Weekly check-in

[vyola]

"In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that."
-Fred Lebow, New York City Marathon co-founder

What did you accomplish this week? What was your favorite running experience?

What are your goals for next week?

Comments

[vyola]

Hey everyone, I wasn't sure if there's a rotation for who posts the check-in entry, or if it's whoever gets to the comm first on Mondays, so I just went ahead and did it.

Why? Because I am very excited that I did week 2 day 1 of the couch to 5 km program today! \o/
Knowing that I would get to tell y'all that I kept the promise I made in last week's check-in entry helped a lot.

So, a whole minute more of running than I did last time... it doesn't sound like much, but it was a bit daunting. Maybe if I say a whole 12.5% more running than I did last time it sounds more impressive? ;-)

Anyway, I had a good time, congratulating myself on doing this the whole way. I'm not sure what my best experience was - I saw a squirrel! It was so cute. But I also saw a big group of teenagers all dressed up for larping, and they were also very cute. So IDK.

My plans for next week are to continue the c25k program. Next run on Wednesday!

[yvi]

I actually thought the progressions in the first weeks sounded more more impressive than those in the later weeks. I mean, you now run 150% intervals of the ones last week! And in week 3, you will do 200% longer intervals than the week before!

28 minutes -> 30 minutes doesn't sound that impressive, in contrast :)

[ilanarama]

Hee, it's basically "whoever thinks of it first on Mondays." So today, you win!

Congratulations on making week 2. Keep it up.

[zulu]

I've been having a slow week. I should've been doing week 4 of couch to 5k, and I know I can do it because I did it once, but I'm having trouble motivating myself to get out of the apartment. Hopefully posting here will make me run today!

[shanaqui]

I just started week four today! It's not too tough once you get started, though I found it daunting to look at. Good luck!

[vyola]

Haha :-D
Well, now you're gonna have to come back and tell us about your successful run later today.

[shanaqui]

I did week three of Couch to 5k -- I did the first day of week four a couple of hours ago, actually. It's fun.

[vyola]

That's great! Is is always fun doing the first day of a new week?

[yvi]

Oh yay 5 minute intervals! Go you!

[yvi]

I did the two last days of week 8 of the couch-to-5k program (*looks around to see so many other people doing C25k*). Then yesterday I did my first "long run". I ran 4.5 kilometers in about 60 minutes with only two walking breaks (damn hills!). \o/

This week I want to do two 30 minute runs and another long run on the weekend.

[vyola]

Awesome!

[yvi]

Oh, and "What was your favorite running experience?" -> totally just running in peace and quiet - no other people, no music. Well, at least for the first half of that run. the second was mostly along a busy road.

[dancing_serpent]

My week was mixed. Had a slight cold and my period, so instead of running I did several short walks.

Did run what I refer to as the "big tour" yesterday (no idea about the distance, really, it takes me about an hour to walk at a good pace) with three walking breaks.

[blnchflr]

Walks are awesome - I wish they were as effective as running! Good to see you here :o)

[rani]

I haven't been able to run for a couple weeks due to work/lousy weather, so I was excited to have the combo of clear skies/day off on Saturday. I planned to run 4 miles on a trail near my house...but 2 miles in, I got tired and had to walk. I walk/ran the whole way back. Ugh! This is the first time since starting the Couch to 5k six months ago that I've taken such a long break from running, and it's immensely frustrating to backslide like this.

[yvi]

2 miles and then run/walking is good, too! I wish you all the best next week.

[gnomad]

That's an oddly appropriate quote for me this week. I didn't do much running last week because I was tapering for my race, which I did on Sunday. My first triathlon! I was waaaaaaaaay back of the pack, but I finished and there really is a lot of satisfaction in that. I'm spending the week recovering (plus I think I'm getting a cold) and laying out my training plans for my next A race in September. My real weak spot is my running, so I expect a LOT of training focus on that.

[ilanarama]

Oh, yay you for finishing your first tri! Big congrats! Post a race report!

[temve]

Running-wise, the usual: 10K on Wednesday, 5.8K on Friday, and another 5.8K coming up tonight.

