I did my first outdoor solo run last night around the resevoir! It was super scenic and a perfect night to get outside to test these legs! They have been out of commission with outdoor running for quite some time (aside from the few I've squeaked in with D). I have been trying for 3X a week at the gym (or being active). So far, I've been pretty good! But I've always said that running outside was a whole different ballgame. It's tough!! After last night, my half marathon training seemed like another lifetime...I used to run long distances and 5K was a breeze! What happened to that!??!
With the Mother's Day run about a month away (May 13), I have to really get serious about training to run the full distance!
Since I just started reading Chi Marathon, I hoped to employ some of their running techniques. I tried to run keeping my body straight with only a slight lean, and to strike the pavement midfoot. I also tried to keep my body relaxed and keep my strides under me.
The first 5 minutes was a nice jog. However, at the one minute walk break, I was already winded! I alternated jog/walk in a random fashion for about 2.5K. At the turn around point, I decided to use my couch to 5K app! I needed some tunes and motivation!
I had some trouble with it at first, missing my cues because the app turned off. I wondered why my 5 minute brisk walk was so long! Once I discovered that I could lock the app, it was smooth sailing. I really liked the quick 1 min jog/walk intervals - that seemed totally manageable. Toward the end, I felt comfortable with the pace, even though my calf and leg muscles were flaring up and really sore. (I'm sure I'm still running incorrectly as it should NOT be this painful!)
All in all, I was happy to complete the 5K jog/walk with the aid of my "trainer". I really dig this app. It showed me that I CAN run on my own! I'm not sure why I was so nervous about it in the first place. I'm excited to continue this journey and learn to run with better form.
I've enrolled in two sessions and am so excited to learn how to improve my running. They come to me with RAVE reviews from my very kick-ass and inspirational running coworker! :)
- Smart Runner by Dale McDonald
- Fitness Fix - run analysis
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