Did my W2D1 today - going to be W/F/Sun this week, my daughter head-butted my shin on Sunday and oh my gosh, I am finally just getting to the point where it doesn't hurt to walk. I almost thought I needed xrays, and was so worried about today's run - the warmup and first run hurt a little but I actually feel great now. I'm gonna be the odd one out and say that Week 2 felt so much easier than Week 1 - I'm not sure if it's because I have a week of it behind me or just that running 6 intervals felt easier than 8 (even if it was a minute more) but I even pushed it so my route was 2.5miles today. I might never be an obsessive, addicted runner - but after today I am totally confident that I will be ready in time for my 9/23 5K

So, I did week one on a treadmill and it was mostly fun and I did good with some hard work. Week 2, days 1 and 2, I did outside on a track. OMG... it takes so many more muscles and so much more energy to propel yourself forward! After yesterday's run (W2D2), I was really contemplating quitting the whole thing. I wasn't able to do the last 30 seconds of the last run and I was miserable throughout the whole thing. My program is on my iphone and has you run 45, walk 60, run 60, walk 90, run 90, walk 2 minutes, and then repeat all of that 3 times.

I'm kind of wondering if maybe I'm just not cut out for this running thing. Maybe running on a treadmill... but not on a track, but that doesn't help me with the 5K I'm signed up for in October. Bummed!

Running on a treadmill is -really- different than running outside- I actually had this discussion with a friend last week because we were debating the pros and cons of training for a 5K inside or outside. Some things that help, your shoes matter a lot outside AND it's summer = humid, which makes breathing harder. When you run outside go a little slower than you would on the treadmill - just like anything else you have to work up to it! Don't beat yourself up - you tried and you are miles ahead of people still sitting their butts on the couch You'll get up to speed - October is still 2 months away.


Some things to help if you want to treadmill train in the interim -

1) Are you upping your incline? If you're not, the treadmill is actually doing more of the work for you than you think - try upping it if you have the kind that can, I've heard 1-2%.

2) Try to do at least 1 run outside a week - yeah, it's harder, but there's no substitute for outside training if your 5K is outside.

3) Don't panic - some of what bothers people training now is the humidity. A lot of that will dissipate in October


In short - you CAN do this and you WILL do this. So you didn't do as well as you hoped this week - oh well! You put effort in - and THAT is why you will succeed.

Absoluely! even though I just responded to you in email, I just might change that plan up and do what you said and run on the treadmill normally and then run outside one run out of the week. That's an excellent idea! And when I run on the treadmill, I'll increse the incline to at least 1'. Super ideas! Thank you!!!

Glad to hear you're feeling better about it You have plenty of time and like you said - if you get to it and have to walk through some of the "official" 5K - who cares! You're doing and will do great - just keep moving!