C25k: Day 1, Week 1

Yesterday I started the Couch to 5k (C25k) running program as detailed on coolrunning.com. I downloaded a podcast from Running Into Shape to help me keep track of when to walk and when to run. I recommend to anyone who wants to do this program to either download or make your own, it made things a lot easier to be told what to do when and for how long.

I am just coming down with a head cold so I didn't really expect to be perfect at this. I will probably end up doing the 1st week schedule for two or even three weeks before moving on. Between my head feeling like an overfilled water balloon I also have to be mindful of my back. I don't want to re injure it. As far as trips to the gym go I will NOT touch a weight machine until I meet with a trainer and get some advice (I have a meeting scheduled for 4/8) from my chiropractor. Hell the exercise will probably help my back get stronger so hopefully I can stop going so much.

Back to the C25K program. This week after a warm-up you jog for 60 seconds then walk for 90 ending with a cool down walk. All told you are exercising for roughly 20 minutes.

Yesterday was my first day on this program. The treadmills were full so I opted to try the elliptical. Probably not recommended but it was what was open. In the end I probably got more of a workout then week 1 is intended to give you but it felt great and, in my opinion, worked fine.

I made it about 3/4 of the way through before just walking the rest of the program. My back held up rather well but between being on the elliptical and having the head cold I didn't want to push myself to far. I could feel myself getting light headed and called it over about halfway through the actual cool down walk. Since I started a little early and walked through the last running portion I wasn't to worried about not getting a good cool down in.

A positive to having a back injury

A positive thing to having a hurt back and not being able to do a damn thing other then just lay there is that I have gotten a lot of reading done. The bad thing about that is that books are expensive! I have gone through more books in the last few months then I think I have ever read in a year. Hell, I have gone through 4 in just the last week. But to try and keep costs down I cant be going to the book store and dropping $50 on a handful of books every week so last night I made my way to the local library. It is a new library and boasts about having a large selection blah blah blah. I was disappointed.

I understand my favored genera of books, SciFi/Fantasy, isnt the most popular, but I do think it warrants more then three 4' sections worth of selection. Hell, they didnt even have Tolkien or Steven King (I double checked in the normal fiction, just in case).

I am disappointed in you Library. I remember now why I never really bothered with you and just purchased all my books.

Honesty is rough.

The Husband and I are burning out. We are both stressed and tired. I want to try and go away for a day or two to relax however I am also cheap and already short on funds. Our normal answer in this situation is to go camping but our fall back location is an amusement park.

I just went to check out the prices, make sure its as cheap as I remember and whatnot, I glance through the rides and rates for them. It made me realize that not only would I not be able to ride roller coasters but I cant ride just about every other fun ride out there. No scrambler, no tiltawhirl, not even the carousel would be a good idea. I could cry.

Its been since February. That's when my back went out. It was only earlier in April that I had my first real pain free day but that has been the only one. I don't want to risk it going out again from some stupid ride but why bother going just to see the husband ride things, that wont be fun for him either. The past two times we tried to go it rained and we ended up at the mall and driving around so we have seen all the other things to do out there.

Looks like we need a new location. :-/