Btw, to all you couch-to-5K people: that was me 18 months ago, struggling to run 5 minutes at a stretch. It's amazing how you automatically get better at running if you just keep doing it.

Favourite moment: as I was chugging along on the other side of the river, poplar seeds floating all around me like fluffy snow, and Jacques Brel's Amsterdam comes on the iPod.

Yes, I sang along, as much as my breath would allow me.

[vyola]

Thank you, as one of the couch to 5km people I find that extremely impressive and inspirational :-D

"The usual 10K", haha. I want to be able to say that ;-)

That sounds like a very beautiful moment you had, with the surrounding and the music working together perfectly.

[bewize]

Whoo hoo!

I finished C25K Week One last week. This week, I'm on to week 2. Whoo hoo!

[vyola]

Yay, my c25k buddy! Good for you completing week 1 :-D

[ilanarama]

I ran twice, 5 to 6 miles each time, still increasing the amount of running vs walking as part of my injury rehab. This morning I ran 5 miles with 8 min run/2 min walk. On Wednesday I will do 1 mile run / 1 min walk, and then finally go to continuous running on Friday! I'm still feeling my calf/ankle injury but it's not too bad.

My best experience from last week was that I volunteered at a local half-marathon, since I couldn't run it. It was a lot of fun working the finish line and cheering on the runners as they came in.

[vyola]

Good luck with your injury rehab, and good for you volunteering. I bet it felt great for the runners having you all standing there cheering for them as they came in <3

[littledrop]

I ran W5D2 of the C25K programme. Eight minutes of continuous running! I was pleased with myself. :) At this point, I'm repeating days rather than weeks; it took me two attempts to do the eight minute runs. I'm going out again tomorrow morning and trying to decide if I should consolidate W5D2, or try the twenty minutes. Or some variation between the two, maybe twelve minutes of running, two minutes walking, six minutes running.

Best moment of the week? Second attempt at W5D2, second eight minute rep, I looked down at my watch as the countdown went from 3:00 ... 2:59 ... 2:58 ... 2:57 ... At which point I was all "Fuck YEAH" - my first attempt at W5D2, I had stopped with 2:58 left to go. I swear, sheer glee got me through those last couple of minutes!

[yvi]

I'm cheering you on in my mind :)

[sophinisba]

You guys, I had so much fun running this week! See, the last month or so I'd been really nervous and getting ready for my first 10K on the 12th (afraid I wouldn't be able to finish because I hadn't done that distance before) so I was putting all my energy into running long and slow but with no breaks. Now that the race is out of the way (I was way in the back of the pack, but I finished!) I'm playing around more with different distances and paces and intervals of walking. I thought I'd feel like I was cheating if I took a one minute break after every five minutes walking, but it's actually just as challenging but in a different way, because I'm also running faster.

I ran 18.8 miles in five runs this week. The best part was that I was able to run while I was on vacation in Boston, so the setting was different and exciting, and the Vienna Teng song "Harbor" came on my iPod just as I got to the Esplanade by the Charles River. :D

[cyphomandra]

I have Harbor on my iPod for running to as well! (although, sadly, I currently lack a harbour to run next to...)

[ell]

ran 3 times - tues tempo (3 miles), thurs intervals (3.25 miles total) and sunday - long run at 1 pm in DC in the 90 degree heat (had to walk a bit at mile 4 and cut it short to 5.2 instead of 6. was brutal) i didn't get on the bike at all other than to work and back, and was in the pool once.

this week - more biking, more pool time, same runs. this will be a serious challenge w.r.t. work.

[vyola]

It does sound brutal with that heat. You can do it!

[cyphomandra]

I ran once this week. Goal next week - run more! (also, get better weather)

Favourite running experience - I really like seeing all the other runners out there when I'm running, especially when the weather's not that great. Nice to feel part of a group.

[ilanarama]

Oh, the funniest thing happened this past winter (my winter :-) - I had just made screwshoes out of an older pair so I could run in really bad conditions, and I was using them for the first time on the river path in about 2 inches of snow with more falling, and I was running along in total solitude when another guy came running by in the other direction, and as he approached he called out to me, "Isn't this FANTASTIC?" with a big smile on his face, and I called back, "This is AWESOME!" as he passed.