Kelly- welcome. Yey... you are in MD. So am I ... are you signed up for any 5K's yet?

Wk6day1 was a little tougher than I thought too. I did make it through the run, but I guess a part of me thought it was going to be a breeze after Week 5 day 3. In any case, I am still on that high!

Sunnygirl and Lisac and Elderberry and Lizzy07- I saw a nutritionist who set up an eating plan for me. (she happens to be a friend, so thank goodness I didn't have to cough up lots of money). I pretty much have to write down EVERYTHING i eat, and then calculate my total caloric intake using the Calorie Wiki website. It is your basic low Glycemic index eating, and focusing on getting five servings of fruit and veggies, whole grains and lean protein. I have three meals a day, and two snacks. I stop eating at aound 7 p.m. (THEORETICALLY). I also have an entire regimen of supplements to take- multi-vitamins, cal/mag, fiber pill. The multi and cal/mag are in liquid form for better absorption.

Also, I swear by Whey Protein shakes. The best pre and post running meal EVER! and really easy to make.

and one more thing.... Yoga is the best thing for runners. I think it is the one thing that has helped me experience les injuries, or pain during/after running.

Today was supposed to be my first run of Day 6 but, being the clutz that I am, I manage to royally screw up my ankle. A few weeks ago, I rolled on the right one. Yesterday, I rolled on the left. It's still swollen and very sore, so I think I'm going to rest it today and tomorrow and see if I can get back on it.

Ow, bgc -- hope your ankles are better soon.

Just finished D2 of W6, and had to unwrap my ankle from an elastic bandage to do it. I did something to it the other day that made it a little sore (not running), so I babied it so it would be okay for runnning today. It was okay in time -- didn't hurt.

Anyone else noticing their gait is changing? I sort of glide along now, compared to all the vertical motion I used to have with each step. This happened by itself, not a concious thing. I think it's probaby a lot more efficient, which is good, but it works some different muscles more, so I'm sore in brand new places (I really didn't want to keep going, but I did).

Congrats to everyone else who's gotten this far. And ditto fbgrrl -- I really hated the math involved in those intervals!

I finished the last day of week 5 tonight (Tuesday), so I feel like I'm officially in week 6 - thought I won't run W6D1 until Thursday.

Other than getting delayed on the start by a police chase on my street, a little acid reflux (sorry, TMI) and getting almost knocked down by one of the team of teenage Russian boxers on the track as he jumped back ("adeen" is fine, but watch out for "davah"), it was pretty uneventful . . . almost dull. Maybe I have a broad definition of uneventful. I think dull is a good thing. I don't want the excitement I had on the W5D2 when a peacock (or peahen) physically ran into me - who knew there was one in my neighborhood.

I just wanted those of you who ran the 20 minutes last week to know that by posting about it, you really convinced me that after working this program, I was ready to do this, so I was psyched up for running when I started. Thanks.

Now I know how it feels to be able to say I can run for 20 minutes. We found a 1/4 mile stretch of road that is completely flat and ran w5d3 there. Friday we'll start week six and not skip the hills. I think I may try running d1 Friday and d2 Saturday. we'll see. Good luck everyone!

phew After Monday's baaaaaad run, I was nervous about how today would go. I started off a bit slower so maybe that helped bcs I was able to get into a groove early on and the first 10 minutes went well. The 2nd one was tough in the middle but as I neared the end and knew I would finish, it got easier.

So I guess the lesson is to not get too down about a bad run.

Until friday! Run safe everyone!

I've been following you guys for a few weeks now - mind if I join the group? I started out with Long Haul (now in week 7), but now I feel like they are so far ahead of me.

I did W6D2 this morning, and am looking forward to no more walking intervals - I think they are messing me up. I'm running outdoors in the mornings, and going for time, not distance at this point.

Thanks everyone!

I finished W6D2 tonight, but it was so hot that it killed me. I just need to get up and do morning runs in the future.

Big yay for no more intervals!

And a bigger yay for the fact that I'm not worried about the next run at all.