The Plan

So to get my butt moving, I've started on the following plan:

1) C25K from www.coolrunning.com, or www.c25k.com

This plan is great! Even while doing cross country, I was never a great runner. I ran because I liked the workout and it drops pounds like nobody's business. There's also just a great meditative aspect about running. Something about hitting the pavement and just feeling the earth fly by and losing myself in the run. That said, since I'm on the fast track to getting my athlete back, I've modified my C25k to a harder cardio level. The original plan calls for 3 workouts a week, leaving a day in-between and 2 days between each week. The system builds you up to 30 minutes of running by the end of 9 weeks, or 5k, depending on if you follow the time or distance model. An example of the program is week 1:

Walk 5 min. warm-up
Run 1 minute, walk 90 seconds for 8 intervals
Walk 5 min. cool-down

I've changed it so I:
Day 1- Jog 5 min warm-up
4 intervals of 1 min run, jog 90 seconds
4 intervals of 1 min run, walk 90 seconds
Walk 5 min cool down
Day 2- Jog 5 min warm-up
6 intervals of 1 min run, jog 90 seconds
2 intervals 1 min run, walk 90 seconds
Walk 5 min cool down
Day 3- Jog 5 min warm-up
8 intervals of 1 min run, jog 90 seconds
Walk 5 min cool down

Voila! Within week 1, you are moving at a pace above 4.0mph for 30 so minutes. Nice! Finishing Week 1 on this plan kind of made my life. It was nice to remind myself what my body can do when I push it and don't take no for an answer. Note: To do this plan, I'd recommend knowing your running body. If you've never run seriously before, it might be hard to distinguish between jogging speeds and long distance running speeds, and you might over exert and injure yourself. A jog is something anyone can do, at any age. It is just above walking, and walking can even be faster than jogging, the difference is in the cardio workout you will receive. I always remind myself that it is my rest period, and therefore my prerogative to go as slow of a jog as I need.

I'm currently on W3D2 of the program (to be run on Monday!), and I'll post on how it goes! But I'm already seeing progress, those 5 minute warm-up jogs are nothing now, my first one was hell. And huffing up those longgggggg hills on campus? Gone.