Finished Week 8 of Couch to 5K today and ordered my reward - a Polar RS200SD heart rate monitor. It should come just in time for me to finish the last week!

Catching up...

Cardio:
Sat - C25K W8D3 - Ran on treadmill with 1.0 incline. Felt pretty good.
Sun - Off
Mon - C25K W9D1 - Ran outside and managed to stay on tradmill pace. Felt really good despite the weather not cooperating.

Strength:
Mon
Chest Press - 30 lbs - 2 sets x 15 reps (4-2-1)
Row - 60 lbs - 2 sets x 15 reps (4-2-1)
Plank - 2 sets x 45 sec ea
Pull Ups - 140 lbs - 1 sets x 10 reps (3-3)
Shoulder Press - 40 lbs - 2 set x 15 reps (4-2-1)
Wall squats w/ball - 10 lbs+BW - 2 sets x 15 reps (3-2-1)
Superman - 5 x 10 sec, legs; 5 x 10 sec arms; 5 x 10 sec arms & legs
Single leg bridges - 5 x 10 sec per side

Notes:
- Did this one without the trainer...we'll see how Thursday's session goes.
- I'm trying out http://www.getanedge.com as a place to log exercise and get some ideas on a plan as I graduate from C25K. I'm not sure if it is going to be a keeper, but I'll keep playing.

Didn't get to work out as much as I would have liked... Oh well.

Cardio:
Tues - 25 min walk w/ group, 30 min swim
Thur - 45 min run/walk
Fri - 40 - walk
Sat - 45 - run/walk
Sun - 45 - hike

Strength:
Thurs - Supersets!
Wall squats w/ball - 10 lbs+BW - 2 sets x 15 reps (3-2-1)
Lat Pulldown - 50 lbs - 2 sets x 15 reps (3-3) alternating with
Bentover Dumbell Row - 20 lbs - 2 sets x 15 reps (1-2-3)
Reverse Plank - 1 set x 60 sec
Side Plank - 1 set x 15 sec
Chest Press - 25 lbs - 2 sets x 12 reps (2-2) alternating with
Chest Press - 10 lbs - 2 sets x 15 reps (4-2-1)
Leg Curls - 25 lbs - 1 set x 15 reps (3-3)
Leg Extensions - 30 lbs - 1 set x 15 reps (3-3)
Bicep Curl - 30 lbs - 1 set x 15 reps (3-3)
Tricep Extension - 30 lbs - 1 set x 15 reps (3-3)
Shoulder Press - 40 lbs - 2 set x 15 reps (4-2-1) alternating with
3 motion dumbell lifts - 2.5 lbs - 2 sets x 6 reps

Notes:
- My legs are much stronger all of a sudden. It is probably at least in part that I used a different machine...
- Supersets are hard - but fun. Keeps me on my toes!
- Used a bunch of different machines this time. Still keeping it interesting! One more reason I'm glad I have a trainer. I tend to just use the same machines over and over because I know how they work. This gives me confidence to try some new things.
- Finished couch to 5K and signed up for next week's 5K. I hope I don't have to walk too much for that!
- Got my heart rate monitor. It's a fun toy, and so nice to know how far I've actually gone. It has some nice features - an interval training one that looks especially interesting - so it'll keep me interested for a while.

I've been super busy, so no time for board cruising. Just thought I would post my little race summary here for the 5K I ran on Sunday. This is the same as I posted in the C25K thread. I may enhance later if I have time:

I finished my 5K on Sunday in 40:55. I'm pretty happy with that, but I know I could have done better. For the first 4K, I was running at about a 13:30-ish (min per mile) pace, while most of my couch to 5K runs were at a closer to 13:05. I think the hoards of people just made it hard for me to feel like I could run my normal pace (there were somewhere north of 5000 people in the 5K), and I was so worried about going out too fast, I went too slow. During the last 1K, I averaged about an 11:15 pace, with a max pace of 8:54. I definitely had a lot left in the tank. I'm going to give it another try in 2 weeks with another 5K. This time I'm going to pay more attention to my pace, and hopefully finish in under 40:00!

I have also been keeping up the lifting schedule. Just lifted last night in fact! I'll post details when time permits...

Still no time in my day. But, I had to pop in here and say what a great run I had today. Ever since I started running outside, my pace has averaged between 13:00 and 13:35 per mile. Even my race was about 13:00/mile. But today, I decided to push it just a little bit and I averaged 12:14! Woohoo! I'm going to do way better in my next race!

I just stopped by your journal but thought I should check out your gym log too. Congrats on the race and on doing so well with the running! Wow...that and weight training too. I'm impressed! Keep it up, girl!

Ah, finally! Some boring work to do that also allows me to post!

So, since I last did a real post I have lifted 4 times, run 5 times (including the race I already posted on) and done a bunch of other cardio.

