Workout 1/23, Weight 1/26 and a New Phase

Again I find myself behind on my blogging...darn work. This week was another busy one. Went to the gym on the 23rd. Thankfully, it wasn't as full as it has been. The demise of resolutions is starting!! (I know I shouldn't be happy about that for those people, but I hate waiting for treadmills!) Set off on another 28 minute straight run. This time was not going to give into my old habits of giving up on what my body can do. I made it the whole 28 minutes without lowering my speed or my incline. It was truly a mind-over-matter experience. Something I didn't realize how important and significant it would be in the coming days.

Stats:
5 min warm
28 min run (5.1 MPH)
5 min cool
2.96 miles (or close to it)

Saturday was both a weigh in and the beginning of a new phase in the marathon training. It was the first day for the 10K training program. The program runs for 10 weeks and prepares us to run a 10K on April 6. I thought the whole "couch to 5K" program would prepare me for this, but I'm not really sure. The program has 3 levels - walker, novice, and intermediate. The intermediate group is described as those who have been running prior to starting the team and can do 6-9 miles a week without any major problem. So Mr. E and I decided to join the intermediate team. The program involves 4 workouts during the week and then a group run on Saturday mornings. Of course, the intermediate team meets first at 7:30 in the morning...ugh. This meant we have to get up early enough to go weigh in and then drive to the workout. After a really long week, with many meals out, I was up 0.2 pounds. Disappointed to be up, but this week hopefully will be better. That was the least of my worries ... we were off to run 2 miles, outside, in the 29 degree weather. After a short "warm up", off went the intermediate group, and immediately I was about 4 people from the end of the group. The course for the day was down a hill for the 1st mile, and in the tradition of all that goes down must go back up, the 2nd mile was almost all the way up hill (and not a small hill!). Although I pretty much almost brought up the back of the pack, I did manage to run the whole way and not walk. Towards the end of the big hill I came upon another woman who had smoked me the first half, but part the way up the hill she started walking instead of running. By the time I got to her, she started to run again, but I passed her and gave her a "come on we can finish this" and did end up finishing in front of her. My total time for the 2 (plus a little warm up distance) course, was 30:58. I didn't die!!!!

This week has 4 more workouts before next weekend's 3 (eek!) mile run. Here's hoping the course on Saturday doesn't involve "The Hill" (it deserves captial letters).