My run today!

Distance: 3.33 miles

Today's time: 39:00

Previous time: --

Mile time: 10:58

Slowest speed: 4.0

Fastest speed: 6.0

It was kind of a blah run though ... I did a lot of intervals because I knew from the start I wasn't going to be able to run 5.5 the entire time to run the 5K in the time I wanted. Oh well. At least I went to the gym. I consider that a victory.

My run today!

Distance: 3.71 miles
Today's time: 44:55
Previous time: 46:08

Mile time: 11:51

My pace was slower this time in parts, but yet I ran more. I ran up the death hill at the end which I've never attempted before. I only walked twice - once very briefly around 2 and a quarter miles and then up death hill number one. It felt like a good run, it was faster than before, so I consider it a good run.

My run today!

Distance: 3.53 miles
Today's time: 46:08
Previous time: ---

Mile time: 11:46
5K time: Unknown

It was a meh run. My muscles were kind of tight from the bike workout I did last night at 8:30 as well as the 30 Day Shred I did only a couple hours earlier, but I wanted to give it my all anyway. Hopefully Thursday's run will be better, but I'm just doing casual runs this week and will start pushing myself more starting next week.

My first 5k!

I didn't sleep the night before, and that was only partially attributed to nerves. It was also really hot in my apartment and I have a hard time sleeping when I'm hot. On top of that, because of the temperature, my cat wasn't laying with me. As lame as this may be, she lays with me every night so when she isn't there, I wake up because I need to feel her there. I got up at 6:15, showered, and had a bagel thin with butter.

8am was the beginning of registration so I got there right at 8. It was cloudy, foggy, and in the 40s. I went to register and got my free tshirt, which I put on for warmth (I wore my new racing tank top) for awhile. I walked around, did brief jogging spurts, ate my banana, drank water, etc. until my parents and brother got there.

Right before race time, this lady from some local gym warmed us up but she was way too intense and annoying. A lot of us were aggravated lol. Then we went to line up... I started near the front because I'd rather be passed than feel like I had to pass up a lot of people haha. In the end I suppose that was a good strategy.

I maintained basically the same pace, give or take 20 seconds/mile, the entire time, which I found impressive. When I'd train outside, I could hardly run 2.14 miles without walking let alone 3.14. But I just had to go for it. I had nothing to lose. My goal from the beginning was to be able to run this entire thing but my runs outside lately had been less than impressive.

Well, I ran the entire thing. :) Despite there being like 2 or 3 hills per way, I ran the entire thing. According to my awesome Nike+ Sportsband, it told me I ran my first mile in 11:15 (which is off by a few seconds because I started the timer before the horn was blown), the second mile in 11:27, and the third mile in 11:07. The hills were between like 1.5 and 2.5 miles. When I rounded the corner and knew the finish line was really close, I gave it all I had and sprinted as fast as I could to the finish line ... my calves felt like lead, lol! My final time was 35:53 (according to my band) and 35:44 (according to the guy at the finish line).

I absolutely loved it. I'm not a very competitive person, but it was just the adrenaline and the energy of all of the racers around me that really kept me going. It was so different running in a big group of people than running outside by myself. I look forward to my second race, which is June 26th to raise money for Epilepsy and Seizure Awareness!

My run today!

Distance: 2.14 miles
Today's time: 25:28
Previous time: 23:35

Mile time: 11:28

Ugh. This is the first time I didn't improve. It was really humid out or something (plus I ran 4 miles yesterday). I'm not going to fret over it, bu I really don't feel ready for Saturday. Tomorrow I'm going to take a leisurely 2 mile walk and then I race on Saturday morning. My goal was to be able to run the 5K. If it were on a treadmill, that's a piece of cake. But being outside in that thick midwestern air proves difficult. We'll just have to see. The good news is my Nike+ Sportsband was right on the money in terms of GPS accuracy. So that's awesome. Calibrating it after yesterday's run must have done the trick.

My run today!

Distance: 4.01 miles

Today's Time: 50:26

Previous Time: 73:00 (approx)

Mile Time: 10:28

5K Time: 34:26

The numbers might be slightly off because my Nike+ wasn't completely calibrated. It was really accurate on the trial jaunt yesterday, but on a known 4.01 distance, it said I went 4.53. I mean obviously I know I ran 4 miles in 50 minutes, but still. Don't know if the mile and 5K times are accurate - 34:26 seems pretty fast for me, lol. Tomorrow I'm going for a lighter run - the 2.14 mile route and hope that it's accurate or that I can try to attempt to recalibrate it again. I know it will work eventually and that it's accurate. I look forward to being able to go on runs with it on a random route so I know what the distance is. :)

My run today!

Distance: 4.99 miles (ugh, wish I had hit 5!)
Time: 65 minutes
Walking speed: 4.0
Fastest running speed: 5.5

5K time: 38:20
Previous 5K time: 38:48

Mile time: 11:25

Previous mile time: Didn't record

So it was 45 with wind gusts up to 41mph. As much as I wanted to run outside, per usual, Wisconsin weather still blows. So I went to the gym to use the treadmill. I had set the treadmill for 60 minutes which would automatically go to a cool down for the final 5 minutes. I should've pushed it a couple more seconds to get 5 miles, lol. Busted up my leg in the same place again. Aggravating. I don't get the side cramps anymore, and I COULD go longer ... if it wasn't for that one upper thigh muscle that always seems to get sore!

My run today!

Distance: 2.14 miles

Today's Time: 23:35

Previous Time: 25:41

I was able to run the entire route except for the quarter of a mile at the end, because it's kind of uphill and I had run out of gas. I was really psyched I managed to push myself to run the entire route, because two days ago I only ran the first half and then did intervals for the second half. The weather was also better today - 50s, cloudy and humid vs. mid 60s, sunny and humid. I'll run Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and then Saturday is the race (and my birthday). AHH.

