I had a great run at the gym tonight, at least it was great for me.  I am really new to this whole running for pleasure as opposed to running from danger thing; a lot of what I have done to this point has been lots of trial and a little error (do not want too much error someone could get hurt).  I have done some reading and research to try to understand so I do not pull a bone or break a muscle, or something like that.

I think I mentioned in one of my earlier posts about how I really need to see how I am doing so I like the treadmill, tells me all the neat little stats I want to see.  I want to note that I am going to buy some sort of measuring device this weekend, I will write and let you know how that goes; could be dangerous, with one of those things EVERYONE will be timed for everything :).  Anyway, I like to see how I am doing.  In my attempt to get better I have tried many methods, some of them I read about, others I just tried thinking they might work.

Trying not to give you every boring detail of my workouts, here is a short version of things I have tried and what I did tonight (Please do not take these away as sound advice, as I mentioned earlier I am new to this).  My best time for an official 5K race is 42:22 on a pretty hilly course in a local park.  I want to get my time better AND I have to build distance to run 10k and half marathons I have planned over the next year.

1.  The longest run/walk I have done to date is five miles, I have done this twice.  Once I did not time it, the second time I was running/walking at a 15 minute mile pace.

2.  I spent two nights at the gym last week keeping my run to 30 minutes and trying to improve my run each time.  The first night I finished 2.15 miles in 30 minutes, the second night I finished 2.25 miles in 30 minutes.  Not much improvement, but I will take it.

3.  And finally – Tonight I decided to focus on doing half of a 5K or 1.55 miles.  I did that 1.55 miles in only 18 minutes!  That is roughly 11:40 minute mile, better than any mile time I have done to date, if I can push that time to a 5K I could finish my next 5K at about 36 minute; six minutes off my best time!  I want to make that my goal for one of my next two 5k races.

I am going to run/walk another five miles this weekend and see if I can get just a little better than my last, and then next weekend I am going to add a mile.

I will get to and finish my Half Marathon in February, my only goal for that right now is to finish!

174 days smoke free, 42 pounds down and 175 more nights sleep before the Disney Princess Half Marathon.