New Resistance Bands

Though I finished the Couch to 5K program a few weeks ago, I had yet to run the actual 3.1 miles in one go without stopping. I knew that I could, I usually run 2.25 to 2.5 miles at a time and when I finish those I always feel like I could have easily pushed on to the 3.1, but I never had the time.

Yesterday was supposed to be just another 2.5 mile run. However I was pissed off at being stuck inside on the treadmill instead of running outside. We got hit with a winter storm and I don’t feel comfortable running on ice so I was trapped in the gym. Grudgingly I climbed on the treadmill and started my 5 minute warm up walk and then reset the machine and started my run.

When I run I go through 3 mental states. At first I feel awesome and enjoy watching the distance click by. I keep reminding myself that 3 months ago I could not have ran a half mile and felt that good. This usually keeps me going until the first 1.25 mile mark. At that point my body switches modes and while it is doing the switchover I start feeling anxiety, like I am not going to be able to finish the run. My brain starts coming up with excuses to quit, or to just stop for a minute or two. I spend at least another mile fighting with my anxiety. Eventually I reach the 80% mark and at that point the grit and determination kick in. This is where I decide that I have made it THIS far, there is no way in hell I am quitting now. That makes that last 20% a breeze.

Yesterday was a lot like that except when I crossed the 2.5 mile mark, which was my original stopping point, I told myself to keep going. Just another quarter mile, just another quarter mile. Then I realized how close I was to 3.1 miles and decided to go for it. It seemed like it took forever. My brain was screaming at me to stop. But I didn’t, and I feel great.

Now I know 100% that I can run 5k, there is no doubts about it at all. 2011 is the year of the 5k for me where I work on getting the best possible time in that year that I can before I graduate to the next levels the following year.

Yesterday I started running and was supposed to do a 10 minute run, 5 minute walk, 10 minute run split. However I hit the wrong menu option on my Garmin Forerunner and wound up running for 25 straight minutes without stopping. I could have just stopped and reset the Garmin to the right workout, but I obsess about my running, particularly about NOT stopping once I have started.

The amazing thing is how far I have come in just 6 weeks of running. 6 weeks ago I could barely run 10 minutes without stopping, and even then I could only do that on a really good day. Now I am at a point where running for 10 minutes is not even a challenge. It wasn’t until I hit the 20 minute mark yesterday that I really started feeling the challenge. From the 5 minute to the 20 minute mark my body and breathing did not change at all. I did that full 15 minute stretch pretty much on autopilot.

Consulting with my Garmin shows me that my max heart rate was 154 BPM for this run. 6 weeks ago my heart rate was hitting 161 during my runs, so my heart is getting more comfortable with the running, which is a good thing.

The distance from yesterday was 2.1 miles. My stretch goal is to be able to run 3.1 miles (5K) in under 33 minutes. Getting the distance down is not going to be a challenge, I should be able to comfortably run 3.1 miles in another month or so. After that it’s just a matter of training for speed.