Run #2 and #3 (overachiever...!)

Those expensive shoes have been a great motivation to keep running! lol... for me it's good that it's been 3 days and I haven't fallen off the wagon yet! ;) The shoes are GREAT, by the way. I went out on Saturday for run #2 (details later) and no pain! I actually didn't feel like I was wearing shoes at all - they are so light. I had a little bit of shin splints from Thursday but just told myself to run through them (is that bad?! They are much better today!) but the nasty thing on the back of my heel barely hurt at all.

Week 1, Run #2: Saturday, July 28
So, after speaking with my dad on Friday I decided just to *sort of* follow the C25K guidelines. I'm not exactly going from being inactive (I work out a ton!) so it's a little easier for me to go a bit faster-paced on this. Plus, I just get into this groove while I'm running and don't want to get out of it! Well, except for a quick drink of water! Anyway, instead of doing the 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking, I decided to start with the 5 minute warm-up walk then run as long as I could then do the 90 seconds of walking. I kept that going for the 20 minutes and it worked out really well. So much fun! I went to the gym on Saturday (pleased to find out my membership is still current!) and just did the workout on the treadmill. I ended up being able to do 1.93 miles in the 25 minutes (the first 5 of which was strictly walking). I think I got up to about 3 minutes of non-stop jogging before I stopped for a drink (bit hard to drink and run when you're on a treadmill - I'm a bit of a klutz so I tend to dribble!)

Week 1, Run #3: Sunday, July 29
Went back to the gym this afternoon after church, lunch, and painting a second coat on the inside of the front door (busy Sunday!) The gym was practically empty which was really lovely! I'm continuing with my "run as far as I can" thing which seems to be working well for me. I'm not pushing too hard since I know that has gotten me in trouble in the past, but it just feels good to keep going! I've noticed I only develop a cramp when I stop jogging and start walking! Nice motivation to keep going :)
Today I was able to do 1/10 of a mile more than I did yesterday! Woohoo! I know, that probably seems like nothing to seasoned runners but it was quite exciting to me. It means I'm doing a bit more running/less walking. Every little bit helps. So, I went 2.03 miles in the 25 minutes. The treadmill is nice since it tells me exactly how far I've gone and exactly how long it took! I know running on the street would be better experience for an actual 5K so I'll start working some of that in, too. My dad does some trail-type running so when I feel like I can keep up with him and the dog, I'll start joining them for some runs! That might be a while..! ;)
The shoes are still working well - no pain in the heel area again even though it still looks nasty. Hopefully I will eventually work up some harder skin back there which will help prevent it (that and my $20 socks! lol) I must be the only girl who *wishes* for calloused skin on her feet! The shin splints from Thursday (they were very mild) have also gone. I guess running through them on Saturday wasn't so bad! I've been stretching a ton before and after my runs - I really need to do some dynamic stretches before and just not care how goofy I look doing them - and save the static stuff for after the runs. Sure any stretching helps, though.

No run tomorrow - have to take a break to prevent more shin splints (or worse - stress fractures)! I do have 1.5 hours of tai chi tomorrow night, though, so it's not exactly a lazy day!
I actually have my tai chi lesson tomorrow so we'll see if I'm any closer to getting that test day set up!

Have a great week - I'll keep posting about my running progress! This week may be a bit *off* due to the fact I'm going out of town for a long weekend. Right now I'm planning on going out Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday before I leave. Maybe I'll take my shoes and squeeze in a run while I'm up in Santa Barbara so I'm not having to run 3 days in a row. Not sure my knees will like me so much after that! :)