Routes and Changing Towns

Mom's usual route

This past week I've been in my hometown, for one of my best friends wedding and I knew that I needed to keep my running, and since my mom is doing the running with her, I decided to continue my training, because I worried about having a week break.  I had managed to start my first day of the week here in the desert, so I was sure that I would be able to handle the running in the mountains.  

So my mom took me on her route and man was it brutal.  So my mom's house is surrounded by hills and the elevation is higher then it is here in the desert, so I was sure that I was going to die throughout the entire run. The first day we ran her normal route, which has up-hill, down-hill, and most of all, no sidewalks...I managed to make it through the new week, but it wasn't without issues.  

Mom's and mine second day route

The second day my calf (on my right leg) started tightening up, and I couldn't figure out why it would do that.  By the end of the run, I was sure that the calf was going to give out on me, it was so tight and burning.  And my mom even shortened the route for me, because of the pain I was going through.  I literally hurt to walk (even though I was fine when I was running).  So I figured the day break would help my calf loosen, as well as a walk in my Aunt's pool.  

My usual route

Today I took my mom on my normal route, which isn't as curved nor does it have any hills as mom's route.  So we started and it was the first day of Week three, which includes - 

Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:

• Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 400 yards (or 3 minutes)

 Now I haven't figured out how I'm going to know when I've gone the required miles to run a 5k, but I figured as I go along I'd figure it out.  But the route I've mapped out is currently only about a mile long.  In a couple weeks, I'll need to upgrade to a longer route, but I'm not going to worry about that yet.  But I've found this great little website that helps map out routes and gives you miles and whatever else you need to figure out your runs! 

Route Builder - check it out, and make your own running route!  I'm pretty sure that using this will help me figure out my miles and running routes as I get further along in this training program.  And hopefully I won't have this calf issue for long!

Week Two Day One

So Yesterday ended up being a slow day for me.  I didn't wake up in time to get out there before the sun and heat became an issue, so I had planned on going in the evening, but it was still too hot to actually do that, so I figured this morning would be fine.  I actually manged to wake up this morning, placed a movie on for the girls (who had woken - and I didn't want them waking Nick) and then headed out.  The walk started out fine, and the first run was fine, but the rest was brutal. 

I made it through the whole thing, but who would have thought that the running would feel so long, when actually it was less, because I was running longer but lesser times.  I was still winded by the time I finished the five minute cool-down walk, and I was sure that I wouldn't make it.  Thankfully I did.

So I now have two days left of Week Two and I have to decide how I want to do it, since Thursday I won't have time...leaving with my Dad and Darren at 6:30 in the morning.  We're going to drop Daddy off, then have some Darren/Stephanie time while Daddy works, before they take me to Bakersfield to meet with my Mom.

This weekend is one of my best friends wedding!  And I honestly can't wait to see her again, since it's been so long!!  This will be the first time (since becoming a Mom) that I will be going anyplace for a period of time without my girls.  Nick will be taking care of them (with Jenni close by at all times!  haha) for the entire weekend, a total of five days without my girls. 

I think sometime this week, I'll be going running with my mom, since she is also doing the same program (only she's a couple weeks ahead of me) but it will be nice to at least have someone to run with!

So here's to hoping that the next time I run, it will be slightly easier and better!  Especially since I almost wasn't able to finish that last run. 

Week Three is looking to be more brutal then Week Two, and I'm not honestly looking forward to it, but I'm hoping it will be easier once my legs are used to this longer running.

Week One Completed

May I just start out by saying...I HURT!  Everywhere.  My back is killing me, has been all week.  I can't sleep properly because it hurts to move it.  My knee-caps are screaming at me, while my legs want to buckle under my all the time.  Not to mention the ankles that have always been against me - they tried rolling on me many times.  But with all that aching I'm just hoping that it will get better from here.

Sure I may have to consult a doctor to help me through this pain, but I've made it completely through Week One of Couch-2-5k.  Week Two here I come...

Day Two started out slow...I woke up late, but thankfully my husband didn't have to leave for work until twenty after nine, so I managed to get my Day Two in.  It was painful, I wasn't sure I was going to make it the entire twenty minutes.  But I did!  It was hard, and it was painful, and my legs wanted to fight with me, and my sides were protesting, but I managed to make it with plenty of time for my husband to go to work.

But I at least managed to find a jogging route that would finally work for me.  It has some hills, some up and downs, and mostly, It didn't take me far from my house. And the best part is no stoplights.  I don't have to stop for any reason.

Day Three was so brutal I was sure that I would collapse before the run was over.  My sides ached after almost every run, and while the breathing was easier, I still wasn't sure how I was going to make it.  I once again slept late, but not late enough that it would have been too hot to run (but it was almost too hot, so I really don't want to sleep in again...that is for sure).

So now I have completed Week One and I am ready, and scared, to move on to Week Two.  It will be more brutal then Week One, with a 90 second run followed by a 90 second cool down walk - for a total of twenty minutes.  I've barely made it to the 60 seconds so I'm just hoping that my body won't give up on me. 

So bring on Week Two!  Now I will start getting ready for swimming with the girls and my friend and her girls!  Can't wait for that!!

Week One Day One

So this morning I got a late start on waking up, but I did thankfully manage to wake up before it got too hot outside.  Last night I was looking for anything to help me get through this, since I didn't have the money or resources to use the Couch-to-5k App, so I decided to go to iTunes to see what I could find, and after several misses I finally managed to find an Podcast that I really liked.

