C25k Week 3, Day 3

Well, my last Week 3 run was on Thursday after work. I didn't run home from work, I walked home from work (2 miles) and then went for my run. I think it may have been a bit much, but I didn't think about the run as much as I had before. Does this mean it's getting easier? It seemed that way. I wasn't as out of breath, but it all felt a bit slap-dash so I'm going to focus more tomorrow on warming up properly and not rushing things.

I've found a brilliant archive of workouts courtesy of Women's Health. Check this page out if you're looking for some new moves and routines!

C25k Week 3, Day 2

Day two down and would you believe it, I actually kept running after my second three minute stint. What is wrong with me? This is obviously far from a bad thing but it's just so unlike me. I'm so surprised that I am enjoying running and am actually looking forward to doing it again. Eventually I'll get over my own shock but for now... wow!

I don't have much to say other than that, really. Unfortunately I am not the most interesting person on the planet but hey, if we were all fascinating people, it would be an exhausting world to live in!

See you after my next run on Wednesday! :)

C25k Week 3, Day 1

This is a bit late, but I completed Day 1 of Week 3 on Thursday. I ran home from work, and the three minute runs were nowhere near as scary as I expected. I actually enjoyed them. They wore me out a bit but I know three weeks ago I probably wouldn't have been able to run for three minutes without collapsing. I hated running and now I'm beginning to look forward to it. I think some kind of alien has invaded and taken over my body - who is this person??

I tried the Vanilla flavoured Impact Whey Protein shake on Thursday morning. The 25g sample mixed with 200ml of semi-skimmed milk was not enough to keep me going until lunch but I think it will be a good addition to a healthy breakfast, especially if I have just been running (in the morning on a weekend, for example, since I don't have time to do that during the week). The vanilla flavour tasted like melted ice cream. It was very sweet, but I would probably have it again because honestly, I kind of expected it to taste like drinking sawdust. I was pleasantly surprised!

It was a rough weekend. I try to plan, and then throw it out the window when around friends or when presented with food I really enjoy. I am back on track today though, and I think this time I am going to finally lose the last few pounds I've been holding on to. Instead of just accepting that it will be a high calorie weekend I let it be one night of barbecue food and alcohol, and today is a new day! This is something I really struggled with before so I am pleased with myself, even if my stomach is still a bit nauseous from all the sangria and peach schnapps!

Photo from MyProtein.com.

C25k Week 2, Day 3

Finished day 3 yesterday. I ran two days in a row and I generally try to avoid doing the same exercises back-to-back but the opportunity presented itself so off I went!

I will be doing Week 3, Day 1 tomorrow and I'm pretty nervous for the 3 minute runs. Eeep!

Interesting Find of the Day: Closet Cooking. This is a website that my friend Becky introduced me to around Christmas time. I have browsed briefly and intend to spend more time checking out Kevin's delicious recipes. The pictures are beautiful (stay away if you're a bit peckish!) and a lot of the recipes seem quite wholesome. Of course, there's some delightful surprises in there too, like the recipe Becky originally sent me to see, Lime Meltaways, which I will attempt at some point!

C25k Week 2, Day 2

Goooood evening!

I did W2D2 today and again Runkeeper let me down. It seems that going off any main road, even just for a moment, makes it lose track of where you are. I will be running home from work on Tuesday to complete W2D3 so I will be able to get a more accurate reading of speed and distance then.

I ordered some sample size protein powders from Myprotein. I'll let you know what I think once I've tried them!

Does anyone have any flavour recommendations or brand recommendations for protein powder? This is new territory for me, so I'd love to hear your ideas! Thanks!

C25k Week 2, Day 1

Happy Royal Wedding Day!



Kate Middleton looked absolutely stunning in her Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen wedding dress. I hope I look that lovely on my wedding day (whenever that may be!).

I completed W2D1 today (after watching the wedding - and the balcony kiss - until about 2pm... in my pajamas!). Unfortunately Runkeeper lost the signal or something and the tracking feature stopped working! I don't know how far I went. I would guess it was about 2 miles in total excluding the cool down.

Sunday will be W2D2 and I intend to run on the road in the hope that I can get an accurate reading of the distance this time.

C25k Week 1 Playlist

These are the tracks I was listening to this week:

Fill Me In - Craig David
Sexy Bitch - David Guetta ft Akon
Don't Stop Believing - Glee Cast
Rock Your Body - Justin Timberlake
Last Friday Night (TGIF) - Katy Perry
Firework - Katy Perry
Playing with Fire - N-Dubz (I hate and like this song all at once)
Burning Up - Nick Carter

It's a random selection of fast-ish music from my iTunes library. I am always looking for good, fun, popular songs to run to that I may have overlooked. Please let me know if you have any suggestions, empowering or otherwise!

C25k Week 1, Day 3

I was away for Easter so unfortunately there was about a week between my last run and this one. I am still moving on to Week 2 later this week as I think I'm ready!

My distance today: 2.19 miles, 246 calories burned, 13:43 avg. min/mile.

I wanted to keep track of the information above so that I can see my improvement. Already I've taken half a minute off my average mile time. Obviously this does include walking and running intervals, not just straight running, but progress is progress!

C25k Week 1, Day 2

Well, I decided to run home from work for the first time today. It is just over 2 miles.

My distance today: 2.14 miles, 234 calories burned, 14:04 avg. min/mile.

Running on the pavement was far easier, I thought, than running on the uneven grass in the field down the road!

C25k Week 1, Day 1

I can't say I felt like running this morning but I did it. I think I am in better shape than I was when I attempted the C25k last year so that in itself is a pleasant surprise! I am planning on running home from work at some point this week, but that will be on the sidewalk (pavement) and today I ran around the grass field at the local elementary school. I'm not sure which I will prefer.

My distance today: 2.11 miles, 227 calories burned, 14:17 avg. min/mile

I am using Runkeeper on my iPhone to keep track of my progress. The calories may not be exactly right, but it uses a GPS system so it should be a pretty accurate reading for the total distance.

Couch to 5k Commitment

Tomorrow I am going to do Week 1, Day 1 of the Couch to 5k program.

There. Now that I've said it, I have to do it!

I am not the running sort and frequently came up with excuses to get out of it while in school, so why I actually started c25k last year is still a bit of a mystery to me. I went on holiday and so didn't get very far into the program, but it's stuck with me and I want to see it through this time. As I mentioned in the welcome message for this blog, I hate the repetitive nature and strict regime some people put themselves under when it comes to losing weight and keeping in shape. I like to switch it up and challenge myself, and perhaps stepping that far (and trust me, it is far) out of my comfort zone is what I need. I rarely stick with any one exercise routine for very long!

For example:
Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred - 10 days (give or take, multiple attempts)
100 Pushups Challenge - 2 days
C25k, First Attempt - 2 weeks
Stepping Machine - 6 months (this one was pretty consistent, actually!)
Pilates - 4 weeks, on my bedroom floor
Yoga - about 3 sessions, also on my bedroom floor
The New Rules of Lifting for Women - 2 weeks

I like to try everything, but I get bored easily. I have never had a gym membership and am unlikely to ever get one. The only thing I have ever done regularly, and still do on a daily basis, is walk. And this could be considered the most boring exercise of all, really, but it gets me where I need to go!

So yes, tomorrow: Day 1, Week 1 of the C25k. I anticipate a very red, sweaty face and a laughing boyfriend but I'll git 'er dun!