Officially Registered & 1ST Outdoor Run
Posted: March 11, 2011 at 11:07 amI did something exciting yesterday…
I’m now officially registered for my first race! My first 5K in just 5 short weeks from tomorrow. FIVE! That will be here in the blink of an eye. It’s already been six weeks on the Couch to 5K program after all.
Over the last 6 weeks I have really grown to love running again. Yes, again. Back in high school I loved to run. I wanted to join the cross country team, but couldn’t because of cheerleading. I would even go on some training runs with friends on the team. Then, I fell off the exercise bandwagon in college and never went back to running when I finally embraced working out again. I never felt like I did it well enough.
Now, I recognize how its all about the personal challenge. I love having that sense of accomplishment with each run because each run brings a new challenge. That’s why I knew I had to get out and try something different for yesterday’s run. So, I donned my 4all by jofit jacket to brace the chill and took my run to the great outdoors!
I had very low expectations for this workout. After all, running outdoors has a lot more going on than on a treadmill. In an attempt to keep it as simple as possible, I first headed to a local greenway trail for a flat, out and back, no thinking required run. Umm, it was closed. I headed to the gym and almost just went in for the treadmill, but had anticipated running outdoors all day. So, I went for it.
Once I got going I felt so good. I actually scrapped the Couch to 5K workout plan because I didn’t want the walking break. I just wanted to run. So you can imagine my surprise when, without even trying, I ended up with 3.2 miles in 29:35!!!
Oh, ^ that ^. Someone in our house *cough cough – Peter* can’t pass up a deal on techy equipment when he finds one. So, I am the proud owner of one of these bad boys despite my original intent to wait for one. I’m not complaining. I think its going to be a very useful tool for me. Plus, its fun to see things like this:
- Mile 1 = 9:10
- Mile 2 = 9:30
- Mile 3 = 9:05
- Mile 3 – 3.2 = 1:50
- Average Pace = 9:15/mile <—I think that comes from a combo of wanting out of the chilly air and having to pee! It’s the only rational thing!
I honestly felt amazing the entire time. I think I had a cheesy smile plastered to my face because it just felt so good. I can’t wait to run outdoors again!
Although it did make me quite hungry. I cam home and immediately devoured two of the following:
Black beans, corn, cheese, salsa, lettuce, and a bit of our cow-share beef on whole wheat tortillas. Super simple and delicious. I love taco night!
One last thing. I created an account on Daily Mile for workout inspiration and tracking of my workouts.
Click to add me as a friend! I would love to share the motivation. 🙂
And yes, I know I have clearly fallen hard for running. Don’t judge!
Question of the Day – Have you ever quickly fallen in love? How did it turn out? I think I have a good gut knowing whether or not I’ll love something for the long haul. It’s always worked for me – my marriage, deciding to have kids, passion for weight training, blogging, and hopefully now running.
Tina you did great on that run! And yes, I am waiting a while before investing in a Garmin but I’d love it if Jason got me one 🙂
Yes I have fallen hard before — Jason and I got engaged after 5 months of dating, and then got married 5 months after that. It was quick but we both knew it was right.
That’s like Peter & I. 🙂
I was so shocked when he told me that he ordered it. He said it was a good enough price to where if I ended up not using it he could resell it and make a profit. I gotta love his practical side. LOL
Awesome job girl!!!!
I’m so excited for you! I fell in love with running this past couple of years and can’t believe what a difference it’s made in my life! Tina…your times are awesome and you should be soooo proud. You’re gonna rock that 5k 🙂
Wow congrats on your run Tina!! That’s amazing. AND, congrats on your first race! I’m warning you – – it’s addictive!!
I don’t think you need to warn me…I can already feel it! LOL
That’s an awesome pace & distance for your first outdoor run! I’m glad you love running. Since you’re already at the 5K distance with 5 weeks to go, maybe you could try for the 10K?
I’ll do the 5K first and then hope to find a 10K sometime after that and work towards a half at the end of the year perhaps?
You’re a natural runner 🙂
Me and my Garmin(s) go way back. You’ll love it!
Woohoo – you’re right, the 5 weeks will fly by, but you’re certainly ready for it! I really, really need to buy a Garmin! I think I might get that same model.
So glad to be following you on Daily Mile! 🙂
Wow, way to go! Isn’t the feeling after a run the best? I have recently taken on running as well, and I fell in love almost immediately. And that love only grew after my first 5k, so prepare to fall even further in love!
And, I wish I could have a forerunner like yours, that is awesome. I’m totally jealous 🙂
Have a wonderful weekend!
