Can I just say that I love repeat weeks? They really help me feel stronger in my progress with jogging. The first week of a new training time makes me feel like I’m out of shape, but the repeat week really makes me feel like I’m becoming more athletic. It just shows that practice helps so much!
Week 4, Day 1: I celebrated having Friday, January 22 off by doing my RLR training around 11am. I usually do the training either in the early morning or in the evening, so doing the RLR training in the middle of the day was nice. I upped my walking speed to 3.0 and kept my jogging speed at 3.7. While the jogging wasn’t easy, it wasn’t as difficult as it was the week before.
Week 4, Day 2: Completed on Sunday, January 24. I was able to have a leisurely Sunday of coffee and the newspaper and then I roused myself around 1pm for RLR training. It was nice to make my way slowly to the gym on Sunday because it made me feel like it was all just part of me enjoying a day off. Which is true. I’m really enjoying seeing my body adapt to this training. Today I decided to push myself and go a bit faster on the jog, so I increased the speed to 3.9 on the first 3 intervals and then increased it again to 4.0 for the remaining ones. While 4.0 was tough, I could do it, so I”m going to keep the jogging speed here as much as I can. I kept my walking speed at 3.0.
Week 4, Day 3: This last day of week 4 RLR was done in the early morning on Wednesday, January 27. As hard as it is to get out of bed at 5:45 to go to the gym, it is sure nice to walk out of there by 6:30 knowing that I’ve completed a great workout. I walked at 3.0 and was able to keep the jogging at 4.0 throughout all of the 90-second intervals. This was definitely the best day of RLR training I’ve ever had, and I know it’s because it was the 3rd day of a repeat week. Oh, how I wish I could get to work at 9:15 everyday so that I could wake up and go to the gym first thing every morning. It really does give me so much energy and makes me feel so proud of myself, right from the start of the day.
One thing I forgot to do all week was take photos of my distance. I had the iPhone with me, so I could’ve easily done it, but it just slipped my mind each time until I was already finished with the training. Ugh. So, I’ll be more mindful of that next week, because I really do like documenting how far I’ve gone.
Next week’s training schedule is daunting: 90 second jog, 90 second walk, 3 minute jog, 3 minute walk and then repeat. Wow! How the heck am I going to jog for 3 whole minutes? I’m going to have to dig deep, I guess, but I’m not sure I’m ready for it yet. I may do 2 minutes on Day 1, 2.5 minutes Day 2, and then build up to the 3 minutes on Day 3. That just seems more doable to me. But I guess I’ll try to do more and see what happens, knowing this can always be my backup.
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Since the goal of RLR is to run in a 5K, I finally did a search on Active.com and found a 5K that was happening in my area after my RLR training would be complete. I found the See Jane Run Women’s 1/2 Marathon and 5K, and I knew I wanted to sign up. The philosophy and mission statement of the company is so amazing, and I mean, with a slogan like this, how could I not?
It’s on June 5th, and I cannot wait!
I signed up with the “stroller section” just because I’m not sure if I’ll be ready to jog the entire 5K and the walk/jog combo sounded less terrifying to me. I told LC about the walk, and she said that she’s going to sign up to do it with me, which will be fun. I’m not sure if she’ll be jogging with me, or if we’ll just catch up to each other after the race. Either way, it will be fun to have her there with me. She’s always my 5K support, and I know I’ll need her on this day, too.
One cool thing about this 5K is that they allow iPods, so I’ll be able to use music to help me get through the hard times. I’ll definitely create a special “5K jogging mix” for myself and LC to groove to as we complete the event.
Here’s a little 7 minute video all about the event and the See Jane Run company. I hope you’ll take the time to watch it, because I find it inspiring. It made me get teary-eyed! The event and course described in the video is the same one I’ll be doing this year.
Be sure to check in with Scale Warfare to see how her RLR training went this week.
