Today was a new personal best in the running department! 3.53 miles in 31:02 minutes! That's an average pace of 8:48 minutes a mile, and I am HAPPY about it!! It wasn't a struggle, and I know I could have gone about another 1/2 mile or so pretty easily (kind of kicking myself for not doing so now...), but I stopped at 3.53 for whatever reason. I even got an e-mail from my little RunKeeper app notifying me of my new record (I was already very much aware of it ;), and that was pretty cool!!! So... I'm a happy little runner right now!
Looking at my progress, it seems that the way things typically go is that the first day of actual running after a day off or a day of elliptical training is harder (to varying degrees) than the second. So, if anyone is trying to get into running, (and they happen to be reading this blog) and they find that they are just not getting into it and keep getting frustrated, keep it up... This takes time, and everyone is different in how they will progress. I thought I'd try to not run two days in a row... Well, now I think that maybe that's not best for me. If I take every other day off, every day I run may be a run that frustrates me. That would be no fun, and I'd hate the whole process. I don't want that! Possibly, every 3rd day off is best for me. I'll figure it out as I go. My main goal, as any runner's should be, is to not over do it and injure yourself. If you hurt yourself, you're pretty much out of luck... You'll have to take an extended period of time off, which isn't ideal if you have a deadline for your goal, like my half marathon.
A few other tips that have helped me:
- Not every run has to be your fastest or your farthest. Something is better than nothing, so as long as you're out there trying on the days you need to be, you're helping yourself.
- If you can, try getting up and running in the morning. This has made a huge difference for me. It doesn't work every day... And many people are not in a position to pull off morning workouts (lucky me doesn't have to be at work until 9 a.m.! :), but if you're able to, and if afternoon/evening workouts are really not "clicking," try switching up your time. Getting up early does get easier. Also, some people may do better in the evenings. After work runs are good for burning off steam, plus, you've had time to wake up (and possibly get tired again) and you have fuel to burn. So, if mornings are giving you trouble, maybe you'd do better later in the day. Just be careful... It's hot out there.
- Switch up your route. Keep it interesting. I'm not very good at this, but when I do go down different paths, my run seems to go quicker. It's sort of like exploring. I've gotten lost before (yep, I really did), so don't go too far or take too many turns.
- Download Run Keeper. It's the app I use to track my distance and time. There are so many out there, and I'm sure many are really good, but I like this one, and it was free. This will also help you from getting lost, fyi.
I also have a picture that I took for the photo challenge that I'll hopefully get up here later today, along with another post I have brewing in my mind! Two, actually, are in the works! So, I will get those going soon! I hope everyone is having a fabulous morning!
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