Let's Try This Again

I suck.

Really.

My training was hit-or-miss, at best. Two weeks ago, after 2 weeks off, I attempted to start Week 3, Day 1 and failed miserably. I couldn't even make it to the first running part. In the course of the last 3 months, I've gained (gulp) 20 pounds of the 89 that I had lost since last October. The stress of taking JJ to college got me to binging on the car trip, and then when we got back home, I couldn't (or wouldn't) stop.

So I'm back at 69 pounds gone. Which is still great. But I don't feel as good as I did over the summer. Or look as good, if I'm honest. The belly has come back. And one of my chins. Yuck.

So with the new Weight Watchers that debuted last week and my re-commitment to the Couch-2-5K, I plan to get this 20 pounds back off and the other 30 to boot.

My data for today:

30.09 minutes...1.95 miles...213 calories...high heart rate of 172.

Pitiful. My resting heart rate was 100. Two months ago it was 89. Pitiful. It's amazing how long it takes to build resistance, and how quickly it's lost.

But here's to a fresh start.

Here's hoping.

Week 2 Day 2

Wow, this week is a bit tougher than the first one! Of course, I took a couple of weeks off, too. I may need to repeat Week 2.

Hit the gym today and the treadmill. It's very dreary and rainy out, so it was a good day to be inside.

217 calories ( I've gained a few, so I expended more)...2.01 miles...31.30 minutes including cooldown...highest heartrate was 161.

I guess that's OK. I feel pretty good.

I'm heading out of town tomorrow, so I'm planning to hit the hotel gym for Day 3. Here's hoping.

Week 2 Day 1

Wow.

I'm pooped!

After 3 weeks off the program, I decided to go on and stay on track and do Week 2...Day 1 for me. And not on the treadmill, either...it's a beautiful fall day here, so I decided to do this in the neighborhood. It's lovely, with the leaves changing (and falling), with a few hills.

I didn't do too badly. 1.9 miles in 31.5 minutes...5 minutes to warm up and 5 minutes to cool down, plus 21.5 minutes of the program. It's supposed to be 20 minutes, but the intervals don't add up. That's OK, though.

So at the time posted, I actually lost some time...guess I go a bit slower when I don't have the treadmill keeping me on track. But that's OK...I think I still did well.

I had to come home and grab my inhaler, but still...

Day 2 hopefully will be Wednesday. I think I'll try the treadmill then, and see what a difference it makes.

Here's hoping.

Beat the Teach

I have fallen off the wagon.

Once school began in earnest and I got caught up in all the lesson plans, grading, all that goes with school, I didn't even make it to the gym for 2 weeks. After completing Week 1 of the Couch 2 5K, I did nothing.

Nothing. Not even walked down the street.

Guess I need to start over.

Maybe I'll try to start with Week 2 and see how that goes. I participated in 2 Combat classes at the gym this week and they whipped me, but in a good way. Maybe I can handle Week 2.

We'll see.

In the meantime, Nicky and I walked/jogged a 5K this morning to benefit the PTSA of the middle school where I teach, and the cross country team where Nicky goes to high school. Times were messed up because they let the high schoolers record them. Mistake!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think we were somewhere in the 45-50 minute range. Trying to jog on wet grass, leaves, gravel is very different from a regular road or a treadmill! Hopefully the coach will figure out the times. (He's the middle school art teacher, so I'll see him Monday.)

Here I am after the race, in my fab new orange "Beat the Teach" T-shirt:

I think all the kids can safely say they beat this teach! But I still had a great time. All for a good cause.

Tomorrow...Week 2. Here's hoping.

Week 1 Day 3---The First Week is Done!

I survived the first week!

I completed Day 3 of Week 1 today. It's getting a little easier, and I find I'm going a little faster. Maybe this thing really DOES work!

192 calories...1.92 MPH...highest heart rate: 153. I did speed the walking portion to a whopping 3.7 mph. Still jogging at 4.5mph.

I think it's kind of cool that the calories burned usually coincides with the distance walked. Kind of.

I followed the workout with about a half hour of weight training...a combo of arms and legs, with 1 back machine and some good old-fashioned crunches on the floor. I feel good.

Monday...begins Week 2. I think it gets a lot harder from here on.

But I'll do my best.

Here's hoping.

Week 1 Day 2

I was SORE about 2 days after the first day on the program! It took a couple of days, and then my legs protested. I don't think they liked all the running.

I did Day 2 yesterday...no time to post about it then. Stats:

190 calories burned...1.90 miles...highest heart rate: 150.

Not bad...a small amount of progress. I followed with a leg workout on the weight machines.

Tomorrow is Yoga Day, so Saturday will be Day 3 for the week. Here's hoping.

Couch to 5K in 9 Weeks?

Today I began the Couch-to-5K program.

Am I crazy??

I am a 47-year-old woman with little to no experience with running.

I mean, I ran as a kid. And I chased after my kids when they were little.

But running for the fun of it?

Nah.

But yet, here I am, beginning a program designed to get me to run a 5K in 9 weeks. And enjoying it. So far.

I did my very first 5K last December, at a race organized by a group of runners at the high school my kids attend. The organizer was the driving force behind the Weight Watchers-at-Work program that I joined last October at the high school. (As a full-time substitute at the middle school next door, they kindly allowed me to join.) I slowly walked the 5K in a grand 1 hour and 5 minutes, and was sore for 3 days afterwards. I thought I would die.

But gradually, as the weight came off, the strength increased, and I did an unofficial 5K on the treadmill on June 6th, 2010, in honor of 5K Day for Weight Watchers. That one took me about 52 minutes. Not too bad, considering it was mostly walked.

I've done 2 official 5Ks since then...one on September 8th to benefit the county Humane Society. Here is a picture of my son and me in our T-shirts.

Yesterday I did one for Breast Cancer Awareness from our local hospital. A personal best on time:  46:33. That was with a little jogging, but not much.

But now I'm looking to kick it up a notch. Begin jogging more, then maybe develop a slow run. We'll see.

So today was my first day on the program. I went to the gym and did Week 1, Day 1 on the treadmill.

I did 5 minutes of brisk walking (3.6 MPH, which for me is brisk), followed by intervals of 60 seconds running (jogging, in my case, at 4.5MPH), and 90 seconds of walking. I finished with 5 minutes walking to cool down.

30 minutes on the treadmill. 189 calories burned. 1.89 miles travelled. Top heart rate reached: 152.

Not too shabby for a first day.

Then I followed with a half-hour of upper-body weight machines.

I'm sure I'll be sore tomorrow.

Week 1, Day 2 will be Tuesday or Wednesday. Here's hoping.