Hi all,

This isn't running related directly, but wanted to share my good news that I made it to onederland this morning. Down a pound this week at 199.5! Some of you on this thread know I have been working towards this for months through plateaus, so this feels great. So excited to see the one and I wasn't expecting it totally, only hoping for 200 even today. Going to work hard to stay there and not let scale fluctuations push me over for the next week, you know? Thanks, everybody, for all the encouragement and support.

Ubergirl I can relate to conditioning taking longer than expected. Even though I'm almost at my lowest weight ever, it is taking so long to get fitter. But I think I'm comparing myself to me at 17 when I did cross-country in high school. I'm 40 now and much more worried about injury so I don't push myself as hard as I used to.

Right now, I'm trying to adjust my running workouts. Instead of running the same distance every time, I want to move into having easy runs, long runs, and speedwork runs. I keep thinking I should do intervals, but I think I want to try tempo runs (during run, speed up for awhile and then go to normal).

So I'm saying this out loud...I want to do a 3.0-4.0 mile tempo run today. I am nervous about picking up my pace, but I can't get fitter unless I add speed.

So this is my accountability post.

blueridgegirl -- Congrats on onederland! That's awesome!

stella - My feet pounding and my breath does the same thing to me. I need the music to drown out the sound of work.

IME, I don't tend to lose a lot of weight when running either, honestly. Once I get to the 170 range and I'm running it tends to just hold steady (been there once before) but my body looks better than it did when I was 140 and not working out a few years ago so the number on the scale is pretty easy to deal with. Now I just need to get back there and stay there. I could kick myself for this yo-yo'ing.

I'm heading into town this afternoon to buy a new pair of running shoes. I'm going to try out Vibrams Five Fingers. They contrary to everything I grew up hearing about foot support and running, but anyone I've talked to that has them is amazed at the difference so I thought I don't really have anything to lose, aside from $80 or so of course.

I'm just so excited today
Last night I worked out a route to the playing fields where my 5k race is going to be, and back. It worked out approx 5k so I figured it would be a good test. The thing is the route is downhill then level on the way there, then level and uphill on the way back. So I decided that I'd just do my best and if I could at least beat my 10min run from yesterday I'd be happy. I thought I'd try to run all the way there then if necessary could walk back, and it still shouldn't take too long.
So this morning I got myself organised, new Garmin on wrist, new waist pouch on with necessities in, and off I went. I ran the whole way there and when I got to the playing fields I ran in and did a loop of one of the pitches, then ran back to the road before I really felt the need to walk. I had done 20mins running so was really proud of myself. I walked for 4mins before doing about another 4mins running, the end of which was a hill. That hill killed me! I managed to keep running to the top of it thanks to the beat of the song playing on my ipod, and I've read that once you hit the top of a hill you should keep going as it feels easier, but I was almost at the point of hyperventilating, so started walking again I tried to run again after a couple of minutes but still hadn't recovered from the hill enough, so just kept walking to the next level bit, where I started running again and kept going for the 2mins or so it took to get home.
When I uploaded all the info from my Garmin I had actually run/walked 5.3k in 43mins 51secs and had done the 5k in 41mins 31secs including the hills
So overall I think I ran for about 26mins, maybe a little more. What I'm so happy about is that I figure if it had all been flat I could have run for longer and completed the 5k in under 40mins.
It was SO nice to be running somewhere different and although at times during the run it was very hard, looking back it seems like it was SO easy and it's like someone else did it, not me
I've worked out a similar route for next time, the same outward run, but a different way back so that should make it even more interesting, and I've decided to make sure I have at least one outside run/walk a week now til the race in 8 weeks, as well as my gym workouts and treadmill running.
What has surprised me most is the fact I was so set against run/walking and thought I wasn't a proper runner if I walked, but today has made me see, I have a much wider choice of routes and can actually go much further if I do this at the moment and probably overall do more running that I would be able to without walking. I still really want to challenge myself and try to do the race itself running non-stop, but I'm now quite happy to take walk breaks in my training runs and just enjoy the journey
I really think I'm actually starting to LOVE running

Blue- YOU DID IT! Congrats, girl. You rock I'm soooo happy for you!

The Komen Race for the Cure 5k was today and over 15,000 people showed up and participated. We had a blast and I Pr'ed! My goal was to do a 30 minute 5k or to at least get under 33 minutes. I crossed the finish line in 28:48! OMG I DID A SUB 30 5K OMG OMG! I was soooo stoked I had to hold back the tears! I get really emotional when I run, lol. Never in a million years would I have ever thought I could do a sub 30 min 5k. I really surprised myself. Moments like those, make running so addictive and make all the hours of pain worth it!

