Running: Week 4 and Week 5 Goals Surpassed!!!

Hi everybody,

Didnt write for week 4, but believe me, am right on track!!!

And to compensate for the missing week, it is my pleasure to note a new milestone in my jogging/running endeavor!!!!

30 minutes cracked at 5mph, and that too easily !!! Amost 4 weeks ahead of schedule. Isn't that awesome.

I would like to offer a piece of advice at this point to the people who are just starting to jog/run. Leg/glute exercises REALLY help :-)

Next goal: Run 30 mins at 5.1 mph.

See you after few days to report on Week 6 results. Wish me best of luck!!!

Running: Week 3 Goals Surpassed By a Mile!!! (Not literally)

Goal was a 30-minute workout with a warmup, 13-minute run and a cooldown. Managed 14 minutes by Wednesday. Thought of reducing the number of days to run in order to reduce the risk of injury. So here is the new workout pattern.

4 days elliptical intertwined with 3 days of running, with the goal of burning a minimum of 600 calories in a 2-day period.

Am doing the elliptical at Level 4 for 35 minutes with a 5 minute warmup and cooldown at Level 1.

And since I am into the 4th week of running already, here is the kicker. I am able to finally run 20 minutes at 5 mph with a 8 minute warmup and a 8 minute cooldown!!!

Next running goal: 21 minutes to be conservative, as usual.
Long term goal: Run 30 minutes comfortably at 5mph with a 8 minute warmup and a 5-8 minute cooldown.

Am expecting to reach this by the end of March. Letsee how that goes. Wish myself best of luck!!!

Running: Week 2 Goals Accomplished ... The Mile Conquered!!!

Hiii All,

My Week 2 Goal was a 5 minute warmup, 2 minute intervals of running and walking for a total of 20 minutes, followed by a 5 minute cooldown. So far so good ...

Mulled over this plan a little bit over the weekend and thought ... why not try a different approach ... How about attempting to continuously run for 10 minutes followed by 10 minute walking. Same thing right ... But at 6mph, was not entirely sure if I would be able to do that. So thought, lets try at 5mph. That is not technically running, but jogging actually. What the heck!!! Lets try.

So here is what followed ...
Monday - 8 minutes at 5 mph and 2 minutes at 5 mph
Tuesday - 8:15 minutes at 5 mph and 1:45 minutes at 5 mph
Wednesday - 8:30 minutes at 5 mph and 1:30 minutes at 5 mph
Thursday - 9:00 minutes at 5 mph and 1:00 minute at 5 mph
Friday - 10:00 minutes at 5 mph and 1:00 minute at 5 mph
Saturday - 10:30 minutes at 5 mph and 1:00 minute at 5 mph
Sunday - 12:00 minutes at 5 mph

Well, ain't this the same as 10 minutes at 6mph ... just joking ...

But am able to run 1 mile !!!!

So now week 3 goals ... at the risk of being too conservative and considering that my calves are aching and sore, am planning to run for 13 minutes at 5mph. Letsee how that goes ... If i overachieve will set an appropriate goal the week after that.

Running: Week 1 Goals Accomplished!!!

A little introduction ... 5-7" weighted 178 pounds and had quite a tummy. One fine day found it a strain to even tie my shoelaces :-)) Had to do something about it.

Started doing cardio quite some time back ... actually about 5-6 months back, along with the regular diet changes and strength training exercises. U know ... low fat, high protein, low carb et al ... Elliptical seems to be the perfect cardio machine for a beginner just starting out. Easy on the knees and with levels to adjust to increasingly heavy cardio workouts. And running just scared the wits out of me :-))

Fast forward 6 months ... Lo an behold, am 160 pounds with a near fat tummy but nowhere close to a Brad Pitt style body ... not that I would be able to get one ... but u know ... like someone quoted "Aim for the moon ... and you will land among the stars".

Since elliptical seemed like a manegeable exercise and cycling on a gym cycle seems a bit stationery w/o much action (atleast to me) here I am, attempting to run!!!

Preliminary Goal: 20 minutes at 6mph with 5 minute warmup and 5 minute cooldown.

Week 1: Am able to do the warmup and cooldown (thats the easy part, no!!!) with 7.5 minutes total running time at 1.5 minute running intervals at 6mph and 2.5 minutes walking intervals at 3mph.

Believe me, running is hard, especially if the body is not used to it. It is also more of a psychological game, a constant war against negative thoughts which push you to stop aided by tired legs. Also my right knee is hurting a little bit, an offshoot of a fall from 4 yrs back plaing racquetball with a friend. Showed the knee to a specialist, but X-rays showed normal. So here I am, making a decent attempt to run as long as the knee holds.

But again, as Paul Tergat, the Kenyan professional marathoner said ... "Ask yourself: 'Can I give more?'. The answer is usually: 'Yes'."

So week 2 goals: 10 minutes running with 2 minute intervals of walking. Paul Tergat, be by my side :-))