Hello all!

I haven't posted much in this thread lately - first I wasn't allowed to finish the marathon I trained for all spring (max time 6 hours, I came to the 20k line 1 minute too late to be allowed to finish), then I got stuck on a weight loss plateau, and I just lost all interest in even trying to run and exercise in general.

Then I read an inspiring book a few weeks ago, and now I'm exercising in the morning 6 days a week, which I haven't done in a long time. Now the weight is moving down and I have signed up for another marathon in October (San Francisco Women's Marathon), so hopefully I will make it this time!

On Sunday I did my first long run for my marathon (12k on a threadmill - boring!) and on Tuesday and today I ran 5k in the morning. On Sunday I will do another long run, 15k this time (hopefully outside!) and maybe I'll squeese in another run some time tomorrow. It's good to be back in business!

I had a really good run on the treadmill this morning - 6k in just under 36 minutes. Instead of running at a steady pace like I usually do and getting bored I tried running 5 minutes normal pace, 1 minute fast x 6 and it felt so good - the normal pace seemed so much easier after a couple of fast minutes! I'm definitely going to try this again, and possibly increase the fast spells to 2 minutes once I get used to it as it felt fantastic, and the time went a lot quicker.

Anine -- Sorry to hear that you worked so hard and weren't able to finish that marathon. BUT good for you for taking the bull by the horns and getting back at the running full speed... What is the name of that book that motivated you so get going again?...

I did a 10k on Saturday and I haven't run since... Dang this hot weather and the boring dreadmill where I get so bored after doing only 5k and get off... But I'm not complaining I love this hot weather...

Hello guys I have officially registered for the 5K so I am definitely gonna do it. this morning I ran for 51 minutes I have no idea how far I went but I know I ran farther than I ever have. I think tomorrow morning I am going to walk instead of run to get ready for all of this.

Anine so glad to hear that your back into the swing of things too bad about that awful experience with the marathon but you'll be back out there in no time.

YP1 running intervals sounds like it's really working for you and that's great.

ilene just let us know when you get back out there and yes I know what you mean about this terribly hot weather whew!

Mrs Dawson, well done on signing up for the 5k! You'll love it, I'm sure. I got such a buzz out of running with a load of other people, compared to running on my own, and it inspired me to a time I've not got near since!

It was 2 books actually, Bob Greene's Total Body Makeover and Pamela Peeke's Body for Life for Women. Reading those made me want to make a commitment to exercise again. They "promise" 2lb weightloss every week, and promote hard exercise and healty eating habits. The first is a 6 week plan and the other is a 12 week plan. I don't know what, but something "clicked" and I decided that I had to try again. I can always dedicate 6 or 12 weeks to this, at least after having completed a full marathon training program. I started to exercise a little, and then I signed up for the Marathon. This time I WILL make it, and hopefully look better too with fewer kilos of fat and more muscles!

It's good to be back here...

This morning I did 14k at what should be a not overly challenging 1/2 marathon pace for me (based on my 10k time). It wasn't a problem to stay on pace, felt easy for the first 7ish km, then comfortably hard. I felt like I could have kept going longer. So, if I can keep it together on race day (just over 3 weeks away, gulp), and the weather cooperates, I might actually run as well in a 1/2 as in my training runs for it.

Dh and I are thinking of running a 5k race together this weekend. It might be fun to see if I can keep up with him. (My non-running husband can do a sub25 minute 5k). Either I'll burn out after the first couple of km, or competing with him will help me run faster.

Sweater Girl, good to hear that everything went smoothly with the biopsy. Hopefully the results are clear too. I like the 201 even though it sometimes has gps problems in certain areas. I've thought about upgrading to the 301 next Christmas, but I think that when I start doing heart rate training, I might not want to know just how slowly I'm going. My wrist feels bizarrely naked the few times I've forgotten to charge it or my kids have turned it on and let the batteries run down. I like watching my total km run go up in the log book too.

Ellen, I think the 301 does do intervals. A disadvantage of the 201 is that "rest" time/distance isn't included in the run total when you upload it. Supposedly this issue has been fixed with the 301 and some of its custom programming. You sound busy with marathon training and the personal trainer cert.

Anine, Good for you for getting back into exercise again. The time limit on our local marathon is one of a huge number of reasons why I've decided to wait a couple of years to try it.

