Wednesday, July 28, 2010

>Stepping backwards

>Do you ever do that (in your running/training)?

I'm considering (kinda actually already did) stepping back.
What I mean by that is I have completed the Couch to 5k program and obviously, as seen in past posts(lol), ran several 5k. I've lost count of just how many races I've completed but I know I have completed the 5k distance a ton! So, what I want to do is kind of restart the program only using a different training method/program and possibly for a different distance.

Yeah, yeah..
I know, if you read back a ways you will see where I started half marathon training. I stopped. Shame on me. But I think I just started too much at that time. So, Monday I did a quick search on 10k training programs and found a lot of options. Since I have been running a while I picked a program that looked ok and decided to start midway through it. I can run several minutes at a time before having to take a walk break (which I hate, by the way) so I didn't want to start with the first week training plan because I didn't want to get burnt out. Does that make sense? Ok. Good...

Yesterday I started the "new" program. I don't recall what week it is right off but it went like this:
- run 3 minutes
- walk 1 minute
Repeat 7 times 
I managed to get in 4.10 miles in 42 minutes and some seconds. I went about 4 minutes past the "suggested" time. 
 
Easy enough for someone who has been running a while. So, my goal is to follow this plan (thank goodness I saved it in my favorites, lol) and work my way up to a comfortable 10k pace by the end of fall. I think that is a reasonable goal.

Something else I hope to achieve is to be able to run the entire distance without taking so many walk breaks. I have come to grips that for me right now walk breaks are not a bad thing and do not necessarily make me a non-runner (tell me you agree!!). But let's be honest here, I am still a good 30+ pounds overweight and running just is not the easiest thing I have ever done. However, I am still running! Like real pounding pavement and treadmill running not hopping on an elliptical and calling that a run (which is fine for others, just not me!).

I'm taking a break from the gym tonight to meet up with a friend for dinner. I am looking forward to it even if I am having to drag the kids along! LOL But I think, depending on how I feel after dinner, that I will utilize the Wii when I get home and at least get in some activity that way.

Do you ever take a step back in training? Thoughts....

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