Has it really been over 2 weeks since I posted?! Time is flying by!
I am still cruising along here following the Couch to 5k plan. You can check that out here.
Since my last post I’ve made some progress!
As of my last post I just did the first workout of week 4 on July 4th. Today I did the second workout of week 6! 🥳
Week 5 had 3 different workouts in it:
Workout 1 after 5 minute walk warm-up:
- 5 minutes running
- 3 minutes walking
- 5 minutes running
- 3 minutes walking
- 5 minutes walking
Workout 2 after 5 minute walk warm-up:
- 8 minutes running
- 5 minutes walking
- 8 minutes running
Workout 3 after 5 minute walk warm-up:
- 20 minutes of running
As you just read that last one was somewhat of a big jump! And sometimes you just gotta take it! I had been feeling pretty good and went for it. During the workout I felt great. Later on, my left foot was feeling it and even the next morning. I definitely had symptoms of plantar fasciitis. I stretched a lot and used a frozen golfball rolling the bottom of my foot.
That workout was also done early in the morning before work and thus done on the road. I’ve been doing most of my runs lately on nearby Nick’s Creek Greenway which is much softer.
Fortunately, within the next day my left foot/heel was much better. I think that’s a great part of being an athlete. You know your body. I know this is part of my body getting used to running again and I’m feeling quite strong otherwise.
So I continued on to week 6 of the c25k program.
Week 6 also has 3 different workouts.
Workout 1 after 5 minute walk warm-up:
- 5 minutes running
- 3 minutes walking
- 8 minutes running
- 3 minutes walking
- 5 minutes running
Again I felt good during and even after. My left foot felt a little achy again but I did the same TLC and the day after it felt pretty good. I did a strength workout and challenging peloton ride.
This morning I completed workout 2 of week 6.
- 5 minute walk warmup (actually did 10 to walk over to the trail)
- 10 minutes running
- 3 minutes walking
- 10 minutes running
So far everything is feeling a-ok! However I will continue to stretch and give my feet some extra TLC.
The next workout, the last one of week 6, is 25 minutes of running! And then week 7 that’s all the 3 workouts are – 25 minutes of running. Then only 2 more weeks left (8 & 9).
I’m mentally ready and physically feeling strong. It’s keeping up with the PT exercises and taking it easy as well. And hoping these feet hold up!
At times it could be easy to give up or think how I used to run so much farther and faster and with ease.
Or I could think how I have goals of getting back into trail and ultra distances (that’s anything longer than a marathon, like 50ks, 50 milers, 100ks, 100 milers +) and how I’m “only” running 20 minutes and that I’ll never get there….or maybe in ??? years!
However I think back to less than 2 months ago I just started running again and was just doing a total of 8 minutes in 1 minute intervals and now today two 10 minutes for a total of 20 minutes of running ….so that’s progress!!!
I’m choosing to focus on that. Dreaming my trail dreams and goals. And continuing to move forward one day, one workout, at a time. It’s definitely not always easy. What’s the alternative? To quit, yet still have these dreams living inside me and one day have big regrets? I’d rather keep working toward them and at least try.
I think that’s something that applies to everything in life. I hope to inspire or give someone hope whether that’s in running, general health, business, relationships. To keep working, every day, making progress, dreaming of big goals and dreams, living with hope and aspiration.