Tag: couch to 5k

Ten Motivational Quotes for Runners

Last night I had my first one mile time trial with the Katy Fit 5k training group. A week ago I tried this on the treadmill just to see what I might expect and came out around 13:35 minutes. That’s pretty pathetic if you ask me. I ran with the training group on Wednesday night for more than 2 miles and I ran again on the treadmill Saturday for a bit more than 2 miles. 
Last night I had someone running beside me for the entire one mile time trial. I’m not sure if she slowed me down or sped me up but she definitely kept me going. I finished the mile in 12:56. That’s a big improvement and it is motivating. Then we ran another mile and half in intervals. 
I’m sure it also helps that I have fundamentally changed how I eat and in the process have dropped 6.5 pounds so far. I don’t see myself quitting that process anytime soon either and I’m optimistic I may actually hit my goal weight by the time my Run 4 the Children race happens in March. 
Today I wanted to share with you a bunch of awesome motivational quotes with images I have found across the internet. Some are from Facebook and I don’t know the original source, most are from Pinterest. 
1. I love how simple running is. Can be done virtually anywhere. 

2. This is one of my favorites. So true.

3. Never in a million years thought I’d be a runner. I am.

Found via Pinterest from joemarelo.tumbler.com

4. Fierce.

Found via Pinterest from thehealthychange.tumbler.com

 5. This is the complete truth.

Found via Pinterest at 1.bp.blogspot.com

6. I used to hate sweat with a passion. Not anymore.

Found via Pinterest from wanttobehealthynhappy.tumbler.com

7. Are you gonna be strong today?

Found via Pinterest at weheartit.com

8. Perfect for computer addicts like me.


Found via Pinterest at staleymc.blogspot.com

9. Meeting my personal pain barrier straight on.

Found via Pinterest at WeHeartIt

10. Fortunately I’ve already seen my body changing after 2 weeks.


Found via Pinterest from WeHeartIt

 Bonus! In honor of my one mile time trial last night. As my friends keep reminding me not to worry about the actual number.

Found via Pinterest at jillconyers.typepad.com

This post is linked up at Amanda’s Top Ten Tuesday!

Questions About Running In Extreme Heat

So here in Texas it was 101 degrees today. Humidity is consistently close to 100% too. This presents a real problem for me when it comes to maintaining all the progress I made with the Couch to 5k program. First of all, without the peer pressure I had on me from my friends and race organizers, my discipline slacks off. I have still been running but I no longer have a serious tangible goal and a real action plan that requires dedication to get there.

So a couple of weeks ago I stepped outside at somewhere around 9am to run and I felt like I had to chew up the air to swallow it. I was instantaneously more wet than if I’d taken a shower. I simply could not suck in the air fast enough and I barely made it two miles before I just had to walk a bit.

After that I decided I should move to running indoors at the YMCA. Unfortunately there I realized once again that treadmills just don’t do it for me. Without a horizon ahead of me to aim for, my stamina just is not there. With stupid TV on twelve inches from my face I get super annoyed no matter how great the music I’m listening to is, but it’s better than staring at a wall I think.

So then I tried just getting up earlier to head out for my run. This weekend I hit the pavement of my ‘hood at 6:30am. The sun was already up but it felt bearable, that is until the sun reached over the houses around me and started beating down on me during the second mile.

Why do I keep running at all? First of all when I was really running three times a week during the Couch to 5K and pushing my body I felt fantastic and my clothes fit much better. I like to eat so anything that can offset that is highly useful. Secondly when it’s not oppressively hot outside the first half of my run is mentally freeing and super relaxing. You have to be a runner to understand that.

So if you’re a runner or if you even play tennis or soccer or some other activity in the dead of summer…how do you do it? Do I have to get up at 5:30 am to keep at this without passing out from heat exhaustion three miles away from home? If I keep going at it but just do shorter runs will I eventually get conditioned to running in the heat, or is that just stupid and asking for trouble?

Give me your best advice.