Tina,
Congrats on getting back into running and on completing your first 5k training. That’s awesome. I just registered for my first 5k at the end of April. I’ve been using the Couch to 5k training program also. I’m on week 6. What kind of monitoring device did Peter get you/him? Is it a garmin? How do you like it? I’ve been dying to get one, but they’re so expensive… 🙁
Amanda
He found a Garmin forerunner 205 for just over $100 instead of the $150 I had seen them at. I have only used it this once but I loved having it to look back over my run with.
Congrats!!!! SO fun! And for a “born again” runner, you are SPEEDY! You can be super super proud of all of your hard work!
Yea. I was SHOCKED! I don’t think I even ran that well in high school. LOL
You are such a natural athlete! I’m impressed with how well you’re doing on the Couch to 5K program. I tried to use that Daily Mile program and I got annoyed with how it rounds your mileage. I ended up making my own table in Google Docs to track it because I wanted something more exact.
Way to go Tina! That’s SO great! Maria & I will be doing our first ever 5k next month!
Yay! Congratulations–very exciting!!!
Congratulations on that time- you will rock your first 5K if you’re already running times like that :). The race day adrenaline is so real, too… I always run faster at a race compared to just running for training so yeah. That post-workout snack looks yummy too!
Congratulations on signing up for your first race! I started running 5ks last year and I really love them 🙂 I am amped to get started with my outdoor runs again this weekend…best of luck!! P.S. You look so great!
yayaya WAY TO GO!! So happy for you!! That is so great!! I am glad you enjoyed it and did so well.
I am also SO HAPPY to see you finally registered. yayaya!! I know you’ll do awesome!!
LOL on Peter breaking down and getting it for you. NICE!!! You have to share with me the sale. I think im going for that one over the 305. (I really should hold off bc of the current pregnancy but i cant pass up a good deal either. HA)
I think he got it off Amazon? They’re prices always fluctuate so much though so I’m not sure if its still the same. He got it just over $100.
I always fall back in love with running once I am able to run outside each spring and summer! I love the feeling of dripping in sweat after a long run!
Aren’t garmin’s great? I got one for Christmas (scored a fantastic deal on black friday) and am absolutely in love with it!
Congrats on falling in love with running. It’s the best thing ever. 😀
you are doing so great with your running! you must be a natural!!!
Oh hey 5k…
AWESOME run! I’m so glad you’re excited about running again! And congrats on signing up for the race- it’ll be a nice goal fo’ sho’
Great job Tina! That is an amazing time too! 😀 You are so ready to rock that 5k!
This is an awesome first run! And if your personal challenge is not enough, be content in the fact that you are already faster than me! 😉
Dear Peter, Please find me a good deal on a Garmin 205. Thanks, Sara
(Glad you got one and found a good deal! That is so awesome!)
He uses the website slickdeals.net to find deals on things. You can put alerts up for specific things and it will inform you when someone shares a deal for them.
Thank you so much for letting me know!! That’s excellent!
Way to go on the run and congrats for signing up for the race. My 1st race was a half marathon (we walked it) and it was not easy. Long distance anything is not for me but I may try a 5k/10k race sometime. Had breathing issues so couldn’t run the race but maybe one day.
As for falling hard, yes with Kevin (hubby). He was traveling and stayed at the hotel I worked at, we dated 3 months long distance. He was from IL, I was in VA. We planned our wedding in under 24 hrs., got married then moved me to IL. We just celebrated 14 years this past New Year’s Eve.
Oh and lately I have fallen real hard for boxing. It’s amazing and I love it. I crave more!
That is AWESOME!!! Running outside is the BEST feeling ever, I swear! You are fast for right out of the gate, especially!! I’m so happy for you!!
SO exciting!! I know that there are hundreds of awesome forms of exercise out there, but in my opinion there is nothing quite like a great outdoor run – inhaling the fresh air, using your whole body and not relying on any equipment – and of course the great feelings that follow 🙂
I’m actually, having been inspired by you, starting a C25k today! I don’t want to race but miss running and think it would be good to have a solid program 🙂
I really liked how gradual it worked up everything. I think it really helped me regain some fitness quicker than I expected. I bet you will do GREAT. And I will of course be one of your biggest cheerleaders. 🙂
Amazing run!! I’m so glad you have fallen in love with running. It’s a wonderful personal sport and something that has really set me free in so many ways. In order to run, I have to take care of my body, and vice versa. I fell hard for running less than a year ago.
It’s so great when you find something that you absolutely love to do!! Good luck in your training over the next few weeks. One of my goals for 2011 is to run a 5K. I’ve fallen off the workout wagon the last month or so and so I’m planning to join a learn to run program in May to start getting back in shape to hopefully run a 5K in the Fall.
You can definitely do it!! 🙂
Great job!! Looks like you’re already ready for
that race! I love to run and can’t wait to get outside in the warm weather!
