C25K: Week 5 report

The fourth week’s program consisted of all three days following this schedule:

1.     Warm-up walk—5 minutes

2.     Run—5 minutes

3.     Walk—90 seconds

4.     Run—3 minutes

5.     Walk—2 ½  minutes

6.     Run—5 minutes

7.     Cool-down walk—5 minutes

Let me tell you, my Week 4, Day 1, looked more like this:

1.     Warm-up walk—5 minutes

2.     Run—5 minutes

3.     Walk—90 seconds

4.     Run—3 minutes 90 seconds

5.     Walk—2 ½  minutes 4 minutes

6.     Run—5 minutes 2 minutes

7.     Walk—1 minute

8.     Run—1 minute

9.     Walk—1 minute

10.  Cool-down walk Try-not-to-collapse trudge—5 minutes

I didn’t even take a picture because I was so exhausted. My brain was alert but my body looked, quite literally, like a hot mess. My legs felt like they were stuck in mud. I couldn’t even do a good stretch when I got home. I just kinda laid on the floor in awkward angles hoping it would work the same. Ha! Who knew I’d be longing for the three minutes runs of last week?!

Happy Camper: Feeling accomplished after a GREAT Week 3, Day 3.

Week 4’s Day 2 and 3 were a bit better.

Run Day 2: Focusing on my post-run stretch.

Run Day 3: Week 4 program, complete!

Progress Report:

1.     Mental

• I’m self-conscious working out in front of other people. I’m totally unable to focus on what I’m doing—stupid but true. I didn’t even want to run outside because of the cars going by, but this program helps me zone out and say the hell with it. If I need to stop and stretch my calves, I will. If there is an unfortunate wedgie situation beginning, I will take care of that, too. And, when I feel like quitting and a perfectly tanned and toned girl comes running my way in a sport bra and underwear (seriously, they didn’t qualify as shorts), I will smile and wave my big goofy wave and be inspired. Normally, I would have a panic attack and want to hide. I was a sweaty hog in an oversized t-shirt, limping through the final leg of day one when this happened and she sweetly waved back. I took a deep breath and kept going. I was proud of us both!
• I’ve decided to share my weekly mantras. Some are silly and some are deep but it seems each week, a new saying helps keep me going. The first week, I found myself repeating, “I don’t want to run, but I’m running because I CAN.” During week two and week two part two, it switched (with knee pain surfacing) to one I read on PBF a while back, “This challenge will come, and this challenge will go because time never stops moving. This will eventually be over and look at what I will have achieved.” This week, I’m reminding myself that “Pain is weakness leaving the body.”

2.     Physical

• In addition to pain in my right knee, now my left knee and shin have developed an uncomfortable and nagging pain. My six 10-second stretches were not good enough. I used the Cool Running website to provide stretches specifically good for runners.
• I adapted a more intensive warm-up and cool-down process. Now, I walk Alaska to get warm (about 10 minutes), then stretch (the 9 abbreviated stretches from Cool Running totals about 5 minutes) then the outlined program (30 minutes), then stretch again at home (all Cool Running’s recommended 28 stretches, 15-30 seconds each, totaling 15 minutes). This obviously makes the overall program quite a bit longer but I think it’s necessary.
• I’m using my arms. This seems so simple but I am realizing that arms play a big part. Usually, I keep my fingers in a loose fist with my shoulders moving in more of a chugging motion. But now, when I really need to keep running, I find swinging my arms forward and backward, close to my body, with my fingers extended really provides power. I think this helps work my arms and shoulder muscles, too, without straining my neck and upper back.
• Pounds—Unchanged
• BMI—Unchanged

3.     Lessons

• Always pee before you leave. An embarrassing pit stop into a nursery (the plant kind, not the child kind, lol) a mile into my run was a good reminder.
• Apparently, running is making my subconscious process stuff that I’m not aware of. I find myself getting choked up on several occasions during the week but only during my run or reading about other people’s run progress (and one time driving home watching a struggling runner when I actually teared up, honked and fist-pumped out the window for her. I know…I’m officially losing it and morphing into a construction worker from Jersey).

So, that’s my week 5 recap. Did you try anything new this week? Do you have a favorite mantra of your own?