Did W3D1 last night. It was significantly harder than the W1 and W2 workouts.

The one thing I did notice was that since the workout ends on a walk, my iPod app goes from "Walk" to "Cool down" instead of going straight to "Cool down" from the last run. Of course, since I'm not in top shape...they're kind of the same thing to me.

I did W3D3 this morning and I was careful to stretch a lot more. Also, I paused my Nike+ after the 5 min warmup walk and stretched some more.  I feel some ache in the knees but I'm thinking that I'll use ice and keep stretching throughout the day.  The other two days of Week 3 I felt great and I ran a little longer than 3 minutes on the final leg, but not this morning! I was begging for the ding-dong in my podcast!!  I know I said I was worried about week three before I started and I ended up being fine, so I'm not going to say that I'm worried about week 4.  I already ran 4 minutes during W3D2 so I think I should be ok.

I can definitely see the improvement in my endurance since starting this.  When I'm playing hockey now, I go all out during my shift (like always) and I'm very tired when I come back to the bench, but the thing that's changing is my recovery. I'm more or less back to my normal heart rate after 2 minutes and ready for my next shift. Also after the games are done, I'm not sitting in the locker room feeling like I'm going to die!  By the time I get back to my car, I feel like I could do something else.  This is very good news   And speaking of heart rate, I checked my BP in the grocery store a couple days ago and my pulse was 52!?!  Are those things really accurate?  I guess so because even when I use my watch it's really low like that... under 60.  That kind of motivation is hard to put in a chart, but it is so worth it!

What a day!  First I did some more unboxing/moving in/cleaning up this dump routine since I felt motivated enough to get some of it done (no joke, this place was HORRIBLE when I moved in but cheap!).  Finally I took a break and scoured the internet for jobs as a break (mentally it isn't though), then did my squats, pusj-ups, and sit-ups.  I'm beginning to fail at both squats and push-ups, which is concerning.  Now I have been REALLY focusing on the posterior chain (gluts, hamstrings, etc.) in the squats and on keeping my elbows in more than ever in push-ups, which may be why I can't advance to more and more reps as easily.  So, I may just need to do another exertion test doing better form and go from there.  That would probably be better than giving up altogether on my strength training.  I'll see how I feel Friday!

My W2D2 run after strength training went pretty well, despite having a hard time with the strength training beforehand.  I made a point to eat a few cookies (140 cals) before my run, since I knew I was facing another increase.  So, yay me, I survived seven 3 min runs and a 2 min run to finish!  Tonight I'm having pasta with cheese as a side for a treat...not a bad idea since today was the first time I've had the ammonia smell and I was urinating pale yellow before and after the run.  Sorry for the TMI, just explaining that I know it wasn't a dehydration factor with my run today and ending up smelling like ammonia.

beachbum:  Yay on getting through that run, I knew you could do it!  Also how cool is that that a cosmetic sponge could fix your problem?  WTG!

rcktgirl:  Did the stretch after a warm up help?  I know it does for me, I can't stretch cold. I'll just hurt myself!  LOL!  Oh, and when I did this more regularly, yes I definately noticed my pulse, breathing rate, and BP lower.  They would also get up to speed more quickly, if that makes sense.  My body got better at being active and getting what it needed be it blood, air, and etc.

Annie:  There is NO shame in backing off a potentially serious injury.  I once tried to run through the pain with plantar fasciitis, and I had a bad case at the time, and after weeks of rest it was still screaming.  All because I wouldn't back off.  Lesson learned:  listen to your body.  A few days off vs. trying to come back after a more painful injury a month later...I'll park it for a few days instead!

smashbox:  Don't worry about the differences in the walks.  If at some point you can get more of a power walk going during your breaks, great!  If not, don't sweat it and just get your running times down.  That's the point in the walking breaks anyway, a break!

Teresa:  Don't sweat speed.  I'm not fast either.  After I switched from time to distance running earlier this year (before a quit running like a goof) I noticed that as I increased my long runs, my shorter runs could and were being done in less time.  And it makes sense!  If you only had to run 60 seconds now, how fast could you do it?  Compared to your runs when you are increasing the time?

april:  Welcome and what an inspiration!  As I mentioned to Teresa, don't sweat speed.  You still use your muscles differently during a very slow run than you would a casual walk, right?  Just getting to 30 minutes running at any speed will be a victory!

Keep on running everybody!  We'll get there!

Peaches, I know you didn't mean to call me "smashbox"

Hi there. I started on Monday, October 19th as well. I'm finishing week 3 tomorrow. I'm curious what speeds people are running at. I started at 3.5 and this week I have been doing 3.8 on the treadmill. I'm hoping to increase in small increments each week. So far, so good. Like you, BeachBum, this is my second attempt at being a runner. I ran a 5k two years ago and then quit for a bunch of lame reasons.

I'm aiming for a 5k on December 20th! And this time, it's only the first of many!

Finished W3D2 last night. Good lord, the first time I ran through the 3 minutes, it was brutal and I got very dejected.

The second time however, I wanted to prove to myself that I had something left (in other words, proving I can do next week)...and ran it out for an extra 30 seconds or so.

I have my first mid-program 5k tomorrow...I have my run strategy all planned out...basically, just extending W3D3 until I cross the line (which will probably mean two more 3 minute runs).

I love outdoor running, and I love my little 2/10ths mile long driveway so I can run on dirt.  But I don't love snakes.  And today I almost stepped on not one but TWO dead ones.  They weren't big and they were indeed singing with the choir invisible, but I don't dig snakes on my running path.  So I've got some figuring to do, and tomorrow morning is W2D4.  I'll be out driving around snooping for a place to run, wish me luck!

I did get W2D3 out of the way, and in good form.  Well, except for the screams and awkard leaps in the air as I almost landed on snakes!  Going longer but fewer sets is really paying off.  Today instead of the prescribed sets and reps of squats, push-ups, and sit-ups I did an exertion test with my improved form.  It wasn't a great number that I busted out, but I also know I'm better off doing them correctly.  I needed to just get in there and do them in lousy form even just to get some starting strength.  Now I feel I can do it more honestly.  It's kind of a relief in a way!

WTG everybody on your runs and signing up for races!  I've never done a race, but they sound like fun!  Good luck Smashville! And we'll be wantin' details when you get back!