Treadmill take 2 / my first challenge / then and now…

The weather has been relentless in these parts. Downpours, 50 mph winds, and 40 degree temperatures do not make for good running conditions for a newbie like me.

This morning was no exception. I don’t want to put off running just because of the weather so today I took a deep breath and made a second date with the treadmill. As you recall from this post I don’t much like the treadmill or as what many of you have referred to as the dreadmill.

However, I do like to run so my adversity to the dreadmill was overpowered by my desire to run. On my way to the gym at 6am this morning I made some pretty important decisions about how this run was going to go:

• I was going to keep the running portion above 4.0 mph. The last time I ran some of it around 3.7. Today that would not happen.
• I would get past the 2.5 mile mark even if it was 2.52 I didn’t care.
• I would not be grabbing any bars while running.
• I would only look at my feet / face while running and if I did happen to look at the other parts of my body I would say something nice.

All in all, while it wasn’t the rainbows and butterflies I was hoping for, it went much better this time. The towel to hide the panel didn’t come off once so I never had to watch the time (except to slow the speed down for walking intervals and then back up to running speed). I managed to “zone off” quite a few times and forget that I was in the gym, in front of the mirror and in front of other people. I never once thought negatively about my body and in fact marveled in the fact that I looked like a real runner (as if I know what that means). I looked strong. I felt strong. I ran strong.

Not only did I run at 4.0 mph consistently, I upped it at each interval (8 minute run/1 minute walk). First interval = 4.0, second interval = 4.3, third interval 4.4, fourth interval = 4.6!!!. At this point I start to feel like I’m going to throw up but I hadn’t quite reached the 2.5 mile mark. I made some decisions before the run and I aimed to follow through.

I was tired.

My face was beet red.

I had pushed myself to the end.

The podrunner had instructed me to start my 5 minute cooldown.

I wanted to get passed the 2.5 mark.

I ran the cooldown.

I got to 2.81.

(the time 19.20 what was left out of 59.29)

Not only did I pass 2.5 but I ran for 40 minutes (with four 1 minute walking intervals. That’s pretty bad ass in my book!!! I took some more pictures for your viewing pleasure:

Post run hairdo

Post run ballcap.

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I’ve signed up for my first physical challenge.  I’m currently doing a challenge put on by SeattleRunnerGirl but this 21 day challenge is about implementing a healthy habit whether it be physical or mental. My 21 day challenge is to pack my gym bag and food the night before. So far so good.

My first physical challenged is put on by Tony over at The Anti-Jared. He’s in cohorts with Jen over at Prior Fat Girl to get 500 people signed up to exercise for 60 minutes on April 20th. If they do, they will each donate $250 to the YMCA Activate America program. I had already signed up to do the challenge and then Tony added that he has 2 polar FT7 heart monitors he’s going to be giving away so now it’s even more appealing 🙂

I committed to 60 minutes on the elliptical. There’s still time to sign up (hint hint). Yes, the more that sign up the lower my chances of winning one of the heart monitors but I’d rather work out with you for an hour than win that monitor.

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I took a picture back in December of 2009. I tried to recreate that picture today so I could get a side by side shot of what my face looks like three months later.

I even tried to recreate the emptiness the December picture shows. My December face looks so puffy and uncomfortable. Everything about my December picture just looks wrong. I look at it and it doesn’t even seem like it’s a picture of me.  I see some pretty big changes here. I then took another picture. One that wasn’t such a Debbie Downer…

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That’s more like it!