A new milestone!

• Ran 6 miles (almost 10 km)
• Total time to complete: 1 hr. 15 min.

This run was really really hard. For the first time, my chest and abdomen was hurting a bit from trying to breathe. I don't know why it was so hard breathing today. I sucked at running. I really had to force myself to keep going. Even during my last 0.5 mile, I was considering walking the rest or quitting but then I had to talk myself out of it because it would just be stupid to stop running with only 0.5 mile to go. Man, was it hard running. I'm totally in shock right now. I'm elated that I accomplished this but it was at a cost. My mind is full of thoughts like "This is only half of a half marathon. How in the world am I going to finish on race day!" I guess I should counteract these thoughts with "Look how far I've come!" At least I know that at this time to complete almost half the half marathon that I'll come in around my time goal which is 2 hr. 30 min. I might try and increase my speed a little during the last couple months of training in order to ensure I come in at 2 hr. 30 min. Oh and if you're wondering what I did to beat the boredom since the laptop I use on the treadmill is broken, I downloaded some Podcasts (i.e. one about The Office, and some brain strengthening exercise thing). Maybe this is why it was hard to run today; it was a change in my distraction. Well, we'll see how I do during next week's long run. Mind you on Tue. and Thur., it will seem like a long run anyways because I think I do 5 miles now on those days. Sigh.

Week 5, Thursday

• Ran 4 miles
• Total time to complete: approx. 49 min. 30 sec.
• Laptop isn't working anymore. I don't know what I'm going to do while running now!
  

Week 5, Wednesday

• Today I ran 2 miles straight at 5.2 miles/hour.
• Time to complete: 23 min.
• It was a little tiring but not bad altogether.
  

My 8km Milestone!

• Total time to complete: 1 hour, 2 min.
• Treadmill speed: 5 miles/hour; 3 miles/hr walking
• Run 10 min., Walk 1 min. cycles
• It felt GREAT!!!!! It was a little bit hard getting into the first couple miles but afterwards I got into the groove and it was easy peasey!
  

Training Update

Some of you may be wondering why I haven't posted anything about running lately. It's because I've decided not to do it. It was taking up so much of my time and I was going to bed so late in order to stick to the training schedule.

Just kidding. I am still training for the half marathon. The only reason why I haven't posted is because I haven't been running this week. I was so sore over the weekend that it was better for me to take a few days off than to force myself to run risking further injury.

I'm planning on strapping on my running shoes again this weekend though. I need to do my first 5 mile run which is 8km which is the same distance as running along the canal. What a milestone that will be for me!

I don't know how much I'll struggle getting back into it though because I've eaten a lot of Easter candy (from work) and cookies (at Barb's) these last couple of days. Yikes!

Week 3, Sunday

• I was supposed to run 5 miles today but my body hurt from volleyball yesterday, my abdomen is hurting (I think I have a bladder infection), plus I slipped on the ice just before running. So I only ran 3.5 miles in just over 46 min. My shins were starting to really ache so I figure I should stop instead of pushing myself the whole 5 miles. I didn't want to make things worse.
  

Week 3, Saturday

• I played in a volleyball tournament.
  

Food Court Musical

People should bust out into song more often!

Week 3, Friday

• Today was supposed to be a rest day but I got up early and ran the 3.5 miles I was supposed to run yesterday.
• Total time to complete: just under 44 min.
• Treadmill speed: 5 miles/hr
• Run 10 min., Walk 1 min. intervals
• I was more tired than usual...probably because my body is wondering what the heck I was doing so early in the morning.
  

Week 3, Thursday

• I was supposed to run 3.5 miles but my stomach wasn't feeling well all evening.
  

Week 3, Wednesday

• Today I ran 2 miles straight! That's right, folks, no walking inbetween. I even did it at my new speed 5 miles/hr. Ladies and gentlemen, Jessica is a running machine!
  
• Total time to complete: 24 min.
• It felt good physically. In order for me to do this on the road though, I really need something to entertain me or else I'm going to get bored really easily. I can't wait until this snow melts so I can take it to the road.
  

Banana Wireless - Part 2

Banana Wireless - Part 1

Week 3, Tuesday

• 3 mile run
• Total time to complete: just over 37 min. Hurray, I shaved off over a minute!!!
• Treadmill speed: 5 miles/hour
• This wasn't too hard actually. I think I'm ready to up the speed slowly as I increase my endurance. I'm still ecstatic to shave over a minute off my total time to date. YES!
  

Week 3, Monday

• Stretch and Strengthen
• Ummmm, I skipped today's training. The whole family went to see a movie after I got home from work.
  

Week 2, Sunday

• Today was supposed to be a 3 mile long run. However after shoveling for almost 2 hours, my body was too sore to do much. Plus we had to go to the Jakobs for dinner so I only put in 1 mile but I ran much quicker than usual...6 miles/hour for the whole mile.
  

Week 2, Saturday

• Cross train for 30 min.
• I think shoveling counts.
  

Week 2, Friday

• Rest day
  

What to do when you have way too much snow in the backyard...

Week 2, Thursday

• Run 3 miles
• Run 9 min., Walk 1 min. cycles
• Total time to complete: 38 min.
• Treadmill speed: 5 miles/hr on the first 2 and the last cycle; 4.8 miles/hr during the middle two cycles
• Since I missed running for two days, my legs were tired in the beginning but I got back into the groove of things. It was harder when I was doing the 5 miles/hr cycles though.
  

Week 2, Wednesday

• I was supposed to run 2 miles today but my neck and upper back was still hurting.

Things you can't do when you've hurt your neck:

• have the laptop on your lap and type
  
• shovel after a snowstorm
  
• untie a knot in your pyjama pants when you're trying to go to the bathroom
  

Week 2, Tuesday

• I was supposed to run 3 miles today but with my neck hurting and working overtime, I took the day off.
  

Week 2, Monday

• Strength and Strengthen day
• I played volleyball instead. The kids came out too watch. Somehow I pulled something in my neck and upper back but it was all worth it...we won.
  

Week 1, Sunday

• The long run day - 4 miles
• Treadmill speed: 4.8 miles/hr; the last 1/4 mile a sped up to 5.3 miles/hr
• Time to complete: 52 min.
• This wasn't too bad. It wasn't like my last run but it wasn't like last Sunday's dreadful run. I ate lunch over 3 hours prior but I don't think I had digested everything yet because halfway through I felt like I was still full. Or maybe it's because I gulped so much water during the run that the water made me full.
  
• I know I said I was going to reward myself with a massage but I'm going to do a little more than that. A client of mine gave me a gift certificate for a spa to thank me for some recent hard work, late nights, and weekends I spent on their projects. So I'm going to use that to get a hot stone massage. For my little reward for reaching 5km though, I bought a new shirt and pants to run in and a running watch that will keep time during my interval training. What should I plan on getting for my 10km milestone? Sheldon if you're reading this, perhaps musical tickets for the year? - wink, wink.
  

Week 1, Saturday

• Cross-train
• I think shoveling the driveway and helping the neighbour shovel her driveway counts as cross-training. You?