WE DID IT!

We ran for 20 minutes, all at once, and didn't die!! For all of you actual runners, in shape people I can hear you clap, clap, with  little or no enthusiasm (actually, anyone reading this probably is actually clapping for us cause you're all great - but for the story, something, something). If you're as out of shape, and shapely, like myself, this program really is something! Each time we've had to "level up" I get really nervous, like I think I can do it, but it'll probably hurt, and what if I can't? So far each time it does hurt and we do it anyway. I really felt ill this morning, like really... I'm one of those people who HATE running! You want me to go from running at 8 minute intervals twice to running for 20 minutes straight... without stopping?!? OK. 6 weeks ago I had a pit in my stomach when we had to go from running 90 seconds to 3 minutes. The program knows what it's doing. 

Barry runs faster than me, but because he's the incredible husband he is, he normally runs ahead a bit, turns around, runs back behind me a ways turns around and catches up again... so we (I) have the support around for most of the run. Because we've both been increasing our running time we had to both start carrying our own stop watches (which works out well since we just use our iPods and can then also listen to whatever pumps us up). The way this program works and the way we've been doing it is to walk "briskly" for 5 minutes before any segment and then stretch a bit too. (This is going somewhere, promise). Sometimes I time the 5 minute walk, sometimes not. Last time I didn't. So we start out on our run and the first two minutes I'm like OMG... how am I going to do this for 20 minutes?!? And then my body just kind of gives in... okay fine. I get a rhythm, don't look at the watch, there's no point in being defeated. I have to skip a song on shuffle... 12 minutes!!! WOW! That was cake, I CAN DO THIS! At about 16:30 in Barry passes by me and I ask if we should turn around soon, he says "not quite yet..." and keeps on going. I'm thinking, what's wrong with you, we only have about 4 minutes left, we just ran for 16 min... the car is back the other way... STOP. I wish you could have seen my face, I wish I could have. I timed the five minute walk... I was JUST now half way. Well, guess you just keep going... and I did :) It was a nice feeling, when it was over. I'm sure I'll look funny tomorrow when I try to walk, especially after about 2 1/2 hours of yard work yesterday, but WE DID IT! Just as the rain was starting too, felt good at the end! :)

On a less happy side note - we run at Granger park, which is about a 5 minute drive from here, it's got lots of paved pathways and some of it's hilly and open, some of it's flat and wooded, it's not in our neighborhood, it's nice. Some jerk kids decided to go through the pathway and knock over every trash can and bench. Seriously? The city creates this great park... and this is the best thing you can of to do on a Saturday night? I'm sorry... I'm sorry for you. Good luck. We'll keep running anyway. 

5K in two weeks! :)

Oh, and in case you're curious ;) Update to yesterday - soup is awesome; some weeds/leaves gone for good - flowers can breath; coupons cut and went out to dinner instead of grocery shopping. We both figured we deserved it since husband had to spend almost all day on that beautiful day, working. Grocery shopping today, it's raining so it'll be a good day for it! I'm just hoping that rain will clean up some of the dirt mess I left yesterday! ;P

Running and pictures

So tonight will be the third "run" in our thrid week of the couch to 5K plan. Neither one of us are very happy with the third week - you jog for 90 seconds, walk for 90 seconds, jog for THREE MINUTES, walk for three minutes, repeat once. I'm scared of the next week, I think they throw a five minute stint in there somewhere. We're still going though, and it's been really a lot of fun. Barry said to me on the way home last week that he really enjoyed that we were doing this together, he hates it while he's doing it (me too!) but it's something we can learn - together. He's pretty sweet!

Also - I was really going to make a concerted effort to get the blog updated from our Costa Rica journal, before I posted pictures... so that if you read the excerpts first you'd have an idea of what was behind the pictures. Well, I'm not getting to the journal part like I hoped, so here's the pictures (some anyway)! I did caption them so you'll at least know somethings ;) (Sorry if you have to sign up for a snapfish account to see these, but it's free, and this is the only place I have them online, that's handy).

Hope this finds everyone healthy and happy!