Well, we live in the middle of the UK so to go to a promenade means at least a 90min drive, 2hrs to get to the ocean where DH's family live, so it's not often we go. I absolutely LOVE the ocean, would love to live by it, but it's not practical for us for now. When I run on the treadmill sometimes I imagine running by the ocean....
Even though today felt hard on the treadmill, the rest of my workout has seemed easier the last couple of times so I think my stamina is improving and the strength in my legs as well. The weather here is so beautiful today I'm already really looking forward to my next outside run, just to see if I can prove I can do longer. I just don't know if I should try grass again tomorrow or swim tomorrow and wait to run on the promenade on Saturday I'm a little scared the prom will be harder on my knees, and I don't want to tire myself out running tomorrow then not be able to run on the prom, but then again I really want to try to run tomorrow

Oh goody, I just got talked into doing a 5K tonight by my boyfriends mom. I guess his siblings school is putting one on tonight as a fundraiser.

I know I can do it, I'm just sort of nervous because I'm not quite up to 3.1 miles yet. Today I did about 2.8... which is pretty darn close, but whatever. Also I used to go to that school, and I'm scared that some of my old peers might be there. It's a sort of rich school and a lot of them were snobs....

Wish me luck guys. I'll post later and tell you all my time.

Good luck with your 5k oodles. And don't worry about the other 0.3 miles... adrenaline does wonders... it took a minute off my personal best time... despite the worst weather i've run in.

Good luck OODLES!!!! I KNOW you can do it!!! We're going to be so proud!!

Guys!

I Did It!

I ran a 5K. RAN. THE ENTIRE THING. AND I EVEN SPRINTED AT THE END!!

My time was 39:01. I got slowed down by people a few times though... sooo I think my time was a skosh faster. OH, and I got the craziest adrenaline rush at the end. My entire body tingled, it was insane.

OMMMMMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGgg.

I'm like peeing my pants. Dead serious.

Mind you, this is on TOP of the almost 3 miles I ran today. I RAN 6 MILES TODAY. IN ONE DAY? WHO THE HECK AM I??????

I never thought those words would come out of my mouth.

Ahhh. There was a KFC dinner after that was part of the race, and I ate the whole damn thing. I didn't even feel guilty. Alright. I'm sorry. I just had to share.... I'm so excited and happy and tired and content.

In closing, if Natalie, the laziest most unmotivated girl in the world can run a 5K, so can all of you guys.

Oodles - That's amazing, well done you, you should be SO proud of yourself!!!

I am absolutely ecstatic after just getting back from my run outside today. I started off thinking I will just try to run for 3 songs on my ipod which I knew should be about 10mins, as the most I've done non-stop before outside is 7.5mins. At the moment I run around two football pitches on the local playing fields and one half of the lap is downhill, the other uphill. Anyway, when I got to the end of the 3rd song I found I'd done 13mins! At this point I'd done 3 laps of the pitches so decided to try to do another lap which I knew would take me to about 17mins. As I went along those uphill bits were getting harder and harder, but I kept telling myself I just had to get to that corner, then the next, then I kept saying it's a downhill bit now, you can do all the downhill bit before you stop. In the end when my legs really couldn't manage any more and my heart rate hit my high limit I had run for 24mins non-stop!!!!! My Nike+ says I did 3.46k in those 24mins. Now I don't think it's very accurate, but it's about 2/3 of the way through a 5k!
I am just so happy with what I've achieved today. I proved to myself yet again I could do something I didn't think I could. Running for me really is a mental thing, if I just focus and keep telling myself I can do it, I actually can!
My legs have definitely worked MUCH harder today running outside than they do on the treadmill, and I'm thinking I will probably ache later, but now I know that with 10 weeks to go to my 5k race if I just add a minute a week to my time and with a real push on the day, I should be able to run the whole race, which is my dream!!!!

:c arrot:'

That is JUST SO UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!

LM-- this is just so fantastic! I KNEW you could do it! Oddly enough, I had just the opposite experience yesterday-- I decided that I could run 20 minutes and instead, I ran 17.5 outside.

Do you like the NIKE chip? I would love to know how far I'm running.... I just go by time.

Thanks Uber, I really am so proud of myself, still can't believe I actually did it

I don't really know what I think of the Nike+. I've tried to map the area that I run and if I've done it correctly then the Nike+ is a little inaccurate. I've callibrated it a couple of times like it says to do, but it doesn't seem to make much difference.
Going on my mapping it seems to overestimate outside, but underestimate on the treadmill, but it helps me to watch the pace mostly and make sure I'm not going too fast when I start, and whether or not the distance is accurate it's motivating to see it growing.
I've actually got the new Garmin Forerunner 110 watch on pre-order and can't wait for it to be released and arrive, hopefully the end of the month or early next. I've wanted one for SO long, and now I'm actually really getting into running and haven't rewarded myself along my weight loss journey, I've decided to go for it.

Oh my gosh! I totally need that watch! Thanks for the tip. Are you getting the one with the HR monitor?

Congratulations Oodles and LovingMe!

ubergirl - I go by time but after the run I'll go on mapmyrun and figure out how far I've run so I can work out my speed and stuff.

It looks fab doesn't it, I can't wait to get mine and start using it. It will be SO good to be able to accurately track my runs by route, distance, speed and time.
And yes, I am getting the one with the heart rate monitor. I have a basic HRM which hubby got me for christmas last year and I love it, but it only does heart rate and cals so I'm ending up wearing that and my Nike+ at the same time which is a pain.
I will still use my current HRM in the gym but really want the watch for running outside, which I hope I'll be doing more and more of over time.

Switched it up with a treadmill run-- I did the 5 minute 8 minute 5 minute interval from week 5 but I ran between 4.5 and 5.0 mph with a little sprint to 5.5 at the end. I was happy to see that I can kick up the speed a bit.

I ran for 5 straight days this week. Yikes.

It is nice - there is just something about running with the sea and open sky on one side, and the smell of the surf in the air. They have recently rebuilt and smartened up all the promenade where I live also so it is a very nice run.

Just got back from our visit to the coast and I'm still on a high from this morning.
I set off running around the promenade and experienced the toxic ten minutes I've heard people talk about. I just couldn't get my breathing right and my legs hurt.
Then I seemed to get into a better rythym and tried to take note of the waves I could see and smell and the clear blue sky above. It was really hard but I kept telling myself I'd just get to the next corner or whatever, and eventually I reached the other end of the promenade which was a great feeling. When I got to the end I had intended to stop and walk back, but I found myself turning around and carrying on running back the other way.
I looked at my watch and had done 18mins at that point I think it was, so I decided I would try really hard to get to 24mins like I did on grass on Friday.
Then when I got to 24mins I decided to just do another minute so I'd beaten my best outdoor run. Then I decided to try to get to the next corner, and once I'd done that I could see in the distance where I'd started and I just knew I had to carry on somehow.
I put every ounce of energy I had into it and I made it back to my start point at the beginning of the promenade. And the time on my watch when I stopped running.... 35mins 45secs
I had run around the promenade AND back without stopping, had beaten my outside running record, AND beaten my treadmill running record all at the same time
I then stood for a while whilst my legs stopped feeling like jelly and breathed in the sea air, watched and listened to the waves and felt totally at peace with the world and myself. I'd just done something I never imagined I'd do, in fact only 12 months ago I couldn't even WALK one way without being exhausted.
I THINK I ran about 4.7k in total, so SO close to the elusive 5k, but I know now I'll be able to do it when the time comes.
Tonight my legs ache, my knees especially, from running on the concrete which I'm not used to, but it's worth it to know just how far I've come in the last 3 months, I really am a runner now!