you guys all resting today???
another 3.4 miles completed - whoo hooo! feeling good - may do some crunches now and continue to be good!
B

This is seriously going to sound sadistic ... but I'm in the military so I get paid to do this. If you're looking for a good interval workout:

Find a hill with a serious grade approximately 160 m rise. Sprint up the hill ... jog back down ... sprint up the hill ... jog back down ... 5 sprints and recoveries = 1 mile ... 10 sprints and recoveries = two miles.

If you cannot jog back down to recover ... walk back down the hill ... turn around and sprint back up.

You will feel like you are going to die ... It will be worth it though when you mile time goes down.

Good Luck!!!

bida- no rest for me! i got in 5.75 miles this afternoon...the blister problem has officially ended! and thanks for keeping us accountable...i know it helps me you seem to be doing really well and in a very positive state of mind! keep up the good work!
perspective- thanks for the workout suggestion...i got tired just thinking about doing it...haha i'll have to give it a try sometime!
hope everyone else is great, enjoy what's left of the weekend!

Ok, following up from my 5K run last week as benchmark (around 30:30) -- I did a 4-mile run today, came in about 40 minutes.

Performance timewise wasn't much of an improvement, however, I am proud that I pretty much jogged consistently throughout (as opposed to numerous walk breaks during my 5k), pausing briefly only during the 3 red lights I've encountered (which I did lateral leaps while waiting).

What I think kept me going was: 1) Doing a 5-minute warmup prior to my run, giving my legs a good stretch and 2) a fast-pace "runner's mix" of songs I put together on my mp3 player - which kept me revved up and moving.

Anyways, I look forward to making my runs a weekly thing (maybe even twice a week later on, but not getting ahead of myself now) and continue to improve my time and my cardiovascular health!

I'm not a runner, I have weak knees... I'll try the gym but I have no time literally so any suggestions on what to do? I like ab workouts but I need my cardio as well.. HELP!! Getting frustrated!!

have u tried the eliptical? there are also some more like running machines out there that support your knees more - though I dont' know where they are except some posh gyms. What about spinning? swimming is actually probably the best thing. That is what I suggest. also you can do swimming aerobics. (does your gym have a pool?)

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for me I ran my hardest slowest 3.4 today - i guess it was early or something - it was tres hard. urg! it was like molasses. maybe cause I hadn't eaten anything or had some alcohol last night or i slept enough. maybe its coming back into it after a break and going straight for 3 days with not a lot of variation (I am a bit too lazy to drive the 15 minutes to the gym when I lived in NY I would walk those 15 minutes no problem. Damn LA.

B

I like them but we have no gym here. I was going to the gym but they moved FAR. I had my baby 2.5 months ago and I have the worst abs ugh! I tried everything it sucks. I need a trainer!! hehe

you'll hate me - i just consulted with a trainer today. will be doing it 2x a week for at least 1.5 months - hopefully lots longer. though its a bit expensive. but i'll find ways to cut back. i'll have to! (like on food)

B

Good job AquaWarlock on jogging through the 5K. Was it a big 5K race?

Bida, I'm not resting!

I finally ran 5 miles today. I had to do it, just to know that I can. I did it in 59 minutes and 23 seconds. So now I know that I can run 5 miles straight. What should I do next? The Shamrock Shuffle (5 mile race) is on March 25. Should I just continue to follow the hal higdon program (run about 2.5 to 3 miles 3 times a week) or should I work on improving my speed? I want to get faster, and now that I know I can run the 5 miles, I feel as if I no longer have to run to build up the distance.

Bida the interval training you posted looks intense! The problem is that I don't know my race speeds (like my 10K or 8K) etc. I think I can run a mile at my fastest speed in about 10 minutes. I was thinking about just using the indoor track that is in my gym (about 9 laps make a mile) and running fast for one lap and jog slow for one lap. I would do this for 9 laps. Does this sound like a good plan?

well, you can find out your 10K and 5K - first have you run any races? You can test your 5k sort of simply by running it (3.1 miles isn't so far for you anymore) at a hard pace. your 10K will be slower. I would prob estimate that your 5K would be around 10.5/11 or so a mile if ure mile is 10. But interval training will most definately help your speed.

you can start by fast slow fast slow - but you need to build up the fast. IE run 2 laps fast rest for 20 seconds run 3 laps fast etc. U need to build up speed endurance, but not kill yourself everyday

I love runners world magazine - look it up they may have suggestions for you!
B

On my way to runnersworld.com. Thanks for the advice.

yeah!
did 3.5 yest - and my crunches. today will be the next challenge - trying to get running about 430ish! (maybe a five miler today???)
B

didn't get 5 in but 4.8 - hrm must look at route to get me to 5.0!
and did abs.
friday I have meeting with a personal trainer - tres excited!

Bida, do you have a Garmin watch? I have one and it is great. It also comes with a heart rate monitor (at least the version I bought) but I have not used it yet (I've been too lazy to strap it on before going to bed). Anyways, have you found the hrm to be very useful?

Nailed 2 miles and hit the gym. I hate treadmills, and live in the pacific north west- I am beginning to feel like every time I breakthrough a barrier it snows and I get set back! Gah! I'm moving to the Sahara.