Week 7 (mon-wed-fri) by Linda231

[Linda231]

It was great to hear back from you, LInda.
If I had known what a great support system there is on this site, I would have joined on day one! Better late than never. I'm glad to have found you all now.
I almost didn't run today. I kept making excuses. Guess why I finally ran? Because I didn't want to start off telling my new support system friends, "I didn't do my run". See? It's already doing me good!
My story- 6 years ago I was a smoker and very overweight. I lost over 100lbs thru diet only, and quit smoking. My daughter then introduced me to the gym and a treadmill. I didn't like the treadmill, but I did find I liked to do indoor cycle classes, kickboxing, step class, all the cardio classes at the gym, so that's what I do.
9 weeks ago I planned a trip to visit my daughter. She suggested we do our 1st 5k together while I'm there. Well, I'm always up for a challenge so I said "yes". Our 5k is June 16th
Then she suggested this running program.
It's been a challenge, to say the least, but I have stuck with it. I had a bad upper respiratory infection that set me back 2 weeks, but I'm back now and strong as ever.
So many times during this program I'd say to myself 'I'm not a runner. Why am I doing this?" Then I heard that lady on our program call me a runner after my 20 min run. I was so proud!!
So that's my story. Thank you for welcoming me into your group.
I am happy to be a part of our Running team!!!

Glad you found us Cardiochick, and that you did your run! I need all the support I can get o And hope I can help you in anyway I can, an encouraging word sure helps sometimes, we are all in the same boat and really want to finish this program. Wow you are really active!! Me, I am really going from no activity to this. I don't really like exercise at all. Trying to get my cholesterol down, loose some weight, and hopefully make my heart stronger. I may have asked before but do you run in the morning, afternoon or evening? Well good luck on your run tomorrow.
Linda

[Lauraeliza30]

Hi everyone! I thought about moving up my first run of week 7 to today but thought better of it and settled for a quick 30 minute cardi workout at the gym. I wanted to get back with everyone else, but feel better to see we are all at different places now. I don't feel so left out.... Lol. As far as weight, I have lost about 7 pounds but my shape has changed! I have about 15 more pounds to lose!

[Cardiochick]

I love reading your posts. I see I'm not alone in my struggle. I'll be running run 2 this afternoon. No excuses!! Lol. I'll check in as well, after my run.
Sue

[Linda231]

I have not run yet today, Will do it this evening if the rain holds off. I got up this morning and sore from the yard work I did the day before, so back to bed I went. Mon and Wed are my days off work, sooooo the bed just looked to good. I had been planning on getting my cholesterol rechecked for a while, they are doing that now at my pharmacy so that's what I did this morning.
My results this morning (Total cholesterol=251, HDL=62, Triglycerides=344, LDL=120)
My results back in Feb (Total cholesterol=296, HDL=73, Triglycerides=296, LDL=195)

I'm really shocked that the triglycerides were so high this time, was hoping my running and diet would have helped more.
I think most of you guys know both my parents have passed due to heart disease. My Mom in 2001, My Dad in 2008. Both parents were on statins, and maybe 10 to 15 pounds overweight. I'm beginning to think this is hereditary. My Doctor had me on statins earlier this year, they do not work well for me, due to muscle aches and they effected my memory. I felt horrible taking the medication. So, I stopped it.
I currently weigh 138pounds. I am 5' 2" Have lost around 6 pounds.
Trying really hard to make healthy food choices, more fruits and vegetables. I rarely eat fast food or drink soda. Your experiences would be welcome on this subject. Thanks for letting me share this with you. You guys are AWESOME!!!!! Hope you guys have a wonderful day! I will post after my run this evening.

Linda, from across the pond

[Lauraeliza30]

Linda, that is strange about your cholesterol! Everything went down and that went up! I wish I had some advice in on the subject, but I don't. I'm glad you are on top of it all though.

I finished my Week 7 Run 1 about an hour ago and it was HARD! When I looked over my stats at the end I was a little faster and again by little I mean LITTLE. But, again, a little bit is better than no bit! Anyway, I really wanted to give up at about 17 minutes... I was just DONE! BUT, I kept going at a snail's pace and finished. I am impressed I went down to a snail's pace and still had a little more mileage then my last run. Perhaps, that is why I felt overly tired because i pushed to hard at the start. I will have to look at the intervals a bit closer. Anyway, if anyone is a nerd like me, I highly recommend the runmeter app. They have it where you can do a couch to 5 k. The times are different but you can edit it to match this app and then run them at the same time so you can check out all the fun stats. It is great to see improvement, it is a motivator for me!

I hope everyone is a having a great week!

[Linda231]

I finish at about 9pm tonight. I don't like running this late. This was soooo exhausting, after I was finished I did not really feel enough energy to stretch. I wanted to give up every 5 min. l ol, gosh, I think all I have to say is negative. Sorry guys. My glasses would steam up, it rained on and off all day, so the humidity was very high.
Good job Laura, sorry your run was tuff. Yes I was hoping my cholesterol numbers were gonna be good, since starting the running. But o well. Hope all is well, and your next run is great!!!!
Night all.
Linda

[Linda231]

I've been using this great tool that helps track your food, if anyone is doing that. It also has the phone app that you can use with it. I have tried alot of different ones and this one is the best in my opinion. Just wanted to share that with ya

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/

Linda

[starknut]

I've been using this great tool that helps track your food, if anyone is doing that. It also has the phone app that you can use with it. I have tried alot of different ones and this one is the best in my opinion. Just wanted to share that with ya

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/

Linda

Seconding the recommendation of My Fitness Pal! I have used it in the past and found it to be quite helpful.

[Mr Nibbler]

I laugh in the face of W7 - HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Now what is that light approaching me at speed in this tunnel - it is the express train that is W8.....EEEEEEK

I really pushed it out this evening and did both my longest distance and best average speed. At one point I almost got into that mythical "zone" that runners talk about but as soon as I sensed its presence it promptly buggered off with a giggle and left me huffing and puffing again. Although I could feel some of my muscles complaining the biggest worry was one of my knee joints on the inside which was agony at the end, almost as if I had twisted it slightly. A bit of diclofenac and an ice pack seem to have sorted it but I will have to watch that. I thought it would be the other knee as I had the medial meniscus there removed at age 21 as a result of damage caused by long runs and forced marches in military boots. Nevertheless I am still on track to graduate on my 55th birthday which would be nice.

Anyway running pals - onwards and upwards on Sunday evening and I await Linda's new thread on W8. And good luck with the rest of your runs this week.

Yours smugly,

Robin

p.s. I like myfitnesspal too but have not really embraced its use too much.

[Simongeorge]

Wow, well done robin, what's happening to us? We've gone from huffing, puffing wrecks to being on the verge of being real runners! I contemplated doing wk6r3 today instead of tomorrow, in order to make up a little ground but the weather was just too horrible.