I got off the couch...

to train for my first competitive 5K.

So, as you know, I've power walked 5Ks before in just under an hour but have always shied away from actually running one. OK, you probably actually did NOT know that... but now you do.

SO last night, while sitting around I decided to get off my couch and once again go to the site to learn how to train for a 5K when you've not run before or haven't run in a long time. And this morning, I rolled out of bed at about 5:15 a.m. CST and was at the gym and on the treadmill to start my Couch to 5K training.

I'd love to say that I just heard about this site, went to it yesterday and then this morning got up and did it, but the first time I actually looked at it and even started it was in 2005. I think I went through my first week, but at the time I wasn't big on treadmills and tried to start outside... well that got old real quick cause I didn't know how to pace myself (I am a competitive athlete still in my brain not realizing sometimes that my body is not on the same page!).

So this morning, I got up and did my "brisk 5-minute walk" to warm up at a 3.2 speed. And then started my interval training of 60 minutes running (4.2-5.0), 90 minutes walking (3.2). I definitely need to get new running shoes, which I'll do a little later today. I also have to stop by GNC to get more vitamins and by Whole Foods to pick up already seasoned firm tofu for my salads. (Oh yeah, I've also -- now that I have mastered the art of cooking brown rice -- decided to give the Fat Smash another try... like for real this time. The first time(s) I tried it, I wasn't eating beans, brown rice, oatmeal, egg whites... it was just a recipe for failure period because I just wasn't eating the filling foods that were acceptable and after eating bland salad after raw veggie/fruit, even the most disciplined will get hungry, angry and rebel... in that order. But I digress.)

After my thrilling 3-lb loss yesterday, I am definitely trying to keep that momentum, but at the same time I know that I can do a whole lot better at tracking my calories (thanks to Spark People) so I can smash fat while still making sure I eat enough foods throughout the days. That will definitely cut down on the hungry anger mentioned earlier. Because surely before I would eat a banana as a snack and then not eat again until it was already too late. But now I know how many calories are in a banana and know I can pair it with something else that will get the job done... or hell, have two bananas... you get my drift.

One thing at a time... back to the the 5K Training...

So this morning's run, while eventually started to tingle my glutes and thigh (around minute 13 on the count down) didn't really exhaust me the way I thought it might.. so next run, in my new shoes, I'm gonna ramp up my speed some. Because my MHR was 124 hardly enough to really get the blood pumping. And I broke into a very little sweat and only at the end. To offer some sort of gauge, I sweat harder during my 11 minute elliptical workout afterwards to thank my knees than I did during my 25 minutes on the tread... so gonna see if I can push myself. In 20 minutes I covered 1.46 miles though, so that's pretty sexy. I realize running outside is a much different ballgame, so the plan is to find my stride so that by the time I am running for extended periods of time (week 7) I can take it to the street (thanks Spark run maps!) to test it out and see how I do on the ground, wind in my back... or more than likely -- in Chicago -- wind in my face!

So yeah, feeling pretty good. Just gonna detox for these first nine days and really get my eating habits in check over the summer so that by winter when most people wanna ball up in the house and hibernate on junk food, I'm still hitting the gym and eating like I have some sense. I want to emerge in the spring that same healthy, fit butterfly, not wrapped back up in this cocoon of a weak shell.

I need one of those fancy stop watch, heart rate monitors for Christmas/My Birthday... any takers? :) What? I'm getting my request in early! Ooh and a Vita-Mix! hahaha...

Have a great day, Blogsphere. Time for me to get some real breakfast in my belly: scrambled egg whites, milk and cantaloupe.