I won't try to catch up last week's strength routine, so here is this week's:

Forward lunges - 10 lb dumbells x ~12 steps x 2 reps. 2nd rep included a pause on the dip
One leg bridges on BOSU thing - 5 x 15 sec per leg
Freemotion alternating row in squat- 15 lbs per side - 15 reps x 2 sets
Lat Pull Down (cable) - 60 lbs - 15 reps x 2 sets alt with
Reverse Fly - 15 lbs - 12 reps x 2 sets
Ball crunch - 3 sets - both legs, 1 leg, other leg - x 45 sec ea
Ball planks - 2 sets - 60 sec
Side planks - 3 sets per side - 15 sec ea
Incline chest press - 20 lbs per side - 12 reps x 2 sets alt w/
Ball alternating chest press - 10 lbs per side - 12 reps x 2 sets
Shoulder press, hands parallel - 15 lbs x 12 reps x 1 set, 10 lbs x 15 reps x 1 set alt w/
Diagonal lift - 2.5 lbs per side - 12 reps x 2 sets
Biceps Machine - 30 lbs - 1 set x 12 reps
Dumbell Tricep Extension - 5 lbs per side - 1 set x 15 reps per side

I think that was it. I forgot to have him write it down for me so I'm doing it from memory...

I'm either taking tonight off or tomorrow night off. I haven't taken a full rest day since before the race. I need to run once in the next 3 days, and then some miscellaneous cardio. If the weather is nice, hopefully I can take my kids for another walk!

Yeah, those ball planks ARE hard aren't they? I was doing ok with them to start, but when my trainer added in a BOSU and THEN said "one leg" I was like...uhhh....what??? LOL

Yeah, I'm going to miss working out with him, but I guess it's a new phase for me. I'll still enjoy seeing what you're up to and getting ideas and advice and I'll post my overall game plan in my gym log. Thanks so much for checking in! Keep up the great work!

I posted this in the Weight Training Buddies thread, but I'll put it here too so I remember it:

Hi ladies! I've been staying loyal to my strength training plan - working out with my trainer once a week and on my own once a week. I also flipped through a copy of New Rules of Lifting this weekend. Great book! Lou has a great attitude toward exercise and fitness. One of Lou's rules was basically it's ok if focused strength training isn't for you - ust make sure you're doing something. That combined with his statements about endurance and muscle building activites being counterproductive to each other is what made me decide not to buy the book right now. For right now, my primary focus is on running (endurance) with enough weight training to maintain and maybe slightly build muscle. At some point in the future, I probably will buy it, but probably not until next fall or winter, when the running dies down for a while.

Lisa's post about how much she can lift now reminded me of a wonderful result of weightlifting - I can lift both my kids at the same time now! My boys are over 30 pounds each and trying to lift one or both when they're acting up is a challenge. I haven't really been able to do it for any length of time since they were closer to 20 pounds each. I went out to dinner with the family the other night, one of the boys started acting up, and I was able to carry them both out of the restaurant fairly easily while DH paid the tab. Woohoo!

Quick update: Since Thursday, I've run a couple of times (both times keeping it easy in preparation for Sunday's race), rode the gym bike a couple of times and swam once. I also did Thursday's strength routine again. Limited success there because the gym was just too freakin' busy and I couldn't get the machines or even the lighter dumbells. I've decided that I'm going to a different location on Mondays from now on!

Woohoo! New personal best in the 5K: 36:16. I'm not setting any records, but I did improve by about 4 1/2 min. There was a 10K that started at the same time, and I did get passed by a few of them. I think my goal for next time is not to get passed by someone running twice the distance!

Latest Update:
- Ran Monday - in the rain.
- Strength training Monday night - cut slightly short because I worked late
- Feeling crappy Tues, so light workout
- Was going to run today, but decided to skip because I still feel crappy and I was too busy at work.

Boo...not such a great week. Got a PT appt tomorrow, and I still need to get my long run in this week. I'll go to bed early again tonight and hopefully wake up with no more cold!

I'm keeping up with my plan - mostly. Met with my trainer on Thurs - he kicked my butt! Ran Thur night - longest run yet - 41 min. Friday I swam (after a cocktail at lunch and dinner - I almost skipped but figured I needed to work off those drinks!). Sat - ran again. Sun I skipped. Just not in the mood and no real need to go. Oh well.

So, updating my gym log has not been my top priority. I've been staying on my plan - strength twice a week, running 3 times a week, and other stuff 2 or 3 times a week. My trainer has really increased the intensity the last few weeks, so I'm sweating when we're done. It's been great.

I've been sticking with One Hour Runner. I finish that this week! But, I've started to feel a little pain in the knees mostly the last week or so, so I'm trying to ease up a bit. I bought new shoes and took the tempo runs out of the lineup for a while. I'm also going to stay level with the running time (distance) until at least my next race, May 12th.

I also bought ChiRunning. It's a book about running technique that basically applies some Tai Chi principles to running and really focuses on giving advice about running form. Since I never ran in high school or anything, I really felt like I needed some advice on form. I knew that I probably wasn't doing something quite right but I couldn't find any advice on how to identify or correct my form.

So today's run was my first try at using the ideas he presented. I was doing an easy 30 min run outside. Typically, I run this at a 13:30 - 14:00 min/mi pace (I'm slow) and my heart rate is ~148. Today, I focused on relaxing while I run and keeping good posture. I ran at a 12:51 pace and had an average HR of 145. Huge difference!

Even though the roots of his advice are a little new age-y, the physics make total sense. It was exactly what I needed and I think it will definitely make me a better runner. I'll find out for sure when I run my next race on May 12th. I don't expect to PR this one (it is very hilly) but I'd like to be in the middle third of the pack instead of the bottom third.

I sped read the book pretty much all day Sunday, so I need to go back and read a lot of it more closely before my next run. It was amazing how fast this run seemed to go by even without any music. I hope my long run feels as good as this one. I'm up to 60 minutes this week!