week four down...

Week four, a.k.a. week "ouch," is done. This one was really hard. My last run of the week was today, and unlike the past weeks, I didn't feel more comfortable by Saturday. In fact, the run felt just as hard as Thursday's. Maybe a little easier than Tuesday's.

The good news is that my weight was 134.4. Wow! I hadn't expected that! That's a six-pound loss. I think I gained it back tonight with my bleu cheese burger after the football game. Totally worth it, though. I haven't had a burger in more than a month.

The bad news is that I just peeked at the week five plan. Next Saturday, I'm supposed to run for twenty minutes NONSTOP. The only way I would have run twenty minutes in the past was if I were being actively pursued by a ravenous lion. Perhaps I can entice Rufus, the Bobcat mascot, to chase me around the track wielding a steak knife and fork.

Today's run went better, although it still didn't feel fantastic. I did walk briefly during the second five-minute stretch, but only about twenty seconds, and I tagged that amount onto the end to make up for it. I do feel better now than I did on Thursday, probably because I didn't follow up my run with a half-hour walk home in 90 degree heat. Also perhaps because I ate well for lunch. I splurged on a Big Mama's burrito. Yum. I think it gave me extra energy, too.

Week four begins

The title of this post should have a parenthetical title as well. Week four begins (to kick my butt). Here's what I did today: five-minute warm-up walk. Then three minutes of running, ninety seconds of walking. Five minutes of running, two-and-a-half minutes of walking. Three minute run, ninety second walk. Then finish up with another five minute run and cool down.

It was rough. I was tired, and I could feel it. Plus, five minutes of running! Not just once, but twice! I did have to cheat and walk a little in the middle of the second five minutes. I'd like to say I felt great when I was done, but that would be a lie. I felt tired and achy. My side hurt, and my face was tingly and red. And then I had to walk home in the ninety-degree heat!

But I did feel good when I calculated my distance. I'm making about one lap around the track each minute. And a mile on the track is 9.5 laps. So, if I ran about sixteen laps, that's well over a mile and a half of running. Now, my math skills aren't so great, but I think that adds up to AWESOME.

Also felt good when I got on the scale and realize the feasting done this weekend with my in-laws (pizza! Village Bakery! Salaam! DAIRY QUEEN!!!) didn't hurt. Weight: 136.4.

Today's run was hard. But that's mostly my fault. I couldn't rouse myself out of bed this morning, and had to get the run in before we went to the farmer's market with Jeff's parents. So I ran on a stomach empty save for a glass of water. I had no energy. Plus, I ran on the bike path instead of the indoor track at the gym. The ground felt hard and unforgiving, and the sun was bright and hot already at 9:30 a.m.

But I made it through, even if I don't feel great about how it went. Or about having to start a new, harder week on Tuesday. Five minute run!?! I have little confidence in myself. I'll probably end up curled up in an emergency exit doorway along the track, crying like a baby.

Another week three run today. I felt like it went much better. In fact, when I was finishing up the second three-minute segment, I thought for a second "is that it?" Just for a second, though.

I've switched from a Monday-Wednesday-Friday running plan to Tuesday-Thursday-hopefully-Saturday-but-maybe-Sunday schedule. On Mondays and Wednesdays I teach until 1 p.m., so I was quick eating lunch, letting it digest for fifteen minutes, and then hitting the gym. Not a great idea. Tuesdays and Thursdays I finish at noon, and have office hours until 1. It's much better to eat more slowly over my office hour, even stretch it out until 1:30, and then go run.

two down, four to go!

I have these five pairs of pants and one pair of jeans that I just can't wear. I can remember the last time I wore most of them: sometime in the winter when I was pregnant with Charlotte. Because I was so sick my first trimester and lost a lot of weight, it took me a long time to outgrow my regular, non-maternity clothes. I was wearing regular pants in February, when I was five months pregnant.

However, I haven't been able to wear any of those pants since then. Except for last night, when, on a whim, I tried them on. And, whaddya know! Two of the six fit. So I can now reintroduce my army green khakis and my tan cords into the wardrobe mix.

I'm coming your way next, burgundy cords, brown khakis, tan khakis, and bootcut jeans. You can't hide for long.

week three

Today's run wasn't so bad, for being my first encounter with week three. Five minute walking warm-up, then run for ninety seconds, walk for ninety seconds, run for three minutes, walk for three minutes. Repeat.

When I saw the schedule for this week, I thought, "Run for THREE MINUTES?" I wondered when the last time was that I ran for that length of time. Probably gym class. Ugh.

But it went better than I thought. I tried my hardest not to peek at my watch until I was positive a huge amount of time had passed. The first round through I looked at two minutes. Not bad. The second time, I checked at just over a minute. Oops. That time was harder. My face was very red when I was all done today.

Week three weight: 137.8. Down a pound from last week.