Still going strong.

No, I haven't fallen off the horse. I am still running 3 or 4 times per week, and it's still the best part of each day. I have started "tapering" in preparation for my very first 5k, which is where you run fewer miles in order to give your body rest, etc before the race day. My race day will be the day after my 29th birthday. I'm really excited about it. :) The 5k. Not the birthday.

Woah. 29. When the heck did that happen? For as much sticker shock as that number incites, I'm in a good place in my life. I can run longer and faster and farther than I've ever been able to run in my life. I'm making progress on a thesis I'm really excited about. And I'm beginning to gain perspective into the many trials I had last year. Last year, life felt like a matter of survival. Bad crap kept happening and I was depressed and it was not good. This year, though, feels good and I feel hopeful. I feel like I'm back to being me. I still have stresses and I still worry too much, but there are also things to hope for and look forward to.

And I have running. I love running. Every day I want to run when I wake up, and I have to talk myself into resting. While it may not be changing my body much, it is certainly changing my life, and that's way more important. I also have amazing friends who make me laugh and make me feel loved and appreciated. AND my bestie from college will be driving through in about 2 weeks, and is going to crash here. I can't wait to see her. :)

Oh yeah!

I graduated from the Couch-to-5k running plan today.

That is all. :D

Ups and Downs.

Week 8 went really well. For the most part. All of my runs felt really good. I was comfortable, not wheezing... I even think I could chat while I do it. Unfortunately on Day 3 (Saturday), I had eaten before I ran. I waited over an hour after eating to go out, but I kept getting waves of nausea. And...then I decorated a gutter. Oh well. Lesson learned. I also missed my footing and fell down, twisting my ankle. :( I got up, took a few tentative steps, and then finished my run. I've been wearing a brace and icing it and stuff.

I gave my ankle an extra day off, so today was the first day back on the schedule. Week 9. 30 minute runs. :) 2 more runs and I'm done with the program! At which point I will start over and work on increasing my speed. The goal is to do a 5k in the 30 minutes. I'm not. I'm not jogging at 6 mph. I'm jogging at about 5 mph. I would like to complete the 5k in under 30 minutes. 27 would be awesome... So I'm going to start over and build up speed. My race is about a week after I will finish the program the second time, so it's perfect. I think I'll keep running 30 minutes 3x/week, and do the C25k Speed Version another 3 days per week.

I mean, the goal isn't to be able to finish the race. The goal is to do it well and comfortably.

2.5 miles today. :)