Yeah, it's here, it's real, it's scary.

Embarking on the Couch to 5k plan - as in 3 miles. For starters.

Pedometer thus far before setting off on day 1 of the c5k:

5696 steps
2.337 miles
204.7 calories
52.34 minutes walking

The above includes to/from the subway and at work. I walked an extra mile to a more distant subway stop this afternoon.

I'm a little curious as to how the pedometer will work as I'm switching from walking to jogging a number of times. It's based on stride, and my jogging is going to be pretty small to begin with, so we'll see.

Did it. stats later I'm dripping right now and don't want to ruin my keyboard.

I have no idea how close to accurate my pedometer is for what I just did. I can use it referentially, though, and see how my time/distance changes proportionately.

1st session of c5k:

8 sessions of 60 seconds jogging, 90 seconds walking, for a total of 20 minutes. I walked for a 4 minutes before starting, and about 3.5 minutes when I finished. I went over on a few of the cycles:

3551 steps
1.457 miles
127.6 cal
28:49 minutes

Yay! Good job. We did it.

Wait, my pedometer is still clipped to my pants where I dumped them on the floor...

Ok, it says:

3615 steps
1.7 miles
225.9 calories
and it doesn't say anything else.

I was about to say - hey, close to yours! But then I remembered that I didn't actually have it on this morning when I did the c5k thing, I ran out and bought it when you mentioned yours, and that must be counting my day from around 4pm.

Regarding today, toward the end, the last 5 minutes or so, I really had to talk myself through the running part. I was breathing pretty hard. My mantra became: JOHN CAN DO THIS JOHN CAN DO THIS. ha ha. Because of course our purpose in life is kicking each other's asses at things. What's that old song? I think it's "anything you can do I can do better..."

Nice gym log. I still haven't decided where to log my "activity" progress.

Next: Wednesday

Let's add these together.

For Monday, 9/13/04:

9247 steps
3.494 miles
332.3 calories
82:23 (I think)

Plus what I walked this evening around the apartment - hey, don't laugh, it adds up.

Kate: for now or until whenever, you're welcome to log stuff here. Particularly if we're encouraging each other. It's fine with me.

About 3 blocks before I got back - just before beginning the last cycle of jogging/walking, I decided I was really glad I was almost done. I also realised one big advantage to jogging/running/walking outside versus on a treadmill at the gym. You're going in either a circle or a line - some sort of path that will get you back to your starting point. The thing is, at the halfway point, you can't quit. You can't step off the machine. Score one for free exercise! (Wait and see if I'll be saying this in January . . .)

The only real stiffness I feel this morning is in the fronts of my thighs. Otherwise, I feel pretty good.

40 rather poor-form sit-ups this morning. I'm aiming for another 40 tonight.

Wednesday, September 15, 2004

Day 2 of c5k:

Stretching; 5 minutes warmup walk; 20 minutes jog/walk: 60 seconds jog, 90 seconds walk (8 cycles); 5 minutes cool down walk. Stretch out.

Stats:

3935 steps
1.614 miles
141.4 cal
31:18 minutes

A bit longer; seems roughly in line with stats from the first day. I'm hoping that my pedometer will be at least consistent.

Notes:

When I started out, I still felt really stiff in my front thighs from Monday, despite the stretching. I really did feel like I loosened up, though, and although I felt some stiffness throughout, it was easy to work through. It felt easier than Monday, and I almost did a 9th cycle, but I decided to stick to the plan.

In addition:

Pedometer readings for the rest of the day, not including 12 blocks (a little over 1/2 mile) to and from dinner:

8240 steps
3.381 miles
296.1 calories
1:19:18 hours

Total for the day:

12175 steps
4.995 miles
437.5 calories
1:50:36 hours

1/2 mile additional would bring the total steps to somewhere around 13500 and 5.5 miles.

I did it! I did it! I did it!

For some reason I took the pedometer off while I was running! Oh, maybe because it was raining. That's right, I still did it, despite only sleeping only 8 of the past 72 hours and IN THE RAIN! I was so proud of myself, I almost cried. There was a point where I thought "screw this" but then all I could think it that I would throw off the whole "togetherness" thing and I would be behind forever. So I guess having a buddy really does work for me, at least it did today.

I walked/jogged/ran along the West River Drive today, across from Boathouse Row for anyone who knows Philly. And the whole "making a loop so it's different than a treadmill" doesn't work for me - the two times I've done this so far I was parked along a very long train that didn't circle around. So both times I have gone straight in one direction for warm-up + ten minutes and then turned around to go back. It's actually working for me, though, because both times I started slowing down as I got tired, and I had to tell myself that I had to speed up so I could make it back to the car in time.

I'm lying. It didn't work. I just slowed down. I tried telling myself to speed up, but my self didn't listen.

But I did it!

Surprisingly, my legs feel much better today. Still a bit stiff, but quite bearable. It's looking like I'll be in Brooklyn tomorrow, so I'll be running in Prospect Park. Oh, how I miss it.

Yesterday before it started raining, I started my run. But my right hip was really hurting, and I have noticed various aches and pains in my ankle, foot, etc. Once before when I joined a gym and started exercising I broke my left foot, so I am always cautious about doing high-impact things. I am kind of heavy to be running and jumping around! So I ran for ten minutes and just walked for the rest. So I think my plan is to continue with the week one plan for another week, and just move into it slowly.

But I am so happy that after one week I am three for three in the effort department! For me, a large part of my success is just showing up!

I actually did it yesterday!

3797 steps
1.558 miles
136.4 calories
30:30 minutes

I was a couch potato for most of yesterday, but managed to motivate around 3:00. I even passed on a pedicure so I could do it. Turns out that the strip along Prospect Park from Grand Army Plaza down to the cinema and back was exactly the distance I needed. I've got hardly any stiffness/soreness today in my legs at all.

Kate - I hope you're feeling better - sounds like your plan of approach is a good one. I feel the same way about just having shown up and done it this week.

We did it! Week one done!

Week two, day one.

Program:
-5 minute warmup walk
then 20 minutes of alternating:
-90 seconds jogging
-2 minutes walking

I added a ~5 minutes cool-down walk as well.

stretching.

Stats:
3935 steps
1.614 miles
141.4 cal
32:19 minutes

Very odd: the steps are within two of Wednesday's (presumably shorter distance) exercise, and the miles and cals are exactly the same (what are the odds of this?) - but one minute longer. My route was very similar to Wednesday's, but two avenue blocks longer - in theory, this should make it at least 1/4 mile longer.

One problem is that I keep opening the pedometer to read the clock to know when to start/stop jogging. When you open the cover, though, you stop the pedometer from counting. I've been wondering how this has affected things. I had a flash of thought, though, near the end of today. I can use the clock on my iPod. I'll have to see what the pedometer reads on Wednesday.

40 situps.

Now that my ankle is broken I am going to have to re-think this whole thing. It would be easy for me to become devastated right now and forget about the whole thing. But I am wondering if there is something I can do in a cast to get some exercise so I can stay in the right frame of mind.

I was using my watch to time to 60/90 seconds, I hadn't even thought about using the pedometer clock. And I didn't even know my iPod had a clock! Until last night, I hadn't even been using it, I was concentrating on the time and the running. Then last night, I thought I would take the iPod, I keep wondering if having it on took just enough attention away that I tripped and fell.

Good for you, still on the plan!