1-20-13
Today marked the first running day of my adventure. As I mentioned before, the 5K distance is the first one I will tackle, and I decided to follow a couch-to-5K running program to start off. Since the first day was pretty easy (20 mins of run/walk intervals: 60s/90s), I decided to pair this up with a total body strength workout. I am following the workout program from my favorite workout book: The New Rules of Lifting for Women by Lou Schuler. The workouts are designed by Alwyn Cosgrove, a pretty big name in the fitness world along with his wife, Rachel Cosgrove (she writes for Women's Health magazine). The lifting plan starts off relatively easy, just like the couch-to-5K, so I thought it wouldn't be too taxing to mesh the two together.
I started my workout on a stationary bike, completing an easy 5 minutes for a warm up. Then I performed some dynamic stretches: sumo squat to stands (one of my absolute favorites), lateral lunges, back lunges with twists, and inchworms (another one of my favorites). Now time to lift. What I like most about this particular workout plan is that I can do all of the moves in my basement with some modifications. First, I did 2 sets of squats holding a kettle bell. The kettle bell was light (25ish pounds) so I focused on form and performed deep squats. Next were 2 sets of pushups supersetted (I think I just made up that word...) with seated rows. Since I don't have a cable machine, I substituted TRX rows. (If you haven't experienced a TRX, please do! You use your own body weight as resistance and it provides you with a whole body workout) Last was 2 sets of step ups supersetted with ball knee tucks.
Now came the run. As I said before, I HATE to run in cold weather, but today I lucked out with temperatures in the 40s, sunshine, and few gusty winds. I dressed the part, despite such a short running time and low intensity level, complete with running tights, a long-sleeved running shirt (complete with thumb holes to keep, I guess, the palms of hands warm?), bungee cord-like shoe laces in my Brooks running shoes, a cute ear warmer/headband, and of course all my electronics: Polar heart rate monitor strap and watch, iPhone with Lifeproof case, and iPhone arm band. I felt like I should be some veteran marathoner with all my garb on, but I guess that helped me get into the zone for my first run of the season.
During my 5 min walk to get moving, I got my music started, fired up my MapMyRun app, and set the stopwatch function on my watch. I was pumped and ready to rumble! The intervals were easy for me, and I thought, "maybe I could have started a few weeks into this couch-to-5K program". But, I didn't want to get discouraged on this adventure and start off too quickly or too hard and end up hurting myself. For those of you who don't know, I have had a total of 7 surgeries on my right knee, 6 of them during a 2 year span. My fear is to re-injure this knee, so I told myself that these easier workouts are better for me than diving in too quickly. Plus, the run/walk intervals gave me time to work on my posture and foot strike, as well as learning my new terrain: snow banks, sand, ice, mud, more sand, etc.
During my last run/walk interval, I decided to forgo the walking portion, and continue to run until I hit the 20 min running mark. This snowballed into a series of challenges: run to the next street, run down that street and turn around, run back to the street I was originally going to turn onto, etc. I ran maybe 4 more minutes than I should have, but it was a great 4 mins. It solidified why I want to do this challenge: I forgot how much I liked to run, and how much I liked to push myself.
I have to say this was a very promising and great way to start my running adventure of 2013. I am icing my knee now (as I will do after every run since it gets so angry with me!), and I'm planning a yoga day tomorrow to help stretch out these muscles.
Feel free to share your fitness adventures with me...or favorites songs to work out to....or motivational sayings/mantras... :-)
Here's mine for today: "If you can dream it, you can do it." Walt Disney
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