Well, with this particular Couch to 5k program, finishing the 4th week marks the half-way point. Do I feel half-way there? Not really. Recently, I read this article in the Star Tribune titled “Zero to 5k in Twelve Weeks.”

Maybe I’d feel more ready if I gave myself 12 weeks. I didn’t do it in eight weeks the first time around. I started and stopped the program a few times and didn’t follow it religiously. Then, when I reached the 30 minutes of running and the next step was 45 minutes of running. I stopped. I was overwhelmed. Instead, I continued to run three days per week adding just one minute each time. Besides, it was the middle of winter and I wasn’t about to be running any races. Once I made it to sixty minutes, I still had some time before my first race in the spring, so I continued with an Advanced Beginner’s 5k Training program. I had at least a good five months of training.

Some parts of me say that I should take this slowly. I shouldn’t jump right back into things. Other parts of me say that I’ve done this before, so I shouldn’t have trouble jumping into this after eight weeks. But is there a race available that I’ll feel comfortable running as a newbie at that time?

I know I need to sign up for a race. That’s what’ll keep me going. That’s what’s kept me going in the past.

Couch to 5k – Week 4

You can read about previous weeks here:

• Week 1
• Week 2
• Week 3

~

Day 1 – Monday

• 5 min warm-up
• Run 4 min
• Walk 2 min
• Run 6 min
• Walk 3 min
• Run 4 min
• 5 min cool-down

I really should go back to the journal entries because I can’t remember how I felt/did on Monday! Here’s the proof that I completed it. Pretty slow, huh? That is, if the GPS is correct. I don’t know what to think!

~

Day 2 – Wednesday

• Same as Day 1

Look at these distance results:

Pretty pathetic. So I mapped the route online and I actually covered 1.9 miles. Still not impressive. I took a look at the GPS map on the app and it makes it look like I cut through all of my neighbors’ yards. Also, when I go back to read my notes, it looks like I was having a bit of pain that day.

~

Day 3 – Saturday

• Same as Day 1 & 2

I woke up with a kink in my back. Not in the area where I had my surgery, but the other side. I was having a lot of trouble just sitting on the couch. I ended up going back to bed and laying down for a while. I didn’t even know if I was going to make my run!

Finally, at about 2pm, I thought I should give it a try. I knew that if I didn’t make it running, at least I could walk. Walking is the best thing I can do to strengthen my back. So I should really be doing more of that, too. And yoga. I was going to add some yoga or pilates with my running this time around, but I haven’t. I really need to get a plan together.

The best part?

My back didn’t hurt AT ALL during the run!

I did take it a little slow. Cardiovascularly, I could have gone a little faster, but I wanted to take it easy on my body. The distance looks a little better, too, for a 29-minute run-walk compared to earlier in the week.

~

Week 4 Complete!

What kind of cross training do you do?

Cheers~
Carrie