Couch to 5K

Yes, I tried Week 1 of Couch to 5K today...and sucked horribly. After the first run, I was gasping like an asthmatic. I think it's 8 intervals of running. Of those, I ran at interval 1, 4, 5 (yes, two back to back), and 8. So I didn't do all of them, which I thought I was ready for, but I'm still pretty impressed I did as much as I did. I think the first run took my breath so much because I was running a little faster than I meant to--there were two women I had to get around. I went a little slower the other 3 times and they weren't -as- bad.

Shock and a gasp, I guess walking 2 miles a few times doesn't mean I'm ready to start jogging :P

I thought about just not doing it again until I drop some more weight, but DH suggested that I keep just doing as much as I can, which he's right. It's good for my heart rate and eventually it'll get easier. I'll just keep repeating Week 1 as long as I need to. For a 400-pound woman, ANY jogging is an accomplishment.

But damn I'm sore!

Got My Walk In

Still waiting to hear about my fill...

I did get my walk in tonight. I went the opposite way on the Saw Mill path and found out there aren't any distance markers, so I just went as far as I thought was a mile. I probably could have went further, but I had no idea what time it was or how far I went to know how long it would take me to get back before sunset (when the path closes). Turns out I walked 45 minutes, which is more or less 2 miles based on my latest walks. Woohoo! It was nice but now that the weather has warmed up, there are lots of bugs and they annoy me like crazy.

It's supposed to rain tomorrow morning but I'm still hoping to get a walk in after work. If it's raining when I get off work, I'll just go down to the gym.

Soooo...that didn't work

I talked to a coworker today who is really into fitness and asked him what he thought about my walking vs. gym dilemma. He said that walking is hands-down a better workout for the body. And since I'm getting increasingly bored with the gym, today I decided to skip the gym and start walking when I get home instead while the weather is nice. I look much more forward to walking than I do going down to the gym, changing, working out for 20 minutes, usually getting kicked out before I finish, then have to drive home all sweaty and blah.

This plan just kind of fell through tonight. When I got home, DH was making dinner and I didn't know how long it would take, so I didn't go for my walk yet. Turns out I could have went for the walk and gotten back way before it was ready, but I didn't know. Then new House and Heroes episodes tonight, so that was that.

Tomorrow DH works until 8 so I'm going to change at work and stop at the Saw Mill path right after work before picking him up.

Also, I sent that email to my program coordinator last Monday, I asked her about it Tuesday and she said she was going to work on it Wednesday. I haven't heard back from her. It's been almost 5 weeks since my fill. I'm tempted to just call the evil scheduling lady and fight it out with her and get it scheduled, but I don't know what the coordinator is doing. This is so frustrating :(

Great Weekend!

This weekend was about 90 degrees both days. Yesterday I went for a 2 mile walk in our neighborhood (first time) with DH. We did a lot yesterday and I almost didn't go. At 7:45 it was starting to get dusky and I really wanted to make sure I got my exercise in, so we went, no excuses. My shoes performed well! They get to stay, officially. My feet were just barely aching by the time we finished. The only bad part of the walk is this really steep hill for about half a block to get up to the main street we walked on. I had to stop once or twice because my leg muscles were killing me going up that hill. No stops after that though! It was great. The time also goes by faster because the landscape changes and I have landmarks to be able to tell how much further to go, versus walking on the Saw Mill pathway where it's just trees, trees, and more trees.

Tonight we went to this place called Lenoir Preserve, which I think tries to keep a quiet area for the birds and such. There is this other trail that we see every day on my way to work and I thought that it originated at this little park, but apparently not. It wasn't very big and we ran out of trails to walk on there. I only got about a mile in, but still better than nothing, and we got to see something new.

I'm curious to know if a 2 mile walk or my regular gym routine (15 mins bike, 5 mins elliptical) is a better/more beneficial workout. Any thoughts?

Good Workout

I did 10 minutes on the elliptical (go me!), weights, then 10 more minutes on the bike. I really want to work up to be able to do 10 minutes on the elliptical and then do 15-20 minutes on the bike. Just not there yet. My feet were hurting by the end of the 10 bike mins so I just stopped.

I was in a really good mood today (probably from working out last night, I'm always in a better mood), then about half an hour ago, someone called me from my job and tried to blame me for doing something wrong when she neglected to tell me something that she "didn't think anyone would notice" last night so I fixed it when I came in this morning, apparently it was supposed to stay changed the way she did it--again, she didn't bother to tell anyone this. Why am -I- upset about this? Because I hate it when people try to tell me I did something wrong. I take pride in my work and I'm good at what I do. Why am I talking about work here, when I usually avoid it? Because it ruined my mood. And I know I will dwell on it most of this weekend, when I'm looking really forward to some good walks with the excellent weather that's coming. I tried to take my mind off it by watching a new movie, but DH's friends are here and they're so freaking loud that I had to turn it off. Grr.

Hopefully my new shoes will perform well on the walks this weekend; if not, I'll just keep using them for the gym and use my old, no-support-but-don't-hurt-my-feet shoes for walking.

Yay! Endorphins!

I made it to the gym tonight and did my regular workout (15 mins bike, weights, 5 mins elliptical). My feet still hurt with the new shoes but not really more than my regular ones. They may have even hurt less on the elliptical than usual. Still have to test them walking this weekend, but I think I'll be keeping them, just have to break them in a tiny bit.

I feel MUCH better, I get grumpy when I don't work out and I don't complain as much when I do exercise!

This weekend is going to be gorgeous (80s) and I plan on walking both days!

Lost Another Day

I forgot my gym bag this morning and it was too late to turn back and get it by the time I realized it. And since I got home later than usual (picking up DH from work then long grocery store run), dinner was much later. I just got done eating and it's 9:30, so no workout tonight either. Bah.

Tomorrow, tomorrow.