I’m like that with yoga. It’s definitely a good thing- keeps my high strung self from freaking out too much!
Way to go Tina! You are so quick for being newish to running! Good luck at your 5k! The title of the 5k makes me think of chocolate 😛
Tina, that is AWESOME!! You are taking off with this running thing, and it’s so incredibly exciting to see you fall in love with it, too. Congrats on your new Garmin, wahoooo! I love new gadgets that get me excited about working out. 🙂
I feel hard for running back in HS, but recently I fell in love with hot yoga. It’s hard but I never regret going!
I can’t believe how fast you are already! Way to TINA!
You did an amazing job on that run! You are going to ROCK that 5K! 🙂
Running outside is a million times better than treadmill running! Glad you enjoyed your run.
Yep, I fell in love with my husband super quickly. 🙂
Congrats! I love that smiling picture of you. It really speaks volumes of how you felt after such an amazing run!
…and it made me smile 😀 Just what I needed.
Yay! Registering for that first race is exciting and fun.
Not sure if I ever fall in love with anything quickly. I’m way too overly analytical to allow myself to do that… it kind of sucks.
Tina! You are a NATURAL! That is some serious good time!
Wow Congrats Tina!! That is awesome! That’s a huge accomplishment and you should be so proud of yourself!!
You know when you mentioned “love” and how you decided to have kids….how did you really “know”? My hubby and I would like to start this summer and I’m pretty sure I have the baby fever and would absolutely love to have a baby….but I can’t help but feel guilty about having other emotions that come with having a baby….like not being (in my mind) truly financially ready, missing our date nights, the stress and busyness that comes with it….did you have these concerns and is it all normal to feel? I would absolutely love to start a family but I just can’t help but have these concerns in the back of my mind…..
YES! I certainly still had those concerns – especially the financial aspect adn giving up some of my freedom or our freedom as a couple. But my gut still wanted a baby badly and I knew it was the right time for us. Changes definitely had to happen but once you’re there it becomes the new normal and you wouldn’t change it for anything. At least 99% of the time. 😉
Thank you so much for your response Tina, it’s exactly what I needed to hear. That’s exactly how I’m feeling, my gut is telling me that I want a baby badly and it’s a good time for us (we both have great steady jobs and we’re at that age to, I’m 29 he’s 34), and we’re in a great house so everything is pointing in the right direction except for those few concerns. We’re definitely ready for a change and are excited to embrace it! And I love the part where you said it becomes the new normal….so many changes have happened in my life that I thought I couldn’t get used to but in the end it definitely became the new normal and I’ve loved every aspect of it. Thank you for giving me peace of mind and that in the end it’s all very much worth it when you have that precious baby….thanks again 🙂
Glad it helped. 🙂
Congrats Tina! You sounds super motivated and I have no doubt that you’re going to do amazing in your race!
Nicely done!! I need to check out the daily mile. Haven’t used it before!
It’s basically facebook but with people’s workouts. I like it so far.
Great job Tina! I can’t wait to run again…and maybe it’s just me but with the nursing boobs, it feels a little odd 🙁
I think I fell hard for bikram yoga but my wallet couldn’t keep up! ;>
Mine were a lot more uncomfortable after M. This time they still produce boat loads of milk, but don’t always have that overly full feeling either. I also double up the sports bras and go RIGHT after feeding for my workouts, which helps.
Woah a speedy runner! Awesome! So happy you got to run outside 🙂 !!! Also glad you are enjoying running!!
You rock! Go speedy gonzalez! I am so happy and proud of you!
Dang you are fast!
I am a really hot and cold person, so I feel love strongly and quickly, BUT I also feel disgust strongly and quickly. I’m all over the place! Even swimming, which I would describe as one of my truer loves, took me a while to warm up to and has sometimes made me scream.
I think anything we really love evokes the same intensity on the opposite end at times. It shows the passion in it. 🙂
Awesome run!! I am feeling the same way…I think I am really starting to enjoy running. I love having someone new-ish to read about and go through this with. Thanks for finding me on Daily Mile!
Yes! My husband! I think it is totally working out!
Ok, that smile on your face is priceless! You look amazing and dang you look refreshed! I can’t wait to see you tomorrow!
Congrats!! You will do great on your race.
Three other random comments: 1. you look great! 2. I like the new blog design – I know I am behind, better late than never 😉 3. I am still kicking myself for not taking pictures at HP World. What was i thinking?!!??!?!
Love the post-run smile pic. Adorable! Congrats to you. Running outside is SO much easier.
I’m interested to hear how you like the Daily Mile site. Specifically, if it is useful vs. one more thing to keep up with.