I love running!

That's amazing! Great job!!!!!! I ran the Race for the Cure today too. My time was like 37:30-something, which is a minute and a half faster than my last. But wow, I've love to run it in under 30 :P

This is OT, but I also played disc golf with my brother for my first time today. I must say, I love being more in shape. Even in flip flops and nice jeans, I was running up hills, hopping into creeks, stomping through tall grass like it was nothing. I would have DIED 5 months ago if I tried that haha. Today has been such an awesome, activity filled day. Woohooo!


And blueridge girl, that's awesome!

Thanks Eve and Evoo and oodles

Eve - congrats on sub-30 5k!!! (bowing down before you, Wayne's World style) I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy! That is so awesome. Way under 30!

Loving - great story! Yes, there is nothing wrong with mixing in walking with running, especially when there are hills involved. I am getting more and more tempted to buy a garmin...maybe after my next paycheck...

motivated - I hear you re planning workout and including tempo runs, intervals, etc. I did intervals last week on the TM and it kicked my butt. But my dr really recommends sprinting and then resting/easy pace, and I know that just running the same old route at steady state every day isn't enough to really improve my times. So, how did the tempo run go?

Tore a ligament in my ankle running yesterday. i wa GOING to do a 10K race but i didnt really feel like it...did want to dish out 40 bucks when i am leaving for Mexico tomorrow to go on vacation. Well, dishing out money to the ER and Xray was a heck of a lot more expensive then the 40 bucks for the race

Pretty upset today-- sunrise runs/walks on the beach are out.... snorkling = out, hiking the ruins= out
This is my first vacation in my ENTIRE LIFE

I was SO looking forward to being able to eat whatever i wanted, because i planned on being so ACTIVE that id burn it off anyway.......

CAnt seem to get in a groove for running

Mkroyer, I'm sooooo sorry about your injury! I know that it is the most frustrating, upsetting thing that can happen when you're used to being active. I'm wishing you a speedy recovery, and I hope you will still be able to get some enjoyment out of your vacation--maybe it'll be a nice time for you to just relax, and take some time for yourself.

MK: Oh no! I am so sorry. What terrible timing

I decided to run a 10K "Run for Mom" this afternoon, and, for the first time, my husband is actually showing an interest in bringing the kids out to cheer me on! That sure will be fun.

I haven't run a step since my 1/4 marathon last Sunday so, I am hoping my legs still remember what to do LOL

Happy Mother's Day everyone!!

MK: That is truly unbelievable crap timing. Enjoy Mexico, do what you can do and vacation.

Evel: congrats that's awesome good going girl.

Happy mothers day ladies

Wow - lots of good running news on here today - apart from poor MK - bum luck!!

I ran a 10K today - I did it last year in 61.30, was hoping to shave a couple of minutes off it. Well, I did shave a touch off it, but only half a minute - did it in 60.59.

But considering a few weeks ago I couldn't even run a mile without pulling my calf muscle, I am pretty chuffed with running 10K.

I also have a kind of recurring stitch - I feel it in my left side just half way down my rib cage. I don't feel it normally - only when I run.

I had a tough 3 miler last week, which is when it started, and I have felt it every time I have run since then. I was doing a PE lesson with 4-5 year olds this week, and I even felt it then jogging them round the hall. I am hoping it will go soon - maybe I slightly pulled a ligament or something.

I was flipping through the March issue of SELF magazine last night looking for anything I missed reading it when I got it and I came across a podcast of "upbeat indie music" that they publish weekly for free. I listened to a couple minutes of one of them last night and they seem decent so I thought I'd pass the link along. They're 1 hour long and a new one comes out weekly at www.cadencerevolution.com

Woohoo! My Mother's Day 10K went really well. My goal was to do it in under 1:10 but I almost made the 1:05 mark....just a few seconds off! The best part of all was having my hubby and kids on the sidelines cheering me on. This is the first time they have come to see me run so I couldn't have asked for a better Mother's Day gift.

Momof5K, congrats! What an achievement, and you're definitely setting a good example for your kids.

I did 5K today for the first time after three weeks off with the injury, and I did it in a new PR, 40:26. Not fast by most standards, but 1:30 faster than my last 5K time.