Wait, did I just type Week 4?! I did! Wow. It's been three weeks plus since I started running. That's kind of awesome.
This morning Sage (7 months) woke me up at 6:15 a.m. so I thought, "Screw it, let's get up." By 10:45 I had dropped the boys off, grocery shopped, and put up the groceries (including packaging the chicken for freezing and cutting up two bunches of celery for snacking). I wanted to run before lunch time, so I stretched and got myself ready (while Daddy was still in bed mind you). I stretched more than I have on previous days because I knew what was in store - two sets of five minutes of running and two sets of three minutes of running. Only three minutes of walking in the whole workout. Eep.
The three-minutes sets were easier today than previously, so I think my legs are getting used to them. The five-minute sets, well...I did them and I didn't stop running during them. I may have slowed down considerably at some points, but I was still moving faster than walking so I call that a win. It should get easier this week.
I started off my workout with such an awesome feeling. I was clear, it was nice out, and I was really enjoying it. The app I use for C25K when I open it has suggestions (and a motivational quote) and the suggestion today was to run a different route so you don't get bored. Well, OK. My neighborhood is an ant's nest of streets so I could surely find another route. Note to self - when you choose another route, make sure you know what it looks like, hills-wise. Because when you don't it may not work out well. Yeah, the street I chose, I drive it all the time...but I've never walked or run it. I turned down it and looked at how it changed to uphill and almost turned around. But I didn't. Now the second street I chose had a way easier uphill, less steep, and it was easier to maintain my motivation looking at that one.
For you seasoned runners, give me some suggestions for hills. Because I don't think crying about them is going to get me anywhere quickly.
You're not going to like me, but the best way to get used to to hills is the run them often. That doesn't mean that you have to tackle the nastiest hills all the time, but don't avoid hills, either. Make sure they're a part of your runs if you can. During my last half marathon training, I made hill repeats a weekly workout. There's a particularly steep hill half mile from my school that's a sharp incline and exactly a quarter of a mile from bottom to top and I would run six repeats on it. I would be exhausted and out of breath by the time I was done, but it made me a stronger runner and it made hills a lot less daunting.
ReplyDeleteOh, one more suggestion that helps me! No matter the size of the hill, find a focal point... maybe a stop sign at the top, a tree, a mailbox, something and visualize yourself at that point. Don't focus on the size of the hill in front of you, focus on that point and you getting there.
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