Sarah’s Fitness Journal

I took some time off of journaling, but now I’m back! Yesterday I got on the scale and saw that I had lost 5 pounds more, so now all together I’ve lost 20 pounds! Really excited about that. The run was good. I ran the farthest I’ve run in a while...5 miles. Now core tonight, and on I go!

 

 

 

 

Today I felt great all the way around...breathing, arms and legs. I started slow and gradually built my pace over 40 minutes. At the end, I got that feeling again like my feet were really leaving the ground, like I was really running, not jogging. I listened to Paula Radcliffe on Nike Run Club. Wow. I had never heard about her career, her accomplishments, her story. She is so inspiring. She speaks the truth. I’ll be adding some of my favorites ideas that she shared later this afternoon.

Today I ran another 5K. I had intended to take it easier on this one. Not that my pace is anywhere near fast yet, but I thought I would slow it down compared to the other days. I started at a slow pace, and as they say happens, I gradually increased my pace throughout the run. And I finished at about the same time as my first watch timed 5K.  Today my body felt good, but my breathing was a little off. That’s opposite of what it has been. But overall, it was a good run again. So strange that I am now able to run 30- 40 minutes! At the beginning of the month, it was a lot for me to run just one minute! So happy with my progress!

Today I listened to “Fuel the Run” by Shalane Flanagan while I ran another 5K on the treadmill. Hearing her thoughts on this is good for me as a runner and a mom of runners. The whole idea is to enjoy cooking, to have fun with it. Find interesting, healthy recipes, enjoy cooking them and eating them. Sometimes when you don’t have a lot of time, tweak an easy recipe...spaghetti with whole grain noodles, bison meat instead of hamburger. The whole idea is to enjoy the process and enjoy the food so that this becomes a lifestyle....fueling your body well for running or exercise. Not only can you give your body good fuel for running, but also eating this way can help with recovery from tough workouts and prevention of injury. Over time, with eating well and exercising, I am feeling so much better. I can’t imagine not pairing the two. I don’t know how I could be doing these runs without my current diet. I doubt that I would have the sustained energy. I’m very thankful for my friends who are s...

So, yesterday when I ran my first 5K, I forgot to start my running watch. I used the mileage and time from my treadmill as my guide. And then I stopped and cleared the treadmill by mistake before I got a good look for my time for the 5K. I was tired and wasn’t thinking. I guessed my time was about 45 minutes. Well, today I started my running watch on time for another 5K, and when I finished, this is what it said... It’s hard to read, but it said that I ran this 5K in 32:12. So either my treadmill is inaccurate or my watch is, lol. I think the only way I’ll really know is when I run a 5K outside. CANT WAIT UNTIL THIS SNOW MELTS!! Today I ran “Run with Headspace,” with Andy Puddicomb, co-founder of Headspace and former Buddhist monk. One of the things I love about him is that he acknowledges that it can sometimes even be an accomplishment to get dressed in your running clothes, lol. And he emphasizes the importance of starting a run slowly, letting your body adjust to the change from res...

I took yesterday off and then today I ran my first 5K since I started running again! Sure, it took me about 45 minutes, but hey, NEW PR as a 50 year old, LOL. And next time, it shouldn’t be too hard to beat that, I think, so that’s good too. 😉 I felt pretty good. My breathing felt good the whole time, but my legs were pretty tired at the end.

A big victory for me this week was waiting to step on the scale until today. It was hard to wait after last week’s weight loss disappointment. I worked to understand the reasons behind it, built myself up for staying diligent with my exercise and diet, and kept reminding myself of all of the reasons I am on this health journey besides weight loss. So,  in the end, I was ok with last week. I promised myself that I would only step on the scale once a week, and I am holding to that. Again, I think it helps me see the big picture and not drive myself crazy. This morning, I stepped on the scale and saw that I had lost... 5 POUNDS!!!  I now weigh 177 lbs. I’ll take it. About the same in measurements...39 1/2 inch waist, 12 inch arm, but same 25 inch thigh...last week was waist 40, thigh 25, arm 12, two weeks ago waist 40.5, thigh 25, arm 12.25, 3  weeks ago...waist 42 inches, thigh 25 inches, arm 14 inches. Good run today...stretching, 5 minute warm up, 35 minute building run w...

Last night I had a fantastic night of sleep and am feeling pretty good today. So this morning I decided to run Nike’s “Breaking Through Barriers” run. I’ve been wondering for a while if I have what it takes to go a little faster, to increase my pace. My son and his friends will often say that sometimes the slower pace is harder to maintain than a faster pace. It’s an interesting idea, but one that seems counterintuitive. Another idea that I have been toying with is what they always talk about on Nike Run Club. They always say start at a slower pace and often times your body will naturally build to a faster pace, sometimes without you even knowing that you’re putting in more effort. Well that’s not something that you can do on a treadmill. You have to intentionally push a button to make yourself go a faster pace. (That’s why I am very drawn to the idea of running outside again so that I can see if my pace does build again like it did when I was really in shape and running before.) Anywa...

Last night I didn’t sleep well. I tend to do my best worrying at night, starting at about 12 or 1, and then have a hard time falling back asleep. I’m hoping that this is temporary because for the most part during this last month, I’ve been sleeping well. So I got up this morning kind of dragging. When I was looking for a Nike guided run for today, I decided to do the “Running On Empty” run. I think it was good to slow this run down a bit (although I ran 2 minutes longer) to help me psychologically and physically get through this run. All of the coaches from Nike talk about starting every run slow, and then naturally your body will often build to a faster pace as it is ready and warmed up. I’ve definitely found that to be the case, although today I kept everything on the slow side except for the last 2 minutes. I’m hoping that tonight I get more rest and am not as emotionally exhausted tomorrow, and that because I respected my body and held back a little today, I’ll have more to give to...