So let me first talk about last night. We had an ultimate frisbee practice at Trinity-Bellwoods Park. It is actually quite a nice park! And pretty big! Lots of trees, too. So we found a nice shaded patch of field to run around in. I practiced a few different throws and have decided that the hammer throw is where it's at. I'm getting pretty good at it! Also, I'm getting pretty good at throwing curving frisbees. I'm less good at throwing them backhanded or other variations, but I'm getting better. It's fun to do the hammer!! Also I need to work on catching the frisbee and being able to tell where the frisbee is going to end up. I am usually running all over chasing a curving frisbee and I have to stop that :P
We played a bit of 4v4 and it was fun. The more I play the more I get a sense of what to expect and what I am supposed to do (weird how that works out, eh?). Although during a real game I am still a bit like a chicken with its head cut off :( But I can only get better, right?
Also! Tammy said my calves looked more muscle-y. /beam
Therefore, even though I did not run yesterday morning, at least I ran around for a couple hours last night!
This morning I was determined to make it out for my run because I knew the longer I kept putting it off, the harder it would be to start again. So I did it. I am a little messed up on my Couch to 5k training sessions because of the various missed days. I should be on Day 3, Week 5, so I skipped a couple sessions over the past 2 weeks and today I did Day 2, Week 5. That's not too shabby, eh?
This morning's plan:
5 min warmup
8 min jog
5 min walk
8 min jog
Easy peasy! I did it with barely a hitch (except for the aforementioned new pain). I think I probably could have run a bit longer than 8 minutes, but it was getting rather hot outside!
I plan to run this weekend and finish off Week 5 so I can transition into Week 6 without being behind. However, day 5's plan is: 5 minute warmup followed by 20 minute run.
What the hell?
What kind of transition is that?? So I'm not going to lie, my friends. I am a little nervous. But the only thing I can do is try, right? :D I'm such an after-school special. You can do it, Duffy Moon! (That was for you, Denise).
Lessons Learned:
- I think my cardio has improved slightly. The reason I want to stop running is not usually because I can't breathe, but because my legs are tired. Although when I do stop I am breathing pretty hard.
- I need to strengthen my legs. Are there home exercises for that? Other than the lunges and squats for my upper legs. Any actual exercises to strengthen my lower legs or do I just have to keep running?
- I need to stop buying cheap flip flops. Another pair just bit the dust. Sigh. Luckily it happened while I was already in the hospital and luckily I have a pair of shoes here. But I really didn't feel like wearing heels today :( And! I have to go to the beach after work and can't wear heels! Brutal. You know what this means, right? Yup, I will have to go find another cheap pair of flip flops before the beach!
- Lunges and squats seriously work. Or at least they seem to since I'm still feeling it a million days later.
In addition to the boot camp and the rock climbing, I am also going to try spinning! I am going with a co-worker to a Wednesday morning spin class at 7am (eep) . I'm a little scared, but looking forward to it, too!
I just want to say that having started running has really expanded my life in a lot of unexpected ways. I am trying things that even a year ago I would have seriously scoffed at or been horrified by. Taking this spin class is just a further progression of that. I know this sounds smarmy, but I am really looking forward to the new direction my life is taking :)
Life's good! And my future looks even better. /dimple
