Graduation Day

Well, I did it. I'm a Couch to 5K graduate. Again. For a third time, actually. Over the last 9 weeks I've seen the following changes:

1. My shirt collars fit more comfortably.
2. I had to switch to a smaller belt. My pants tend to fall down without a belt now.
3. I don't sweat as much when getting ready in the morning.
4. I don't feel the need to adjust the house thermostat down to sub-arctic temperatures all the time.
5. I dropped from 191 to 174 pounds.
6. I went from being able to run for 30 seconds to being able to run for 30 minutes.

Not too shabby. I didn't hit my goal weight of 167, but I'm not done yet. I'm going to continue on with "One Hour Runner" - the training for that is similar to C25k, with three runs a week, getting progressively longer over a 9 week period. It starts where C25k leaves off. The running schedule is as follows:

Week 1: Run 30 minutes, 30 minutes, 30 minutes
Weekly total: 90 minutes
Week 2: Run 30 minutes, 30 minutes, 30 minutes
Weekly total: 90 minutes
Week 3: Run 30 minutes, 30 minutes, 30 minutes
Weekly total: 90 minutes
Week 4: Run 30 minutes, 29 minutes, 35 minutes
Weekly total: 94 minutes
Week 5: Run 30 minutes, 32 minutes, 38 minutes
Weekly total: 100 minutes
Week 6: Run 30 minutes, 33 minutes, 41 minutes
Weekly total: 104 minutes
Week 7: Run 30 minutes, 34 minutes, 45 minutes
Weekly total: 109 minutes
Week 8: Run 30 minutes, 36 minutes , 49 minutes
Weekly total: 115 minutes
Week 9: Run 30 minutes, 38 minutes, 54 minutes
Weekly total: 122 minutes
Week 10: Run 30 minutes, 40 minutes, 60 minutes
Weekly total: 130 minutes

I'm also starting a "200 crunches" sit-up program that's similar to C25k. Yesterday I took a test to establish my baseline. Based on the number of sit-ups I can do at present (about 20), I'm supposed to start right at the beginning of the program. That's fine by me. I'm using CrunchFu to keep track of my progress.

As for today's graduation run, it was pretty typical: There was a beautiful full moon lighting my way. A black cat ran across my path. I ran into huge spider webs not once, but twice. The threads of the webs stuck to my clothes and skin and floated behind me as I ran, like a race finish-line ribbon. All pretty much par for the course.

C25k: Week 9, Day 3 -- Graduation!

Today, with a run through the park, I wrapped up this go-round of C25k. Go me! It sounds funny to say it, but graduating from C25k is just as meaningful, to me, as graduating from high school, or college, or law school. I'm really pleased with the goal I set for myself, and with the fact that I was able to achieve it. Now, the trick is going to be continuing on and not hurting myself this time.

I figure I should take this opportunity to reflect on how this time through the program was different than my first time. For one thing, I didn't lose any weight this time through. Then again, I'm only 6 pounds above my goal weight. When I started the first time, I had 30 pounds to lose. So, on the whole, I'm pretty content on that front. As I continue running and my distance increases, I'm sure I'll shed those last few pounds.

Another difference has to be soreness. This time, there really wasn't any. I didn't ice after runs, because I didn't feel the need to. The day following a run, I felt fine. I suspect this is a sign that I could add another day to my running schedule. In fact, I think I am going to do just that: I'm still vacillating between doing the "One Hour Runner" versus Hal Higdon's "Spring Training for Novice Runners," but I think I'm leaning toward the latter. It includes runs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, a Saturday walk, and a Sunday long run. I really like the fact that it uses both Saturday and Sunday, since I much prefer to exercise in daylight. The thing I don't quite understand, yet, is what to do if I miss a day. Do I just skip it? Or do I shift everything over by a day?

Couch to 5k: Week 9, Day 3 - GRADUATION!

Week 9, Day 3 - graduation!

This morning's run was fantastic. I kept a reasonably steady pace throughout, the weather was perfect, and I feel like I got a good workout. It was my typical early morning run route, which took me up Pinehurst, this time all the way passed the entrance to Freedom Park and to the school driveway.

My workout: 5 minute warmup brisk walk, 30 minute run, 5 minute cooldown walk.

I wasn't able to run yesterday, so instead I did a little weight training last night. Not too much, though - and probably not enough to make any difference: I'm not sore at all from it. Still, it's a start.

Since this was my final c25k run, I wanted to take a look back at my blog and see how I've progressed. I am amazed. Since I started:

(1) I have lost about 22 pounds (I started at 197. Now I'm 175.4);
(2) I have had to move my belt in two notches (I'm now on the tightest one and will soon need a new belt). I haven't gone shopping for pants or measured my waist, but I expect I've gone from a size 38 to probably a 34;
(3) I have gone back to wearing my dress shirts with size 16 collars (I had been wearing size 17);
(4) I no longer keep adjusting the house thermostat to make it colder, and I no longer sweat profusely in the morning while getting ready for work, two things that suggest to me that my blood pressure probably is lower now then it was when I started;
(5) My calves (actually my upper legs now, too) have some nice definition;
(6) And finally: When I started I could only run for 60 seconds with difficulty, and now I can run for 30 minutes straight.

All in all, I'd say my new workout and eat healthy routine has been a resounding success. I've designed and ordered a "c25k graduate" shirt from cafepress.com - I plan on wearing it with pride. One hour runner, here I come!