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A huge THANK YOU to Scale Warfare who surprised me and sent me a copy of The Courage to Start, by John Bingham. I started reading it last night, and I cannot put it down. The author has a great voice and the writing style is engaging and intelligent. Thanks to SeattleRunnerGirl, too, because SW said that you were the one who originally suggested the book. So, thanks to both of you. (SW also sent me another book (so generous!!), but I’ll write more about that one in a different post).
Bella on the Beach 
I don’t know if it’s the fact that I’m really sick right now, but that video made me cry. I’m super bummed about being ill right now because I have my first 10K in a week, and seriously doubt I’ll be able to get any good training in next week. 😦
But it looks like a very cool run (especially the chocolate part!). Keep up the good work!!!
Hope you feel better soon.
I’m so glad that we are doing the 5k on the same day! I didnt realize some runs dont let you use your IPOD? I hope that mine does, because I have no idea how on earth I’ll get through it without the music to distract me!
Youre welcome for the book! I am glad that SeattleRunnerGirl mentioned it to one of her commenters, it totally inspired me to check it out. So thank you SeattleRunnerGirl!!!
OMG! I didn’t even realize that we signed up for the 5Ks on the same day. Weird, huh?
Definitely check to see if you can use your iPod at the event. Lots of them don’t for “safety reasons.” It was one of the thigns I hated about the Team in Training sessions – they wouldn’t let us use our iPods because we wouldn’t be able to use them on “race day.”
I didn’t watch the video, but I have to say WOW! Awesome job on bumping up your speeds!!! My suggestion, for what it’s worth (which may very well be nil), is to try to follow the schedule exactly and do 3 mins of jogging, but bump your speed back down for the day (including for the 90 sec). Try going back to 3.6 or something. If you do a faster speed for a shorter amount of time, you’ll lose out on some of the endurance that the schedule is trying to build. So do all the jogging day 1 at 3.6. Then maybe on day 2 or 3 or on the repeat week, work to bump it back up toward 4.0. You’re seriously doing great Bella.
Also, one other thing — I think you should start with the rest of the non-stroller 5k people. Start toward the back, but it will make sure that your time is accurate, and you won’t feel like you’re at the back during the race since strollers will be starting behind you. You’re doing the training and you’ve earned the right to start with everyone else who’s running, or jogging (or jogging and walking, which is fine too).
Also, it will actually be considerably more difficult to start with the strollers. At races with lots of strollers, many pushers aren’t very experienced and will be walking the entire time. You will have to dodge around all of them (which uses up lots of extra energy and time), and odds are very high that your heels will be hit/run over with wheels multiple times before you’re out of any crowd. You don’t want to be injured. Start with the runners but toward the back. You deserve it. Don’t cheat yourself out of the experience. Don’t worry that you signed up for the stroller division — it won’t make a difference on race day (at least that’s my experience, having done tons of races in the past). You’ll have a bib and probably a timing device, and it will be up to participants to self-sort by where and when they start. Go with the non-stroller 5kers and start at 8:30.
Good job on signing up for a race, it’s best to have a set goal already paid for and on the calendar. It helps with low points in training.
Ok, I’ll start at the back of the 5K pack/beginning of the stroller set. That way, I won’t feel too badly if I get behind people.
Hooray for the book! I *love* John Bingham but I don’t have that book yet – it’s on my Amazon wishlist! I’ll look forward to your review when you’ve finished it up.
Congratulations on upping your speed and doing so well with your training! I agree with your previous commenter who suggested that, instead of not running the full 3 minutes (you can do it!!!), you just take your speed back a notch for the first day or two of the next round of training.
Keep up the great work!!
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I did a 5K today!! I was dead last. I almost started crying when I saw the person in front of me turn the corner that I knew lead to the finish line…
Almost cried again when everyone was cheering for me for crossing in under an hour- which meant I QUALIFIED!!! I should have cried— but I was surrounded with people, and in all honesty, I couldn’t believe I did it.
Good luck to you guys!!!!
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