The One Mile Club

I know it's been forever since I've done an actual blog post!! I'm reverting back to the horrible blogger I was when I first started! But this time I can blame it on lack of internet connection and the fact that my computer only has 1.84 gigs/megs/whatever-the-unit-of-measurement-is-called-that-stores-info-on-your-computer left on it, which means I have absolutely no place to keep my pictures..... except for on the memory cards!
Hopefully one day soon that will change!!

But that is not but this post is about!! It's to brag about an accomplishment!! Yes, I am using my blog to brag about myself for just a minute!!

Did I ever tell you that I officially signed up for the glow in the dark race?  Well, I did!! It added a new measure of motivation to my jogs, but also added some stress! I'm still pretty nervous that I wont make it. I heard about the race six weeks ago. The couch to 5K program I found was a nine week program, which meant that if I followed that plan every week I still wouldn't be ready in time. That freaked me out. But I made up my mind that I was going to try my best, even if that meant walking half the race.



So, I started that couch to 5K program just about six weeks ago. Luckily, I wasn't technically going from the couch..... I am a pro at the elliptical machine!! I can do four miles in forty five minutes easy on that baby!! But running.....outside.....on the pavement.....when it's hotter than Hades, is a WHOLE different ball of wax!! I think I told you about my first run.. when I came home and literally thought I was going to die right there on the floor!! Thankfully I lived and had to FORCE myself to run again then next day. I felt like I was inflicting torture on myself!!! But each day after that was slightly easier than the last. I remember that day when I ran for four minutes straight. Such a small time frame in the grand scheme of things, but it was awesome for me!! And then I hit six minutes!! Even better!! And then times just kept going up from there!! Now remember, when I say I am a "runner" I use that term loosly!! It's probably more along the lines of something like this:

Yes, that's right.... I am a wogger!! My jog is only slightly faster than a walk! In fact, I went running with my mom last week and she was able to speed walk and keep up with my "running" pace. But it's better than nothing right?

I found the coolest app that has been running so much cooler!! It's the Nike+ Running app!!

I'm a HORRIBLE judge of distance!! I couldn't tell you how far 200 feet is, or how long a football field is, let alone a mile!! And especially when I was forcing myself to run I had no idea how far I was or was not going! I was going off of landmarks. I would run one day to a specific tree and then the next time I ran, I would run the the bushes that were beyond that first tree. And then I got myself to the point where I was running to the power line pole before turning around. It felt like a long way......but I had no idea how far it actually was until I downloaded this app!! The app is seriously awesome!! It's keeps track of where you are running, how far you've gone and what your pace is. When you hit a mile, it tells you!! And then it tells you what your pace is and what your projected pace is! I LOVE it!! 

Thanks to that app I found out that one mile is just beyond that power pole! Since then, I have ventured even further than that pole {one day I made it all the way to the bridge that crosses 114th south. Last night I started my run around 8:00 pm {here is where the bragging comes in}. It's been SO hot this week!! Over 100 degrees most days I think. And at eight at night its still pretty dang hot! When I had gone out on Monday night, it was also very hot and I had a HORRIBLE run! My longest running streak was only about six minutes!! So I was really worried I would have a repeat night. But as I got going I kept telling myself I could do better..... I told myself I could run for twelve minutes straight. I had only been running a few minutes when my goal changed..... My new ambition..... To run a full mile NO STOPPING!!! And guess what....

I  DID IT!!! 

I ran an entire mile without stopping or walking once!! And the best part... I did it in about twelve minutes, forty seven seconds!! The last time I was ever timed on the mile it took me over thirty minutes to complete! And I KNOW there was lots of walking involved!!

I'm still not an awesome runner!! I dont think I could keep up with an awesome pro like my sister in law Hayley or my best friend Lacey!! But I've come so far from where I started!! I now know that I am capable of running for one whole mile without stopping!! Bring on the 5k!!