FOUR DAYS IN A ROW!! And then tomorrow, the actual race (walk!) - so that'll be FIVE days!! I am actually quite shocked at myself that I've gotten up four mornings in a row now to walk... Unfortunately, the "burst of energy" that I hear one gets with regular exercise hasn't seemed to kick in yet - I'm finding myself REALLY tired every morning, and thus needing to eat something (usually some nuts) as well as have some caffeine to keep going.
But my step counts have never been higher! Today I walked almost 2 miles, and I'm already up to more than 6000 steps so far! Yesterday I hit 9000, and the day before that I almost broke my pedometer :) by hitting 11,382 steps!!
I feel like people are probably reading this thinking "it's just a 5K Jen, why are you making such a big deal out of this?? And you're not even running it, just walking..." Well, remember (and I keep reminding myself) that when I started this journey in December, walking just two blocks was a daunting task for me, and one I avoided like the plague. Walking the not even 1/4 mile down the street to the little neighborhood park with my kids was a HUGE effort. I would try to combine errands within my building at work to save steps because I would get so tired. Now, I embrace walking around the building for meetings! Now, I can walk for 2 miles in the morning and be tired and oh-so-sweaty (!), but feel good! Now, the park down the street feels incredibly close by and just an easy stroll! SO...a 5K IS a big deal for me. (I don't mean this to say that I think people are being judgmental - everyone has been SO supportive, and I thank you all for that! I'm more rationalizing this in my head, and needing to remind myself how far I've come...!)
Of course, the real test will be next week when I don't have the specter of training for the race hanging over my head - can I still get myself out of bed in the mornings?? Maybe I need to find another race for a few months from now to work towards...
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Good idea! My rooommate ran a half marathon a few weeks ago, and since then she's been running a lot less. Her dad asked her, "So, how's preparation for the race going?" She said, "I already ran it." And he asked, "And that's it? You're done running forever?" If another race will motivate you, I say do it! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm training for my first 5K as well. I'm going to run part of it and walk part of it - the goal is just to finish. I keep wanting to back out of it, but then a friend convinces me that I should still run it.
You're an inspiration, keep at it! Small things done consistently add up to great changes!
First of all, thanks for mentioning me. Just like with what you're doing, running a half marathon is all about working towards a goal and much of it is mental.
ReplyDeleteNice job on the all the consecutive mornings! Once you get into a habit of it, it gets so much easier and then if you miss a day or two, you feel like you missed out. As for the extra energy, you'll have to figure out when and what to eat before and after your walks and maybe hit the bed earlier (advice I never ever follow myself). Do you eat anything before you go out? Maybe have a quick protein bar or a banana is always good. A good time saver is to put out your clothes the night before.
Someone else said it, but most marathoners do not run the entire distance prior to the race. My longest training run for this half was 10 miles and for my full marathons I never trained more than 20. You'll be absolutely fine and ready and the cheering crowd is an enormous help. But don't let them keep you from pacing yourself! And make sure to drink a lot the day before and morning of, but stop drinking ~an hour prior to the walk if you want to avoid the porta-potties along the way. Start drinking again once the walk begins though. Have fun!
And you said exactly what I was going to suggest - pick another walk to start training for. I highly recommend finding a training program - it makes getting out so much easier when it's like a homework assignment on the training schedule. For some reason, when it's on the schedule, I feel like I have to make myself find the time (and babysitting) to get out.
Good luck and enjoy the walk tomorrow!!
Erica
Jen, it IS a big deal, and you don't need to rationalize or convince anyone. I am so proud of you. I do think having something to train for is very helpful. In fact, I have been thinking about signing up to walk (not run!) a half-marathon in December, as a way to get myself motivated and back in shape after baby arrives. It's not as hard as a 3-Day, but it would require me to get my butt in gear and train.
ReplyDeleteI do think that the good feelings (endorphins?) from exercise will kick in and start outweighing the tiredness. Here's one thing someone told me - I can't remember who it was, but it has always stuck in my mind. You will never get up to exercise and regret it later (even if you feel tired!). You may, however, regret sleeping in and NOT exercising.
Keep it up, and let us know how the race goes tomorrow!!
way to get up and walk -- 20 more days in a row and it's considered a habit!!
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