So I’ve decided to try again to take up running. I tried a little over a year ago and resulted in major fail probably because July in the South is a bad time to try to take up running, no matter how late or early in the day you do it.
“But Modern Gal, August in the South isn’t any better and is probably worse.”
True, but check out my training plan. It really isn’t hard to spend a minute at a time jogging and having five minutes of walking to recover, even if it is 85 degrees out at 10 p.m. It starts out super easy and slowly builds your endurance until you can run two miles at a given time within eight weeks. Two miles to me right now is very, very scary.
Actually, that’s just one half of my training. I plan to run Race for the Cure’s 1-mile family run at the end. Then I launch immediately into my beginning 5K training plan, with a 5K race scheduled at the completion. I’ll be running marathons in no time!
Ok, I’m not really planning on running any marathons. Truthfully, I’m not a fan of running. I have a hard time forcing myself to stick with it. But The Modern Beau, who is training for a marathon, has long encouraged me to try it out and since he, you know, watches Project Runway and Sex and the City with me and cooks for me on a regular basis the least I can do is try it out. If I find I still hate it come 5K time, then I’ll move on. Plus, I’ve always wanted to be able to run charity 5K races with no problem. And, it shouldn’t hurt my Weight Watchers quest either.
Speaking of Weight Watchers, I totally forgot to give y’all a tally last week. I wasn’t trying to hide the fact that I had gained weight, it was just sheer oversight in my joy of going on vacation … dang, I was starting vacation a whole week ago … that went by too fast. So here’s the tally for the past two weigh ins.
Last week’s weigh in:
-gained 2.2 pounds
-minus 3.4 pounds since the start of Weight Watchers five weeks ago
-minus about 7.1 pounds since I started keeping track four months ago
This week’s weigh in:
-lost 1.8 pounds
-minus 5.2 pounds since the start of Weight Watchers six weeks ago
-minus about 8.9 pounds since I started keeping track four months ago
I really, really want to try to lose five pounds in the next three weeks. I doubt I’ll be able to do it, but with my newfound love of running, who knows? Five more pounds would get me super close to where I want to be.
For those of you who are runners, I’d love any insight you have to offer on running.
I am all about the barefoot running, but you already know that. I used to run like 7 miles a day 4-5 days a week, but stopped years ago and it’s really hard to build up to that again. I love your new program! I did that informally back when I used to run, but I really like the break days, etc.
I’ve only been doing 20 minute runs to warm up before weight lifting. I just like swimming so much better. But now that it’s getting a bit cooler, I’m thinking about hitting the streets again, although I keep getting this nagging voice inside my head telling me that the running is just not good for my knees…
I really wish I could run. I have such bad knees and ankles from so many years of softball. I really can’t run for more than like 5 minutes before I’m in excruciating pain.
If I could, I definitely think it would be my exercise of choice!
I don’t know if I really count myself as a runner anymore, but my advice is to just keep at it. It is really hard in the beginng, and your body needs to learn to adapt to running. It does get easier if you just stick to it.
running in humidity stinks.. literally!
Allie: Wow! Seven miles a day? I don’t know if I’ll ever get there.
Noelle: I’m worried about that voice too. I think I’m actually going to swim for my crosstraining days.
Jamie: You’re not the only softball gal I know whose knees have suffered. I didn’t play long enough to mess mine up, but I guess that’s a good thing now.
Playful Pro: I will keep that in mind on the days I definitely don’t want to run.
K: Right on. I hope it cools off soon.