Laura, Welcome! Very smart not to push yourself too hard when starting out

Celeste, I carry water with me on my long runs on Sundays (generally 16k and up). When it's hot and humid, I'll carry water with me on any run over about 30 minutes. Go by how you feel. This morning I ran 14k without water with no problems, but a couple of weeks ago when it was 70 and humid even at 6am, I'd bring water with me for the same distance. Some people prefer to carry water all the time.

Wednesday was a running day for me. Too hot too run in the afternoon like I usually do so I ran about 8:30 at nite, got home right before it got too dark to see! I really liked running that late though, it was cool with a bit of a breeze and the sky was so beautiful. I bought a cheap $1 FM radio with headphones (and a little flashlight) so I could listen to a little music on my run. It was a nice addition even though the only radio station that would come in was an oldies station. :p
I ran 1.3 miles in 15 minutes :) I was very pleased with myself. Saturday is my next day to run, looking to run 1.5 miles with no walk breaks, and I'm looking forward to it.
I do have one question: Is it OK to run 4 days a week? I've been running 3 days a week and would like to add another day as I am enjoying it. :)

Hi everyone! I have been missing for a while here. Off running. Ha ha. Sounds like everyone is doing good and has reces coming up. I know I am running a 10mi in just 3 short weeks. I need to start getting in some longer miles on the weekends in order to make it!

Sweater Girl- Glad everything with the biopsy went well and the outliik is positive.

Laura-I think it would be fine if you ran four days a week if that is what you want to do. Try looking at your weekly total milage and increasing it by around 10%. That should prevent you from running too much even though you are running an additional day. Also, maybe start by your extra run being something easy, such as only .5 mi, or something fun such as intervals or fartleks. Until you are comfortable that four days a week is good for you?

Just a quickie post.... 2 miles of hills on the :tread: this morning and a back and bicep workout...

Hey everyone

well, I have to do 8 miles today, OMG this will be my longest run EVER....so I am somewhat nervous, but I KNOW I can do it...........fingers crossed, we'll see how it goes....

Leanne :lol:

Good luck on your 8mile run Leanne hope it's not too hot in your neck of the woods...

Today I ran to and from the gym, only a total of 5k, but I had done a long 10k run yesterday and I don't usually run 2 days in a row... It was nice and coolish when I left here but when I left the gym an hour later it was getting hotter... It's gonna be a scorcher out today here...

TTFN :wave:

Hi Everyone! Day off for me today. Good think too because it already felt hot when I left the house at 7am to drive some visitors to the train station. The weekend went well. 5k race Saturday, which I finished in 24:18 (And I didn't think I could do 5 minute kms for 5k!) Then a very slow 16k early Sunday morning. I didn't realize how tired my legs were from the race until I was already dressed and out the door, so I decided to keep going, take it slow, and make it a bit shorter than planned.

Congrats on the race Only Me! That's a great time!

I didn't get much running in last week (my legs were sore!), just my interval workout on Wednesday. I wanted to get a good start this week, but my heel felt like it had a splinter in it! I looked and looked but couldn't find anything. I think maybe it was just dry and cracking. Anyway, I managed to jog about 2 miles anyway -- once I had been out for a while it stopped hurting). I'm still a little bit sore from Thursday's circuit training class (90 squats, ouch!), but hopefully by Wednesday I will be in shape for my intervals!

Hey guys,

I ran the 5k this past saturday non stop woohoo!!! I got passed up by many people and came in almost last but I did it! I ran the 5k In 41:20. I am just siked that I did it and thanking God every step of the way. Last year around this time I was 305lbs and I couldn't even run for 30 seconds so as you all can see this is a great accomplishment to me. I know that as I lose weight and continue to train I will gain speed and endurance but as for now I'm happy with where I am physically. I told another woman that was out there running with me that was beating herself up that I can only do what I can do I can't measure myself and my success with other people that were out there running, Everybody's got a story of their own and I can only do what I can do and that's it. If I'm the last runner to cross that finish line it doesn't bother me one bit. Shoot how many overweight Black women do you see out running? I can't count too many on one hand so i know that God is helping me to get to where I'm going. In the bible it states that the race is not given to the swift nor the battle to the strong but to him that endureth until the end. And that's what I'm doing, I'm enduring to the end.

They even had a Kids lil bug run and my babies participated in the run. My son ran 1/4 mile and came in second place, and my daughter ran 1/2 of a mile, something in which she states she will probably never do again but we still had fun and that's what mattered. Thanks you guys for all of your support you really don't know how much it means to me to get you all's replies and posts of encouragement.