My run today!

Distance: 2.14 miles

Today's Time: 25:41

Previous Time: 28:32

I wanted to run the 3.48 mile version of this route like I did on Monday, but I had to shorten it because I knew I didn't have the time. I needed to get on campus as soon as possible to continue studying for my 2pm exam. I didn't run the entire thing, and I thought I had a horrible run (though my time was better obviously). My legs were immediately tight when I started running and I just felt like a big fat blob who has made no progress. I know stress with school and my bad day yesterday contributed to my negative attitude as I ran, but still. Despite my times being better running is still way too much of a challenge for my liking. I work so hard and make microscopic baby steps. A lot of days it doesn't seem worth it.

My run today!

Distance: 3.48 miles

Today's Time: 46:20

Previous Time: --

It was windy but otherwise nice. I ran the first 1.75 miles at a fast pace and then ran in intervals for the second 1.75. I did better than I thought, I guess, but I'm nervous about that 5k if I can only run 1.75 miles without walking. May 21st is so soon! :/ I'll run on Wednesday, most likely, maybe in the morning again. It's crazy to think I'll probably only run 4 or 5 more times before the race.

My run today!

Distance: 2.14 miles
Today's time: 28:32
Previous time: --

Mile time: 10:35

Comments: Too lazy to post what I ran to. I may edit this post and do that, but I might not. I'm on my TOM, so my energy level is shot (plus I really don't feel well). That plus the wind and rain made me decide to modify my 4 mile route and basically cut it in half. I ran the first mile and a tenth and then walked the way home, jogging for tiny spurts (but my dumb right leg started to bother me, as it always does, so I didn't want to push it today like I usually do). I'm glad I ran the mile so fast though. I'm taking a 2+ mile walk with my dad later, too. This is a nice, pretty flat easy route to do that I will probably try to do more often. So now I have mapped out a 2, 3, and 4 mile route which is nice because I won't always feel like trying to run one specific distance.

My run today!

Distance: 3.43 miles
Time: 43:50
Walking speed: 4.0
Fastest running speed: 5.4

5K time (treadmill): 38:48
Previous 5K time (treadmill): 40:22

What I ran to (in this order):

Rammstein - Du Hast

Beach Boys - Fun, Fun, Fun

Michael Jackson - Don't Stop Til You Get Enough

Rodney Atkins - If You're Going Through Hell

NSYNC - Pop

Sugarland - Stuck Like Glue

Common - Universal Mind Control

AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

Yellowcard - Lights and Sounds

Brad Paisley - Mr. Policeman

Elvis Presley - Promised Land

AC/DC - Fire Your Guns

I barely walked - just once - and when I did it was at 4.0 which is a really fast walk for my little legs. My "cool down" speed was my previous running speed - 4.6. I tried to run 5.0 as much as possible with spurts of 5.4 thrown in. Definitely a hard workout, but it makes me feel better after how I ate today. On a sidenote, Yellowcard is great to run to.

My run today!

I decided I'd make a post like this for all of my runs regardless if they're outside. Today the wind was gusting between 20 and 30mph, and while the temperature was lovely and the sun was out, I just didn't feel like fighting the wind. So I went to Bally Total Fitness and ran on the treadmill.

Distance: 3.37 miles

Time: 44:03

Walking speed: 3.8

Fastest running speed: 5.4

5K time (treadmill): 40:22

Previous 5K time (treadmill): 41:36

What I ran to (in this order):

Lady Gaga - Born This Way

Rodney Atkins - It's America

Keith Urban - Some Days You Gotta Dance

Elvis Presley - Promised Land

NSYNC - Just Got Paid

Josh Turner - Firecracker

No Doubt - Hey Baby

Bloc Party - Price of Gas (x2)

Justin Timberlake - SexyBack

Black Eyed Peas - Don't Stop The Party

Songs I Skipped:

Eagles - Rockin' Down The Highway

Ke$ha - Blow

Black Eyed Peas - The Time (Only bc it's been on my running playlist since day 1 and some times it gets a little old)

Rush - BU2B

AC/DC - T.N.T

NSYNC - Pop (Only because an Nsync song had come on 2 songs before it)

Fall Out Boy - I Don't Care

So there are quite a few songs on my playlist that aren't great running songs, I've found out. I need to find more songs to add to take their place. It needs to be a big playlist so I don't get bored! I rarely went the 3.8 walking speed - 3 minutes total, I think - and I mainly ran 4.6 and 4.8 with spurts of 5.0 and 5.4.

My run today!

I decided on my outdoor runs, I'd post about them here. The distance, time, and the workout songs that came up while I ran. I always hand select the first song but then my 90 song playlist shuffles.

Distance: 3.05 miles

Today's time: 39:37

Previous time: 41:54

What I ran to (in this order):

Lady Gaga - Born This Way

Trace Adkins - Swing

The Who - It's In You

Traveling Wilburys - Wilbury Twist

Yellowcard - For You, And Your Denial

NSYNC - Space Cowboy

Dierks Bentley - How Am I Doin'

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass

NSYNC - Just Got Paid

Eminem - Just Lose It

Queen - Radio Gaga

Comments: I must run faster outside than I ever did on the treadmill, because with the 4.5 speed on the treadmill I ran 3 miles in 40 minutes flat. :) Not only that, but I took brief walking periods on this route (usually the steep hills, though I tried to jog up a couple of them; ouch) ... so I look forward to continually improving my time. I discovered that that OK Go song isn't a good running song for me. I thought it had a better beat than that. LOVE the Yellowcard song though and all the other ones that came up.