It's called NHS Couch to 5K, and yes before you ask, it is actually a British Podcast, but honestly that doesn't matter.  The music is actually pretty cool, and they formed songs that let you know when what you're doing, whether walking or jogging, is about to end.  The woman's voice is comforting and she's great at getting you motivated to complete the course.

iTunes Podcast Download - Completely Free!

So I decided, after not going for the last three days, to just start the week over, since it is a new week.  It's important to me that I do this, and knowing that I was able to do the whole 20 minutes without my sister there, pushing me, was inspiring.  It let me know that yes, I could do this, and yes it will be hard, but it will be worth it in the end.

Already I feel different then I did from the first time.  Yes I ache, but I can actually move this time.  Yes I wanted to give up when actually jogging, but thankfully the jogging was ending just as soon as I was ready to throw in the towel.  Breathing was easier, and afterward I felt refreshed and ready to go.

I'm actually pretty nervous about how I'm going to handle the weeks to come, but I now know that I really can do this!  I really want to do this, I want to accomplish this one thing that I never thought I'd be able to accomplish.  So here I am, Day One of Week One done!  Can't wait to see how well I do tomorrow!

5k or Bust

So yes, I've decided to try the Couch to 5k exercising program.  Today I did Week One Day One and man am I feeling the pain.  I thought all that running for sixty seconds at a time was going to kill me.  So I know the program calls for 3 days, but I've decided to go with 5 days because we all know that if I don't I'll never get used to the new week...lol

So this is my schedule for this program, and it really is as intense as it looks... Day One just about gutted me, but I'll be back out there tomorrow doing more.  Sure it will be hard, but I really want to lose weight and I'm really looking forward to doing the 5k race in September with my Mom, Auntie Chelle, and sister Nicole!  

Week	Workout 1	Workout 2	Workout 3
1	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
2	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
3	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following: Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes) Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following: Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes) Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following: Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes) Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)
4	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes) Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes) Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes) Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
5	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes) Walk 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog two miles (or 20 minutes) with no walking.
6	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1 mile (or 10 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Jog 1 mile (or 10 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2-1/4 miles (or 22 minutes) with no walking.
7	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).
8	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).
9	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).	The final workout! Congratulations! Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).

The best thing about this program is that you don't have to pay to do this.  Sure I'm nervous and not excited about the pain I'm going to start feeling tomorrow, but I know I can do this, because I actually did manage to run the entire time I was asked too.  I wanted to give up, I was sure that my legs were going to buckle underneath me, but thankful I made it!  Thankful that I let Nicole talk me into doing this, because I really want to lose weight, and I've been so confused about how to do that without actually pissing off my neighbors.

I guess I'll be kissing my late late nights goodbye to allow myself time to sleep and wake up in the morning at 6am, since I'll need to do this before Nick leaves for work every morning.

But I know I can do this, and you can too!  It just takes determination and the will (want) to do it!  I will lose weight and i can't wait for it to happen!!

A New Me, Here I Come!!

The Couch-to-5k - visit the website to check it, and maybe you can start the program on your own!

The horrible pleasures of trying to find work

So I've decided that I need to find a job, but with two children and a husband who works full time, there is no way that I can actually find a job outside of my home.  I mean to have an outside job, one would need to have childcare and in order to have childcare I would have to have a job to pay for it.  It's one of those never ending circles, which ends up just making you dizzy. 

I really don't know much about finding online jobs, but I do know what I don't want. 

1. I know I want nothing to do with those 'Get Paid to Take Online Surveys' because honestly no matter how much they promise, it's all just a bunch of fake bull.
2. I can't do anything via phone, because of my children.  There is just no way that I can take professional calls if my girls are in the background screaming their heads off.
3. Entering Data actually requires a certain Degree, which I clearly don't have...
4. Traveling is completely out...training or not.  I am a mother, a stay-at-home mother, who doesn't own a car.  I can't go anywhere for training.

But I mean in the end, what is there for me?  Honestly not a whole lot, because it seems that most online jobs seem more like a scam then actual chance for work.  And who honestly wants to enter their information on the one place where anyone can learn them?

So for now I may have to hold off on the jobs, but I'm hoping that by next year, I can get something while Kenna is in preschool, and Lizzie is in Kindergarten.  At least a part time job would be better then sitting at home all the time!

Time for Change

Yesterday was just one of those days.  First I went to the doctors and when I stepped on the scale, I was appalled over the numbers.  I know I'm overweight, but I was sure that I'd been losing...instead I seemed to be right where I was after I had Kenna.  So I've decided to take action, and I'm going to lose this weight...even if it kills me.  Today I went to the store and got the things I need to help me lose weight.  Hopefully, I will be able to see and feel a change as my body starts to naturally lose the pounds.  I'm also going to be working on portion control.  Since I've started cooking all my own foods, I'm not as worried about calorie as I am intake.  I just want to ensure that I am eating right, and exercising properly.

Every morning I will be out early, doing a 30-minute power walk, then coming home and later doing 30-minute exercises.  My goal is to lose about 100lbs and I want to do it over a period of time, because I don't want to have to worry about health issues later on in life.  I know that it will take a lot of hard work and determination, but I know that I can do it!  So here's to a new healthy lifestyle!!