Day 2: Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Here it is, day 2, a full day removed from day one.

Why the delay? Why skip Tuesday? Well, I wish I could sit here and tell you it was because I was so sore that I needed the rest, but the real reason is sadly, not a good one - I was lazy, and I over ate at dinner. Dinner was too heavy, and thus, I couldn't get myself on the treadmill. Now that I have done it here though, I do feel guilty about missing the day, and I will make sure, that if I miss days, it will be for good reasons, and not selfish ones.

I was ready, I was pumped, I felt bad about skipping the previous night, and so I got right onto the treadmill (and had a fairly light meal - consisting of rice, snow peas, and mushrooms - to ensure I wouldn't bail on my program).

I began with the same mentality as Monday - to walk 2 minutes at 4 MPH and run 1 minute at 5 MPH and repeat 10 times over again. I begin walking and all is going well, then I up the speed to 5 MPH the first time, and I run, for a full minute, and I did not find myself breathing heavy; so I think to myself "this is easy, only 9 more of these" ... not so fast.

So I continue, alternating speeds on the proper intervals. I get up to the 17 or 20 minute mark where I have to run, and find myself starting to labor slightly (only as the runs are nearing an end), but I push through "the burn" and continue to complete my one minute running intervals as scheduled. And what I find, is in those times I slow my pace to 4 MPH, I regain my stamina almost instantly and my legs are not aching for the entire time I'm walking, as was the case on Day 1. I also did not find myself "counting down" how many times I had left ... instead, I found myself with enough stamina to sing along with my music (instead of breathing heavily, I was enjoying myself).

And so the 29:00 minute mark comes up - and I am tired at this point, but I have one more run for a minute left in me, and at that point, I decide that I will run "until I can't run anymore" ... so I begin at 5 MPH. I look down while running (so as not to be "watching the clock") and I look up - 29:40 - haven't even gone the full minute yet - no worries, I can do it, and I look away again. When I look back 29:55 - UGH, that's all? Keep pushing - 30:05 - I'm hurting already, I want to stop, but a little voice in my head says "you can give me 25 more seconds" ... so I push - 15 more seconds ... only a little further .... 10 seconds ... almost there ... 5, 4, 3, 2, and finally 1 ... I slow my pace to 3.5 MPH to begin my cool down session.

It wasn't much, but I ran for a minute and a half after doing 29 minutes of a running and walking combination. I will take it as a small, day 2 victory.

Then, for another small victory, after running I did a set of curls at 40 lbs. and did 55 reps.

In total, I walked 20 minutes at 4 MPH for a distance of 1.32 miles and ran for 10 minutes and 30 seconds for a distance of .875 miles.

When all was said and done (running, walking, and cool down) I totaled 32 minutes and a total distance of 2.27 miles ... I've already gone a full minute longer than day 1 and .07 miles more. Day two is only the beginning and I cannot wait to hit day 3 on Thursday night.