I’ve been radio silent for a while, mostly because I’m not allowing myself time to just sit and blog. I’m always on my phone and I HATE trying to type a lot with that tiny keyboard.
So I’ve been doing these six-week challenges where I’m working on one specific training plan. I tend to jump around between training plans a lot when I feel like I’m not getting anywhere. FYI, it’s not a good idea. You wind up having no idea how you’re actually progressing because you keep starting back at square one. Follow-through is good. Follow-through is your friend. This is good life advice, actually. Take it. Use it. Cross-stitch it and frame it.
I started out in the first challenge just trying to stick to one plan. I succeeded, although the incremental distance increases were hard to keep up with – I have mostly been an interval runner, but I want to run a whole 5K without walking. So in weeks 4 & 5 when it’s calling for twenty five minutes of straight running? I ran that long ONCE during the challenge and then, in the following weeks, struggled just to run for ten minutes straight. I was like, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DO THIS MORE THAN ONCE.
So in my second challenge, I decided to try to finish the training plan. I deviated for a few weeks to train for a 5K I was running with my aunt (we were planning to run/walk 1 minutes intervals). Then I caught a summer cold, which is the dumbest thing that ever existed. It hit me hard so I didn’t run for, like, a whole week. One day last week I threw my sneakers on and downloaded the next Zombies, Run mission… and I went out and ran for thirty-five minutes straight. I felt incredible. I probably could have run for an hour. I went out slow, probably running like 17-18 minute miles, but for real. I ran two miles and change without stopping. I could cry just typing that, it makes me so happy and proud of myself.
My feet felt great. They didn’t fall asleep. I attribute this to better water intake and shoes with more support. My legs hurt a bit afterwards and the next day, but it wasn’t bad. I only stopped running because I had run a full loop back to my car.
I went out for a run a few days later and ran for 23 minutes.
and again last night, I ran for 34 minutes.
I have a 5K on Monday, and I may actually be able to run the whole thing. I don’t even care what my time is. I’d just like to run the whole thing.