have been dreading. I then read on to Friday and just began laughing. It said by Friday I am running 20 minutes straight and a distance of 2 miles. I was dreading 8 minute runs and in 5 days I have to do a 20 minute run. Well I said to myself lets take it a day at a time. So today I felt ok going out there on the track. I had a little headache but I knew that was not going to stop me. I started the first run and boy those first 20 seconds always feel so good. (LOL) Then it it just disappears and I am like how can I make it. I thought here we go again with this defeating feeling at the beginning. At least I know now that as I warm up it is not as bad so I just dug in and continued. Then on my last run I felt like I was in a groove. I had some back pain but was in a groove enough I could ignore it and keep going. My phone dinged signaling the end of that last run but I pushed another half a lap to just see if I could because these runs are longer Wednesday. It was not so bad and I  felt like I could have pushed the rest of that lap if I needed to and Wednesday I will. Instead of dreading Wednesday I am viewing it as a challenge. I will be right back here then to tell you all about it.

My experience since I got my "The Stick" massager

In previous post I had mentioned my achilles injury from years ago. Well once I got my "The Stick" massager I started reading and watching videos on how to properly use it. I found out that most injuries and pain come from knots in your muscles that cause it to pull harder on ligaments and joints. I saw or read something about how the lower part of your calf muscle can cause achilles pain. Well I started using my massager and sure enough I had extreme soreness and tenderness on that lower portion of my calf muscle. I followed the instruction for working out this soreness. Sure enough the next day I had reduced pain in my achilles and after a few days of consistent massaging of that area it eliminated the pain in my achilles while running. I still can feel some slight discomfort if I just lift up straight up on my toes but no pain during running. It is a pretty incredible little tool for athletes and runners. I highly recommend getting one. Follow this link and take a look and watch the videos to the upper right of the site. They explain what happens when you use it.

Week 4 Complete !

Well week 4 is complete but not feeling good about it. Last night I came home from work and I was not feeling well. I felt like I was running a fever. I was cold and achy and just no energy at all. I went to bed fairly early around 9 or so. I got up at 6am as I do everyday but felt like I did when I went to bed. I woke up probably 10 times last night either cold or hot or uncomfortable. I was miserable and I did not feel rested at all. I told myself though if I can still run this morning through this then I can push through more then I thought. So I was determined to try. I had went shopping last night for some warmer running clothes and was successful so that was a big plus. I geared up slowly as I felt horrible but as I moved i felt like i was feeling a little better. By the time I left my fever broke and I was so hot feeling for a little bit. Well I arrived at the track and got ready to get out there. I felt ok at first. Well I did my 5 minute warm up walk and I was thinking this is going to go better then I thought. Well it dinged for my first running interval to start. I took off and kinda felt good, my steps seemed smooth and my legs felt strong for about 20 seconds (LOL). All of the sudden I felt zapped of all energy. I was literally having to start the mental push of mind of matter right away. I was so discouraged I honestly felt so defeated. I thought to myself how in the heck am I going to do the next interval which is almost twice as long as the first. Well the time had come to start that dreaded second run interval. I was honestly thinking God help I want to crawl in a hole and never come out, but I have to do this I cant let my family down who has been so proud of me. Most importantly I can't let myself down AGAIN. I have never seemed to finish things I start very well and this was going to be one of the biggest accomplishments in my life if I can complete this 9 week program. I mean especially with all the walls that have been thrown up from old injuries and sleepless nights and then the cold weather that has happened upon us. So as I was running I just continued to say I can do this it will be over soon just keep moving. Keep moving one leg then the other and the other and the other. I began to feel like a robot in my mind but as well still felt the pain and agony going on in my body. I tried to focus on the robot feeling that my body is a machine and I tell it when to go and when to stop. That long interval ended and I was beat but at least I had a 3:00 minute walk before the next. The terrible thing was I had to repeat both of these run intervals again. The second shorter interval was not too bad I just took a really slow pace, but the longer interval was quite a different experience. By the time the second long interval was about to begin I was feeling so exhausted. I started running it and just told myself this is it after this its over no more running. I pushed and pushed and then another person running was gaining on me and I got prideful and thought I cant let someone pass me when I am running too. So my pride dug up some kind of temporary grit and I started running faster then I have ever ran since day one and it kind felt ok until all the sudden I realized my lungs could not expand large enough to take enough oxygen to power me at this speed and I got very light headed and slowed down and I still had about 30 seconds left to run and I really was concerned because I felt like I was going to collapse. Then I heard the most glorious sound it was my phone dinging the final ding for running. I had made it. I was thinking HOLY CRAP how did I just do that. As soon I as got in my car after the cool down walk I felt so bad. I felt and still feel so drained and wasted of all energy. The feverish feeling came back quickly and I feel like I need to jsut crawl in the bed and cover up, but instead I had to go to work. I do feel like now I know how hard I can push myself and not let excuses get in the way. I am terrified of beginning week 5, which I have heard is the hardest transition of the entire program. Especially after turning in the shortest distance and longest pace of the whole week on the last day before a new week begins. Not sure where the motivation is going to come from but I have to try and I have to give it my all. You will definitely hear about how it goes on Monday.

