Ok, w4d1 of C25K is done, I got a firm kick in the butt from that one! My ashma started to bother me, but i finished it anyway, I can tell it will be a tough week! Is anyone else living at high altitude? I feel like the thin air is really working against me here (I'm at 7,000 ft).

Stephie-how are you doing? I feel like i'm going to have to repeat every week at least once from here on out! I read ahead in the upcomming weeks programs and it was pretty intimidating

Stephie you can totally get back into your runs, just make the time for it.

As far as the 10-k I think it helped the other girl to have someone to talk to but since I listen to my mp3 player it messed me up. Oh well my next race is June 10th so hopefully I'll do better then.

Bought some new running shorts as a present to myself for getting through Tues. run still intact and dedicated. I had been running in athletic shorts or (yikes) pants and had to keep picking wedgies the whole time lol. I feel like the shorts look ridiculous on me, but hey if they give me less to worry about great! I am going to up my goal of one training run outside a week to 2 training runs outside while the weather is nice. So later on this evening I will be heading over to the good old track to get wk4d2 in...

liz - you are absolutely right - have TO MAKE the time for my runs...make them a priority.

Denice - I am in Colorado so a mile high baby! Ofcourse I have lived here near my whole life so I am not sure if the altitude is effecting my runs...I am not even going to look at next weeks training schedule...I cannot let myself mentally psych myself out of just doing it.

i've been a slacker the last few days, haven't run since wednesday, i think i'm going to repeat w4 of the c25k this comming week. I'll pick it up tomorrow!

stephie-how is w4 going for you? are you going on tomorrow to w5?

denice - I have been a slacker too, I was working all weekend and put in some major hours with my other job as well. So sadly today will be wk4d2 for me...I am going to try and squish the weeks together if my body can handle it. How are you doing on the program?

I slacked big time last week so I'm back with my tail between my legs!

I did 5k on monday, took yesterday off as a rest day and will do another 5k today. My 5k race is on sunday so I think I'll take the rest of the week easy, maybe do some cycling or swimming instead.

On one hand I'm really looking forward to the race, but on the other I'm so scared! I have to just keep telling myself thats its only 5k and its all about a fun run for charity than an actual race. I guess because I've been training alone I have no idea how I compare to other ppl. For all I know I may be running at the slowest possible pace ever!

EEEK! Ok, I've got to stop getting myself worked up about this!

Think positive thoughts...

Ok so for those of you that are real runners this is going to sound ridiculous. But I RAN A MILE OUTSIDE yesterday and I am so excited about it. I come from the mindset of having to really push myself to run for 5 minutes in a row...and I am so a treadmill runner by habit. So last night I was going to do a training run but something for work came up...I told myself I would go anyway and instead of a training run just try to get a mile in. So I put on my running gear and took it to the track and 10:25 later I RAN A MILE!

bone idle - Is this the first 5k you have done? If so just be psyched you did it, don't put too much of a worry on your pace this go round.

Stephie- right on! that must have felt wonderful! I did a w4 training yesterday, and am going to do 1 or 2 more before moving on. It still is kicking my butt! Why is it that you think running outside is harder than on a treadmill? I don't have the comparison.

I've heard the thing that makes it easier is that the treadmill pulls the belt/ground under you so you don't have any wind resistance...also there is more cushioning to the belt of the treadmill vs. the ground outside so it is less of an impact

Denise - running outside is definetly harder than running on a treadmill. Like stephie said the treadmill gives you a little pull along and theres no wind resistence. Also its completely flat. Even roads that seem very flat can have a slight incline or bumps. I read somewhere that if you run on a treadmill and want to mirror running outside, you should set a 1.5% incline.

But that said, I still love running outside. Im finding the gym increasingly more irritating and theres only so much of cr*p tv that i can watch when im on the treadmill. Im seriously considering quitting my membership and just paying as i go along if i want to use the pool.

Last nite i did 6k. But it started out as a very bad run. I was a lot more tired than usual and had to take a couple of extra walking breaks. Also i didnt manage to jog up the really steep hill near my house. Thats always a big struggle for me but i feel so good when i make it to the top. Yesterday i gave up when i wasn't even half way up the hill. Feeling bad I decided to take the long way home and it ended up being 6k.

My legs dont feel anymore tired than usual but I think I'll lay off the running until the 5k on sunday.

Oh, Denise I just remembered something my friend said to me a couple of days ago. She said that running outside promotes a more toning weight loss compared to other cardio workouts. Im not entirely sure how that works but she's got a degree and masters in sports science so Im taking her word for it!!

well, I've run 1.5 times this week (got a stomach halfway through the last one and only did half the training ), but i'm off for a vacation to the beach tomorrow! i'm pretty excited at the prospect of jogging along the beach. I know this sounds kinda cheesy, and will probably be much harder than I expect, but i'm looking forward to it none the less. I might have internet service off and on for the week, but if not, have a great active week everyone!

Knew I was going to be leaving at 5 today so got my run in....in 90 degree weather. Then came home and took a shower before I passed out. But alas it is done.

bone idle - good luck on your 5k Sunday ! I hope that bit about running being better cardio for toning is true, I sure could use it.

denice - Have fun on vacation I hear the beach is hard to run in, something about ankle support. I won't be on this weekend either, travelling for work. Have a good one!

Wow. Its been one hot weekend here in London. And I've got the sunburn to prove it. Ouch!

The 5k yesterday went really well. I completed it in 31mins 40 secs which is a personal best for me. There were 2,500 women running but I have no idea where i came in that because they don't time it.

Im really motivated to keep going now and even, gasp... try for a 10k in a few months. Eeek, even the thought of it is making me feel sick! I dont think I'll stick religiously to any plan. I might just keep going myself, increasing my distance when I feel Im ready.

Hope you all had nice weather this wkend too!

BONE IDLE - you are such an inspiration to me, because you too were doing a program and show they do work lol. Congrats on finishing and doing so well. Your goals are so lofty A 10k already...god I wish I had that motivation. I think I will be happy if I can just get through a 5k without walking a single step.

Thanks Stephie,

I think what I've learnt from the 5k training is that its impossible to come up with one definitive training plan to suit everyone. My schedule was for 6 weeks, at the end of which the goal was to be able to run for 30mins and 5k non stop. I found that by week 4 I was able to run the 5k but not without some walking breaks. Even when i did the 5k on sunday, at the end of my 6 week schedule, I could not run the distance without stopping. I took 3 small walking breaks during it.

So basically, what im trying to say is that its important to be aware of what your body if feeling rather than being a slave to the schedule. If you feel you can do more, keep running! If not, take a walking break and dont be ashamed of it!

I've even read in the running world magazine that taking walking breaks can help improve your endurance as it effectively means that you are doing interval training.

So bring on the breaks I say!!!!