Couch to 5K - Week 9

Perhaps I am being a little premature in declaring victory here, but this morning I made my second of three 30-minute runs that are scheduled for this week. I wasn't worried about completing the run this week, because I already knew I could run for 30 minutes. Last week, I was running for 25 minutes, and on Saturday I went for a "just because I feel like it" run.

Okay, well maybe the word run is a little overstating things. I'm huffing and puffing along at roughly 3.25 MPH, which is a speed most fit people could out-walk.

But I digress. I went out on Saturday and I jogged for 34 minutes. I felt like I could have gone on even longer, but my left knee was hurting intermittently during the run, and I figured discretion was the better part of valor. I kept going until I was almost home, and then I walked the rest of the way.

Yay me.

So this week's 30-minute runs haven't seemed so bad. I am fully confident that I will make Friday's run without any problems, though the weather isn't supposed to be so wonderful. The forecast is for rain, likely starting early morning. I suppose I could get up really early and try to beat the wet weather, but I don't have any reflective clothing, and I don't want to get run over by a sleepy commuter on his way to work.

So, I'll run at sunrise and hope the storm front stays away until after I run.

Knowing my luck, fat chance. I'll run anyway, and perhaps I won't stink as much if the rain washes all the sweat away.

In other news I'm within about 3 lbs of my lowest recorded weight back in 2009. Even though my weight is just a bit higher, my percentage of body fat is lower than it was around the same time. Back then, it was 48.6%. This morning, it was 47.1% That is an improvement, I guess.

I'm still discouraged that I'm not seeing more progress.

Next week, I am going to start the Ease into 10K program. Even though I'm still not able to run 5K in 30 minutes, I figure the best thing I can do is increase my workout time. The 10K training program sets a goal of running for an hour without stopping.

My personal goal is that I would like to be able to run 5 miles without stopping.