Another Day, Another Run

I wasn't anticipating being able to get out at all yesterday as it was WINDY and Wednesdays are just busy. However, we got home from church early, and Josh was home so Morgan and I went to the Y. Nothing exciting as I ran on the treadmill. Either my timing is off when I run outside or I just go faster when outside but I did my 3.1 in 44 minutes flat. I had to run the last little .04 at a faster pace than I am used to to do it but I did it. When I originally thought of running a 5k my goal was to do it in 45 minutes. That is about a 15 minute mile. The first time I did the 3.1 miles on the treadmill I was just over 45 so I had hope. Even though I haven't shaved much time off I have been able to run further. Last night my first stretch was 1.7, then walked .2, ran .6, walked .1, ran .3, walked .16, ran .04!!!! So if you add that up I only walked .46 of the 3.1 that is less than 1/2 a mile. People have asked how I track how far I go. Well last night was obvious cause I was on the treadmill, but when running outside I use the USA Track and Field Website. Thanks to Ryan Cunningham for pointing that out. I don't think I am going to get to run tonight as I have a scrapbooking event to set up for so Stay tuned.

Fat Woman Running

I have unofficially changed the name of my blog to "Fat woman running". Now if you are gonna be nice and say "Gena, you're not fat" save your breath because by all charts that I have found I am classified as obese!!! But so are most people so I am in good company!!!! Now on to my point. Back in September I did a weight loss challenge at the YMCA. One of my good friends, Traci, and I challenged each other to run a 5k. We picked the 5k in Orange City at Tulip Festival. We told a few people some of which are joining me. However, due to previous engagements Traci is not joining me. Luckily, Jenni, TJ and Rachel are!!! I was doing really good with running and getting to the gym from Sept--December and then tax season hit. During January- April I was lucky if I got to the gym once a week, rarely I got there twice. When I did make it I was doing other things to get my points for another challenge I had joined. Finally, I realized I wasn't happy with how that was going. I didn't like going to the gym anymore because I just wanted to get the most points in the fastest amount of time and frankly for me there are more beneficial things than jump roping and the endless rope. So back to the running but still not able to get to the gym on a consistent basis. I was starting to think about telling the girls I wasn't going to do it. I hadn't run hardly at all during the winter and here TJ and Jenni were training for a 12 mile race. How was I going to run 3.1? By the end of tax season the furthest I could run in one stretch was .5 miles. Seriously doubting myself. In the meantime TJ registered me for the race and paid for me to run so now I am committed. The weekend after April 15 I went to my annual scrapbooking event in St Cloud. I decided since I was free of kids and could do what I want I was going to make time to run. My original goal was to run 3 times of the 4 days I was up there. The first day I did go out and ran/walked 3.29 in 46 minutes. The best thing about that run was I found my pace. I have been trying to go to fast. I need to slow it down, increase my distance and we will work on speed later (and lighter). The next run there I did two stretches of .56 which is the furthest I had run in one length. I didn't make my goal of 3 times but I did get out. The next week Josh was busy getting ready to go away for the weekend. So I didn't get to run then also. Great here I am again and another week went past and I hadn't run since I got back from St Cloud. With the Orange City race only 3 weeks away, I realized I can't back out and I need to take this seriously if I am really gonna do it. I want to do it. People look at me like I am crazy because I look nothing like a runner. So last night with Josh out of town, I took the kids to the Y and put them in the childcare so I could run. I set the treadmill at a slow 4.8 and made my way. Covered the screen with a towel, plugged in the ipod and started. I made it to 1.1 miles!!! The furthest I had gone. I ended up running approx 2.5 of the 3.1 miles that night. I have a new hope, a new desire, a belief that I can do it. That brings us to tonight. I had all intentions of going to the Y tonight and again putting the kids in childcare (although Owen really doesn't like it) and when I talked to Josh earlier, he was running late and was going to be home later than he thought. I was going to "excuse" myself from going. However, after I got home and found my cell phone I called him again and it wasn't going to be as late as I thought. I decided to run outside though. I mapped out my route and began my trek. Here were my thoughts as I went:

.11 miles: why is running outside so much harder than on a treadmill?

.28 miles: I made it 1.1 miles last night and have along way to go.

.44: I can't do this anymore. Push thru it Gena

somewhere between .44 and .94 I broke thru a wall--still running but slowing down

1.29 miles: my original mapped out goal when I left the house. still jogging. Lets see if I can make it another block.

1.43: make it to the ladies walking in front of me.

1.49 crap they turned. Make it to the highway

1.7: I made it to the highway, way past my goal. started walking.

1.85: started jogging again. I had to stop and wait for traffic because I was jogging along a busy street and had to wait at intersections made it to 1.99

2.06 start jogging again to 2.20

2.32 start jogging to 2.73

jog the last .06

Total jog 2.45 about the same as last night. BUT I left the computer at 8:03 and I still had to put my pants on and shoes. so I am guessing I left at 8:10 and I got back at 8:53. 3.1 miles in 43 minutes!!!!!

I can do it!!!! I will do it!!!! Just watch.

Changes

Did you notice, huh huh, Did you. Yep thanks to my friend Kayla and a few clicks of the mouse and a little cut and paste I was able to add a little personalization to my blog!!!. Now that I know how easy it is to change stuff around and found a website with cute FREE stuff I just might change things up more often. Ok ok maybe I will just work on posting more often including fixing the really big mess I have on here right now. Stay tuned!!!!

UNDER CONSTRUCTION!!!!

So this is what happens during tax season, pretty much everything else takes a back seat and stuff gets 1/2 done or not done at all. Hang in there everyone, I have been taking pics everyday, I just need to get them uploaded and such.