Last Day of Week 4 tomorrow

I am really not looking forward to running tomorrow. I mean something in me is ready but just not diggin these cold mornings. I went shopping though for some cold weather running gear so maybe tomorrow will be better. We will see.

Week 4 Day 2

I was so sore from something I had done a couple days before. Today I was really concerned on how I was going to accomplish the session. It was really hard. Every moment I was running I was having to push hard to keep going. Not the best feelings today. Honestly had thoughts that this was not going to last I was going to burn out and begin to hate running again. I think about next week which gets harder and honestly terrified of failing. Hoping as the day continues my body recovers because I feel spent. Normally exercise gives you that natural zing of energy. Today I feel like I have been beaten up. Oh not to mention it was cold as crap. I have to get some gloves and something for my head and desperately need something like tights or thermals to go under my pants especially knowing it is going to get colder then this. That is a discouragement in its self.

Day 2 of Week 4 is tomorrow morning

I am concerned about tomorrow morning a little because I have worked in a couple new things on the days I am not running and I am very sore. I played tennis this morning which I do almost every Tuesday and Thursday and my lower back was hurting quite a bit throughout the rest of the day. I guess stay tuned for tomorrow's entry after I complete Week 4 Day 2.

Started Week 4

Ok, week 4 underway. The first run intervals are the length of my longest ones last week and then the second interval is longer than that. I just knew it was going to be tough. Well to top it off it was cold this morning. I got out on the track and the wind was blowing and it was almost hurting my face. I thought to myself, "how am I going to breathe this cold air." Well the first running interval started and about half way through there were some positive things and some not so positive things that were going through my mind. I was thinking, "well my knee and achilles are not hurting that's a huge plus." I had been drinking plenty of Monavie again I got my "THE STICK" massager which helped me target the lower calf muscles where it was pulling on my achilles. So that was a big positive. The not so positive thoughts were "my calves are burning half way through this first run interval and I still have half to go and then the next interval is longer then this." I also thought, "this is finally the week I will have to stop in the middle of a run interval to walk part of it." Well the time of the first interval was up and I was so glad. I was walking and thought I wonder how long I get to walk before starting the longer run. I looked at the application on my phone that times the workout and there was 30 seconds left. I thought "you got to be kidding me." It dings and off I go on the longest run interval to date and its cold outside. Well folks I pushed and pushed and pushed and when that interval was up I had walked a total of 0 seconds of it. WOO HOO!!! I did what I just was sure I couldn't. Wow what a relief and boy how beat down my legs and lower back felt. Then I realized I had another shorter and longer interval to go. I was thinking "I did this first set thinking I could not and my body is worn down, there is no way I can do this again." Well I just thought about Bob Harper and Jillian from the "The Biggest Loser" and they say "you tell your body when to quit, it will do more then you think it can." So I made that decision to tell my body what to do. I did it, I finished the next two intervals with no stopping in the middle. I am really beginning to feel like I am in control of my life again instead of feeling like I cant change the direction. I was feeling like I was stuck in a downward spiral and now I feel like I am actually controlling the outcome. 

Great Videos with running tips!

Week 3 Complete !

So today was interesting. I had decided I wanted to get past the 1.61 mi mark. That seemed to be the distance I was completing in this faze of the program. I knew I needed to run faster on my running intervals in order to accomplish this task. I began my first run interval and was running faster for sure because I was fatiguing way quicker then normal. The next run interval was twice as long as the first so I decided not to push it too hard. Then on my last longer run interval I pushed my limits a little. I did however complete my mission to cover more distance in the same amount of time. I was pleased with that. What I was not so pleased with was that my knee pain in my left knee was increased over normal. I don't think it was the increase in speed on the intervals. I do think it was partly my lack of Monavie the last couple of days. I had run out of juice until last night. I guess we will see Monday because I am back drinking it regularly as of this morning. Next week scares me a little cause it is a big increase and it feels as if day one was yesterday and to have lengthened my run interval by 5 times in just 3 weeks seems steep, but I thought I was not going to be able to do this week and I pushed through. So excited for the challenge but at the same time a little concerned. I am anxious to see how my next post will turn out.